Farewell…
This year sees the departure of two of our longest standing and most well respected Partners, Alan Patterson, and Ewan Millar. Ewan and Alan retire on 31 March this year, with Alan remaining as a consultant until 31 July.
We took some time to chat to them both about their long careers with Greaves West & Ayre.
Alan Patterson is our longest serving Partner who joined GWA in 1974. Alan’s experience as a General Accountancy Practitioner has been invaluable to the firm. His breadth of knowledge has covered many areas including Accounting, Auditing, Personal Tax, Trusts and Estates and Property Ownership. Alan acts as a trustee for many families holding land, property, and significant investment assets. He is involved in all aspects of Tax Mitigation including Inheritance Tax Planning and Business Structures.
Following 50 years at GWA with 40 of those years as a Partner, Alan is now looking forward to the future. He said, “Now is the right time to move into the next phase of my life. I am looking forward to spending time at home, relaxing with my family and friends and to spending more time enjoying my interests in travel and sports”.
Speaking to Alan, he reflected on the changes within Greaves West & Ayre over the past 50 years. From the number of staff in those early days and the various office locations through to the interesting and rewarding changes in modern office technology. In his own modest way, he simply says, “life at GWA has been an experience”.
“I am safe in the knowledge that I will be leaving my clients and GWA in capable hands, I wish them all the best for the future.”
Ewan Millar trained with a firm in Dundee and, after qualifying had a spell in the Tax Department in one of the “Big 4”. He then moved to N C Campbell & Co CA in Haddington where he was appointed as a Partner in 1986. Ewan remained a Partner in the firm when N C Campbell & Co merged with GWA in 2016.
Like all of Greaves West & Ayre’s Partners Ewan deals with a wide variety of clients. Being the son of a farmer and having been born and brought up on a farm, he takes a special interest in advising farming clients and ‘agri’ businesses.
Ewan commenting on his retirement said, “I have been very fortunate in that throughout my 46 years in the accountancy profession, I have thoroughly enjoyed my work, especially my time in Haddington. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to act for my clients and I thank them very much for their support over the years. I have very much enjoyed the personal contact with them and being able to provide solutions and support as best I can.
Retirement will be a change! My wife Catherine and I plan to do a bit of travelling; I am a member at Dunbar Golf Club, and am looking forward to perhaps a game once or twice a week rather than once every couple of months, as it appears to have been up until now! I enjoy my garden and look forward to spending the warmer days at a more relaxed pace maintaining that.
Last, but by no means least, I am also looking forward to spending more time with my grandchildren – three so far with another one on the way!
It is extremely reassuring for me to know that the capable and talented Team behind me at GWA will continue to support my clients and the Partners who are taking over as principal. I am particularly proud of the fact that one of those Partners is my son Stuart, thereby continuing the family connection.
I would also like to make special mention to the members of the Haddington Team who were with me on the journey through the merger with GWA. Their loyal and unwavering support through a period of considerable change is something I will always be grateful for, and I thank them very much for that support.”
I wish all my clients and all at GWA, continued success and all the very best for the future.
Everyone across Greaves West & Ayre and our Three Counties offices would like to thank you both for your service over the years, and we all extend our very best wishes to you both for a long, healthy, and happy retirement.
