KPMG’s Davis and Meltzer Pass Along Strong Pipeline With Whitman Accounting Students
After years of recruiting students from the Whitman School of Management to work at KPMG, two familiar faces often seen on campus—Steven Davis ’87 and Howard Meltzer—are retiring from the accounting firm and passing the torch to other members of the recruitment team to keep the Whitman/KPMG pipeline of opportunity going strong.
Davis earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Whitman School and went on to Hofstra Law, eventually becoming a tax professional specializing in international tax. He built a successful career in New York City over the years, which included working in-house at a large publicly traded corporation, in Big Law and in the Big 4, and as an adjunct professor teaching international tax. Davis started recruiting students from Whitman even before joining KPMG, but shortly after joining the firm he became lead recruiting partner for Syracuse with Whitman as the main pipeline of students. Subsequently, under his guidance, while still focusing on Whitman, KPMG also began recruiting students from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, the School of Information Studies and the Syracuse University College of Law, many of whom are now KPMG employees. All in all, Davis has been recruiting at Syracuse for over 25 years.
“The engagement with the faculty, staff and students at Whitman has been outstanding, which has allowed KPMG to up our investment and involvement on campus,” he explains. “It’s been very rewarding to see the expansion of our footprint and brand on campus, and to watch the number of Syracuse alums grow and excel each year at KPMG. Working with Howard Meltzer, Taylor Hartong and the rest of the team, we have made it a top priority to get to know the students, their skill sets and who might be a good fit for us. History has proven that Whitman students integrate well into our firm. They come to us with a strong, sound commitment to professionalism and a strong desire to succeed.”
Recruitment has not been the only interaction Davis has had with the Whitman School, however. He has also been a long-time member of Whitman’s Accounting Advisory Board, working with others in the profession to help Whitman stay current on industry and market developments and adapt to the needs of firms looking for job-ready students.
He is also a proud Whitman parent, as his son, Jason Davis ’23, graduated from Whitman with a double major in accounting and business analytics, as well as a minor in data analytics.
“I’ve enjoyed all my interactions with Syracuse University and the Whitman School. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t take that much time out of my year to support the University and faculty, to interact with students and to engage with the Whitman Career Center,” says Davis, who officially retires from KPMG in September. “Being able to share my professional journey and experiences with students and provide real-world practical advice also affords me the opportunity to give something back to the University that laid the foundation for me to achieve my professional goals. Maybe some of it will resonate with a student here and there and help them along their own journey.”
While Meltzer did not attend Syracuse University, he happily volunteered to join KPMG’s recruiting team in 2016 and quickly become the lead audit partner. His eagerness to join in was largely driven by the fact that his older son, Alex Meltzer ’20 had enrolled in Whitman as a first-year student that year. His younger son, Max Meltzer ’23, enrolled in Whitman a few years later. Both of his sons are now proud Whitman alumni, Alex having graduated with a double major in management and supply chain management and Max with a major in accounting and a minor in data analytics.
“Starting in 2016, almost selfishly, I offered to be part of any opportunity that would allow me to visit Syracuse on behalf of KPMG and also visit with my sons,” Meltzer says. “I instantly fell in love with the energy on campus and the opportunity to interact with both students and faculty. The whole experience turned into something tremendously rewarding.”
During the early phase of his academic career, Meltzer was not fully clear on the path he wanted to take and at the suggestion of his father began taking accounting classes. Realizing he had an aptitude for it, he ultimately made it his major and has never looked back. He joined KPMG directly upon his college graduation, and was admitted to the partnership in 2002. Looking back on it, he commented on how quickly the years have passed during a wonderful career; he still appreciates the wise words passed along by his father all those years ago.
“It was good advice, and something I’ve passed along to many students myself,” says Meltzer, who spent his entire 35-year career at KPMG, most recently as a lead partner before retiring last April. “KPMG’s Davis and Meltzer Pass Along Strong Pipeline With Whitman Accounting Students
“Whitman students have generally had great success at KPMG, which is why the firm allows us the time and resources to recruit there,” he adds. “It’s been a wonderful experience that I will miss, but I have fond memories of helping students be successful and looking out for what’s best for them. I look forward to seeing other members of our team continue to recruit top-notch students to KPMG.”
“We appreciate the time and attention both Steven and Howard have given to our Whitman accounting students over the years, as well as the continuing partnership with KPMG,” says Kara Primrose, executive director of career services and employer relations. “They have built an excellent relationship, helped students be successful and shared their years of experience with those who are eager to take on the accounting world. We wish them both well on their retirements.”