UHY Manager Named Emerging Leader Under 30 by Long Island Business News

The Emerging Leaders Under 30 Awards honor the bright and dynamic young professionals under the age of 30 who demonstrate significant professional accomplishments and contribute to the Long Island community through community service as well as their dynamic work ethic. The honorees were selected by the editorial staff of Long Island Business News, and we are proud to have audit and assurance manager Shamil Ismail included on this year’s list! His published profile is below:

Though he is proud to have received his CPA certification in 2019, Shamil Ismail considers his promotion to manager at 26 years old his greatest achievement.

"I began my career at UHY as an intern during winter 2018 and worked my way up to a promotion to manager in July 2022," Ismail says. "In doing so I have developed both my hard and soft skills tremendously, including a significant increase in my accounting knowledge, communication skills time management skills, and mentoring skills."

A first-generation college student, Ismail received a bachelor's degree in business administration followed by a master's degree in accounting both at Baruch College, where he received magna cum laude distinctions for both degrees. Prior to starting at UHY in January 2019, he worked as a staff accountant for Direct Agents from January 2016 to May 2018 and a global finance and business management intern for JPMorgan Chase during the summer of 2018.

Approaching any challenge with an open mind and determination to learn are integral to Ismail's success. Throughout his career, he has faced countless challenges, from deadlines to complex accounting issues: scenarios where he contends he has learned and developed the most.

"I recommend to everyone I work with to seek out these situations and be a sponge to those above you," Ismail says. "There is so much to learn just by observing the way others handle these types of scenarios. Being in these uncomfortable positions will ultimately make you a more comfortable person as your career continues to develop."

Giving back to the community for Ismail means volunteering at local religious institutions, which includes food delivery to the elderly and disabled and taking part in park clean ups and restorations. He is also a member of the World Wildlife Foundation to which he frequently donates to sponsor animals in need.

In addition to his parents who instilled in him the value of hard work, dedication, and ethics, Ismail credits Nick Theos, partner at UHY, with whom he worked closely while interning there, as having the greatest impact on his career.

"Over the years, he has continued to be one of my mentors and has taken a significant role in my continued development," Ismail says. "We have worked together on jobs ranging from fees of $15,000 to fees of $2 million, spanning several different sectors." Following in his mentor's footsteps, Ismail makes sure to carve time out of his schedule to spend time mentoring staff, which, as the company grows, is filled with greater numbers of first year staff joining the firm.

"In order to continue our success, we have to ensure that our staff are getting the attention they deserve to be trained to succeed," Ismail says. "By doing so, I am actively playing a role in their development, which permeates throughout the firm and society at large."

See the full list of winners