As a two-time Titan 100, Deanna Salo said having a community of leaders to share ideas with regarding her role as the managing principal at Cray, Kaiser Ltd. has been an incredible resource. “When you are able to enjoy your life’s work and be seen as a leader among leaders, that’s an overwhelming feeling,” she said.
Utilizing the community to motivate her forward-thinking approach has helped Salo propel the accounting firm forward while reshaping the CPA landscape. Founded in 1972, the firm has grown under her guidance, empowering middle-market companies to succeed through tailored financial strategies.
Salo has championed initiatives that place people at the core of the firm’s growth. By investing in staff training, external recruiting, and rebranding niche services, she has ensured Cray, Kaiser remains an attractive employer and a trusted advisor. Utilizing her team to connect with prospective talent at career fairs across Chicago, Salo emphasizes the value of shared career paths and authentic engagement. “My leadership lesson learned has been getting through obstacles is not the victory; the victory is in the experience and knowing you can,” said Salo.
Salo’s greatest accomplishment lies in leading Cray, Kaiser’s ownership group through strategic planning amid transformative industry changes. Her ability to assess the evolving market landscape, reposition service lines, and leverage international accounting support has positioned the firm to thrive.
Looking ahead, Salo identifies technology as a cornerstone for the firm’s future. Implementing tools to streamline performance, expand service offerings and ensure transparency in staff development demonstrates her commitment to equipping employees for ongoing success. Annual education requirements are supplemented with innovative tracking tools, paving the way for clear promotional opportunities.
Salo’s leadership extends beyond operations into fostering a culture of empathy and curiosity. By emphasizing mentorship, she encourages Cray, Kaiser’s leaders to explore their unique attributes while nurturing the next generation of talent. Each team member’s growth plan blends qualitative goals, such as contributing to firm initiatives, with quantitative milestones, ensuring holistic development.
“As we have gained additional team members of the firm, I found it important to emphasize with the next level of leaders to have empathy and curiosity in this next generation of talent,” she said.
For Salo, the challenges of leadership are opportunities to grow stronger and more resilient. “When challenges appear, they are coming at you to likely distract you from some other obstacle (bigger or smaller) than what you are contending with,” she said. “Build muscle around each situation to allow you the strength to tackle the next ‘growing opportunity’ ahead.”
