Diego J. Baca
EY
Denver, CO USA
"The journey is always tough, but generally we don't fear flying because of a little turbulence."
Career Roadmap
Diego 's work combines: Business, Numbers, and Learning / Being Challenged
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Trinidad High School
Bachelor's Degree
Accounting
University of Colorado Boulder
Graduate Degree
Accounting
University of Colorado Boulder
Associate's Degree
Business/Commerce, General
Trinidad State Junior College
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be an Accountants and Auditors:
Bachelor's Degree: Accounting
Graduate Degree: Accounting
Associate's Degree: Business/Commerce, General
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
My dad died an alcoholic when I was 10. I was raised by a single mom who made less than $28K when I was in college, yet found a way to make sure me and my brother never went without.
2.
When I was 16 I had some major health issues spring forth that I still deal with today. At the time I was angry because I was too young to experience those, but I never lost my vision of life success.
3.
At 14 1/2 I got my first real job at Wendy's. Fired a week later for not showing up two days in a row, I was devastated because I had let others down. Since then I vowed to never quit or get fired.
4.
With three months until HS graduation, I wasn't sure I was going to attend college. But I heard a rap album that changed my life. I decided the moment I heard it to enroll and chase my own dreams.
5.
After community college, I transferred to the Univ of Colorado in Boulder. My first exam in FNCE 3010 I got a C. I had never seen a C in my life and I was devastated. I thought for sure I was dumb.
6.
After an average annual review, a mentor of mine told me, "Diego, hear me now, people are going to see your value, just be patient." For the next five years I was at the top of the class each year.
7.
I've served on several non-profit Boards serving education needs in the Denver community, overseeing over $1.5 million of scholarships and student assistance over the last seven years.
8.
In 2016 I was asked to serve on the Board of the AICPA Board of Examiners, the Board that oversees the CPA Exam. The CPA is a prestigious professional certification and what an honor to have served!
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Family:
As a first generation college graduate, I had a lot of people, especially family, label me a sell-out and accuse me of thinking I was better than them. This was very disheartening because family was everything growing up.
How I responded:
My vision and my grandfather got me through. I always had a vision of being a "businessman" and nothing was going to stop that. For me it was about the destination rather than the journey. The journey is always tough, but generally we don't fear flying because of a little turbulence. Having that vision kept me focused despite the noise and my grandfather, who passed away senior year of high school, always wanted the best for me. His memory and inspiration still keeps me going 17 years later.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
There's a rapper that once said "there ain't no tuition for havin' no ambition." Despite financial challenges, I knew I had to do whatever it took to achieve my goals. At times that meant two full-time jobs. But in the end, it was well worth it.