Persistence, flexibility and keeping focused on your own direction those are just some of the qualities and values that have served Myron Binns so well in his 42 years as an accountant.

For Mr. Binns, who celebrated 25 years in business this month, has made a successful career working for two of the Big Four accounting firms, the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) and Government, culminating in setting up his own practice, serving clients in the re/insurance industry, as well as unions and hotels.

During that time the 63-year-old born-and-bred Bermudian has seen it all, from starting out in business using his bedroom as an office and only a calculator to help him to running a highly successful accounting firm, covering everything including business plans, reporting services, consulting and valuations for local and international customers.

"The story that I tell is of perseverance in the profession and as a Bermudian who started his own firm," he said.

"My first chapter in this profession was serving local clients who were primarily contractors such as masons, builders and electricians, and it took me seven years before I was able to pick up my first international client.

"During that period it took me seven years to give myself a salary after paying my bills.

"I think my success has been as an individual who is very persistent and knows his place in society and makes his way with respect to what society throws at him, notwithstanding the fact that first and foremost Iam a professional person."

Mr. Binns started working as an accountant for Butterfield Bank in 1966 before moving into the internal audit department for three years in total. A move to Shell Overseas Trading beckoned, where he was employed as an accountant, doing the books of six firms, and assisting on a large reinsurance company called Peel Insurance, for another three years.

But when Shell relocated fromHamilton to St.George's, Mr. Binns joined the accountant general's department in Government as office manager, where he was responsible for vetting payments.

He decided to continue his education by enrolling at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and then CarletonUniversity in Ottawa, where he achieved his Bachelor of Commerce Honours programme after two years at each institution.Mr.Binns returned to Bermuda to join Butterfield and Steinhoff, the predecessor to KPMG, but left after two-and-a-half years to three years after failing to get his Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification.

He moved on to Sun Petroleum, an international firm, where he managed trading accounts up to $40 million per contract, liaising with traders and the Treasury department, reporting to the head of office.

However, his real ambition was to become a CAor Certified Public Accountant, so he moved back into mainstream accounting with Deloitte & Touche for two years and converted his university certification into a US degree, before successfully passing his CPA programme.

Using his accreditation to best effect.Mr.Binns linked up with the BMA, where he worked as assistant manager and supervisor of financial institutions for three years.

But it was not until December 1983 that he embarked on his own and went it alone in the accounting profession.

"I am the first licensed CPA out of New York state who set up his office inBermuda," he said."I am the grandfather of all CPAs licensed to practise in Bermuda.

"Mr. Binns, who lists membership of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, of which he belongs to the Nassau chapter, as well as the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bermuda, started out in his bedroom with a $125 calculator for the first nine months in business, before upgrading to offices in the Barclay's Bank building inChurchStreet, the Bermuda Arcade and then Par-la-Ville Place.

Priding himself on keeping his own counsel and focusing on the positive aspects both in life and in business, Mr.Binns networked with a number of key players in the market to get a foothold in the international business sector inBermuda, picking up work from re/insurers, captive managers and mutual funds, in addition to trade and credit unions and the hospitality trade as an auditor. He also acquired an accounting firm led by Alan Richardson 23 years ago to add to his growing portfolio of clients.

"The main business at the present time is auditing with emphasis on service and years of experience and knowing this sensitive market," he said.

"We are presently also consultants with respect to new business and also provide accounting services to small and medium-sized businesses who do not wish to have a full-time controller in their entity.

"One of our proudest achievements has been coaching people who would like to enter the profession and we are the only firm on the Island that can say all of our students who have passed through our doors have received their qualifications

."What we have given back to the community is assisting many Bermudians to realise their dream in giving them consultation and direction to receive their qualifications in a number of fields not only in accounting, but in nursing, teaching, banking and finance, just to name a few."

Mr. Binns' practice led the way as the first of its kind to see students from the BerkeleyInstitute, Sandys Secretary School, the Bermuda Institute and the Whitney Institute (from which he hired his first CPA) pass through its doors on a day release programme and many other international business firm have now followed suit.

The firm, which consists of Mr.Binns and three staff, celebrated its 25th anniversary with a lunch

"What we bring to the table is a wealth of experience with the ability to give real solutions to real problems,"he said.

"But we want to give thanks to our clients and to acknowledge the fact that our success has been as a result of their support, which is very gratefully appreciated."