In its current form, ASL had a modest beginning on 1 August 1998 when Pieter Aucamp purchased the audit department of the then Philip Marais & Co in Somerset West. The staff consisted of Pieter himself and a receptionist who was shared with three other firms. 25 Years later, we are blessed with almost 100 employees and five more directors who have joined us over the past few years, of who the “Scholtz” and “Lubbe” unfortunately have already left us.
As we look back on the past 25 years, it is with great gratitude for the many blessings we have received. We would not have been where we are if it weren’t for the solid and sustained support of our clients, staff and business networks. And for that, we all want to express our thanks for the relationship we have with each one. We are especially blessed with a very loyal client base that is successful in their own right. It warms our hearts to know that almost all the clients who were part of the acquisition 25 years ago are still clients of the firm.
Similarly, we rely on our staff, and we are fortunate to consistently have very good and loyal employees in our service. As a training office, (un)fortunately, our staff turnover is quite high, but on the other hand, it is also a very dynamic environment, and we are excited to see how a person who has just completed his/her studies develops into a professional who finds his/her place in society and makes a success of his/her future career. It is a privilege for us to continue to have contact with many of them through their involvement with some of our clients.
At ASL, we strive to live out our core values – WTRAC – every day. We realise that we are not yet where we want or need to be, and therefor, we work daily to improve what we do, hence our motto “Raising the Bar”. Just like in high jump, we must raise the bar a little higher every day to excel in what we do, the service we provide to our clients, and the employer we are for our staff.
At our 25-year celebration with our staff, Charl Cronje (former CEO of Ackermans and chairman of the Maties Rugby Club) shared some wisdom with us. It is also our hope that everyone receiving this newsletter will apply the “LIFE” principle in their own lives and choose to “Live in faith every day” rather than “Live in fear every day”.
We look forward to building relationships that wil be valuable and beneficial to all parties for a long time in the future.
Kind regards
Pieter, Christa, Jaco and Reinhard