Steve Swain recently joined TGRP Solutions as Practice Director of Consulting Services, where he is responsible for the SEC reporting and technical accounting vertical. He is excited to spread his wings in client service at TGRP, bringing deep experience with publicly traded companies in several different industries. A people person at heart, Steve is looking forward to helping more companies throughout the Denver metro area and applying his skills to grow TGRP’s consulting practice. Get to know the newest face on our team and find out what makes him tick (hint: it’s more than just numbers).
Areas of specialty?
Technical accounting, financial reporting, SEC reporting (including 10-K, 10-Q, S-4, S-1, and 8-K filings), U.S. GAAP, IFRS, consolidations, and financial analysis.
What’s your hometown?
I’m an Air Force brat who was born in Germany. My family moved to Colorado Springs when I was young, but we moved to Las Vegas just before my junior year of high school. Both the Springs and Vegas feel like home!
Where did you go to college, and what did you study?
I went to the University of California, Santa Cruz, and majored in business management economics. While I was initially drawn to the economics aspect of my studies, I soon found myself engaged in the accounting curriculum. The CPA path felt like a great opportunity for personal and professional development. Also, go Slugs!
What led you to Denver?
The short story is that I joined PricewaterhouseCoopers as my first job out of college. The longer version is that I grew up playing sports, but pivoted toward theater when we moved to Vegas in the middle of high school. I thought it’d be a great way to make friends, and I met my now-wife of 20 years doing it. After graduation, I went to UC Santa Cruz and she went to University of Nevada, Las Vegas. My grandmother lived in Denver, and I’d visited her a lot when I was growing up in Colorado Springs. My wife and I decided to move there together. She transferred to the Metropolitan State University of Denver, and luckily for me, PwC Denver needed more staff and hired me.
What’s your professional background?
At PwC, I focused primarily on manufacturing, food and beverage, and mining clients. I was there nine years before joining a gold mining company as their Director of accounting. Then, I spent 11 years with Janus Capital Group, which became Janus Henderson Investors. I was the senior manager of financial reporting and policies at JCG, focused on SEC reporting and technical accounting. After the merger of Janus and Henderson, I was promoted to director and pivoted to focus on consolidations and financial analysis. In 2021, I went to Inspirato, a luxury travel company with a portfolio of homes, hotels and resorts.
What led you to TGRP?
I joined Inspirato to help them go public and replaced the vice president/controller when he left a year after I started. It was an excellent opportunity overall, but demand shifted away from luxury, privately owned homes, and the company scaled way back to try to be profitable. I left in January 2024, took time off to figure out my next steps, and got connected to TGRP. I liked the people and the energy. I’m looking forward to building the consulting practice and contributing positively to clients.
What do you love to do outside of the office?
Hanging out with my family! I have two boys, ages 10 and 7, so you’ll find me at their baseball games or on family bike rides. I’m also a volunteer and coach with Special Olympics, which my wife got me into. She works in adaptive recreation for Denver Parks and Recreation.
Any little-known facts about you?
I started playing guitar in 2019, got really into it during the pandemic, and formed a band with some other dads in my neighborhood. We’re called The Magpies, and we do covers of pop/punk bands like The White Stripes, Green Day, The Hives, Blink 182, and Social Distortion. We put on fundraiser shows for our kids’ elementary school.
Life motto?
Do everything you can to win. Even if you don’t, the value lies in the process of giving everything you’ve got.
Words to live by?
Be nice, foster relationships, and listen. You can learn so much by truly listening.
What three words do you think people close to you might use to describe you?
Energetic, fun, and inquisitive.
What’s a guiding theme in your career?
Being surrounded by smart, good people. I value the relationships I’ve developed and have trusted my instincts about people when making career choices. When you work with great people, you can do anything.
