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Super
CPAs
Individual
tax, estate, trust
Lawrence J. Martin
Hantzmon, Wiebel & Co.
by Jenifer Buckman
Math and numbers, "things that
appear to have answers," drew Lawrence J. Martin
to accounting during his college days at the University
of Virginia. In the 30 years since, he has applied that
aptitude to a specialty in taxation over a career that
has won him wide recognition from his peers.
 The
Charlottesville native had another epiphany back at
Mr. Jefferson's university. One day he looked around
his hometown and decided to practice accounting at home.
There would be no big moves to join regional or national
firms. Instead, he'd pursue his profession while staying
connected to his community, notably by managing a teen-age
baseball team.
Since then, Martin has built his entire career with
Hantzmon, Wiebel & Co., Charlottesville's largest
CPA firm. Working up through the ranks, he became a
partner in 1980. He now manages the firm's tax division
and, among his numerous professional affiliations, serves
on the board of trustees of the Virginia Federal Tax
Conference. The 54-year-old father of two also has built
a following as an expert in individual and business
taxation.
Even though he initially saw math and numbers as accounting's
way to neat empirical truth, he has come to realize
something else. "Today," says Martin, "
taxation is more of an art than a science. Public accounting
by nature is people oriented. I enjoy helping people
solve business and tax problems. I want to help them
become more successful at what they do."
That mission statement has won Martin kudos from his
colleagues. Steve Keeler, a Charlottesville lawyer and
CPA who co-chairs the tax division at LeClair Ryan,
says Martin is respected for many talents, particularly
his ability to work within his client's team of advisors.
Typically such teams include lawyers, investment planners,
insurance professionals and others. "Your first
impression of Larry is, 'This is a person who believes
in what he is saying and I can trust him.' He remains
on the cutting edge of business management and tax knowledge.
I've worked with a lot of CPAs in Virginia, and I don't
think anyone has a better set of skills or talents."
Martin sees CPAs as the quarterback of a client's advisory
team. Filing a client's annual tax return year after
year, he says, gives the accountant an in-depth knowledge
about a client. "Sometimes we know more about a
client than the client does. It affords you the ability
to engage in planning with other professionals."
While he may be a quarterback on the office gridiron,
after hours Martin takes his talents to the baseball
diamond where he's general manager of a teen-age ball
club for American Legion Post #74. "I have another
fellow who works with me as the coach," Martin
explains. The team finished this year's season with
a record of 27-3 - not bad for a guy who prides himself
on impressive numbers.
Martin's work with the team combines
his love of baseball and his desire to remain active
in the Charlottesville community. "I think sports
teaches you a lot about life … but it's also a
way to get your brain out of the office. It turns the
office off." Yet, the American Legion club is not
the little leagues. Its 16- to 18-year-old members play
at a high level of skill; some, including Martin's son,
have gone on to college baseball scholarships. (He plays
for the University of Richmond.) Besides that, stats-mad
baseball gives him another outlet for his numbers skills.
Back at the office, Martin finds no shortage of work
in individual taxation and estate planning. Charlottesville
has seen an influx of many wealthy people. "As
the population ages and with the runs we've seen in
the stock market in the last few years, there are more
people trying to preserve wealth for their families,"
Martin says. "For business owners in particular,
the challenge is not only individual and business tax
issues, but preserving the business. Succession planning
has income tax consequences."
His greatest professional satisfaction comes from mapping
out plans for a client and seeing them take shape over
the years. "Your professional judgement becomes
more important," he says. "There are no straightforward
answers. You are taking a complex set of rules and applying
them to different situations. Tax law is simply a set
of rules that Congress made up and that's what you work
with.''
This long-term approach helps untangle the most vexing
tax issues. Katherine McDaniel of the Danville firm
Harris, Harvey, Neal & Co. says Martin's staying
power is what makes his peers look to him to work out
the most convoluted of tax issues. "Anytime someone
in our firm has a question, a complex tax question we
can't seem to resolve, we go to him," she says.
And if Martin doesn't have the answer? Well, there's
always baseball.
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