About

Sometimes you ponder the majesty of the universe by jumping on a snowboard and careening down a mountain.

And sometimes you lead a team to victory at Tony Robbins’ Business Mastery.

That’s balance. And for Brian Gray, that’s life.

As a child, he watched his father get stuck in a middle management position he hated, so as an adult he promised himself he would never fall into the same trap.  He figured that you are going to spend a huge amount of time on this planet working to live, so you might as well enjoy it, right? To do that you don’t have to be extraordinary in every aspect of your life (because let’s face it, who is?) but you do have to approach every opportunity with extraordinary tenacity.

Brian joined Gursey Schneider as a Director in the tax and accounting department in 2012 and became a partner in January 2014. Before that, he held positions as a Tax Director at a national accounting firm and as Director of Finance and Tax for a family office. He has extensive experience working with high-net-worth individuals and their estate planning attorneys to design and implement tax efficient estate plans. He also focuses on identifying the income tax savings opportunities that exist when asset-holding companies, family limited partnerships, trusts, and foundations are used to achieve the client’s wealth transfer and philanthropic goals.

While he loves working with his team to solve complex tax issues, that does not mean he finds it easy to help his children with their common core math homework. He is at his natural best when he is working with his team of dynamic advisors who continually strive to improve and provide clients with creative solutions. His team maintains a culture of trust and support, much like his family, and they aim for the sophistication of a large international tax firm but with the hospitality and service of a smaller boutique.

It was at the University of California, Santa Barbara where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics with a minor in Accounting, that he realized his analytical mindset combined with his problem solving skills would be ideal for a career in tax. He is a member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, but still craves the freedom of falling into a great book or documentary.

He knew this career would be a great fit for him professionally, but he also learned the value of switching off his mind and stepping away from his desk once in a while to better serve his clients.

It really is all about balance.