Talk to us Meet Christopher
What do you love most about being part of Aspiriant?
Aspiriant’s unwavering commitment to exceptional client care is perfectly aligned to my personal philosophy of client service.
What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
I built a business that thrived and provided training and opportunities for my team. In my 30 years in private practice, I have launched careers and mentored staff to achieve their goals.
What quality of yours makes you best suited to do what you do?
I am a big fan of improv comedy and use those skills in my work every day. I love to really listen and find ways to say “yes, and.”
What do you love to do outside of work?
I love to cook and entertain, and our home is filled with my photography. My wife and I like to get up to the Sierra Nevada mountains to hike or relax by the lake whenever we can!
What would you be doing if you weren't working for Aspiriant?
No doubt about it, I’d be an engineer on the train at Disneyland!
What was the most influential book you've read and why?
As my wife often laments, I am a sucker for any good business book, and my shelves prove it. I love being inspired by others’ tales of exceptional customer service.
What personal accomplishments are you most proud of and why?
My wife and I have raised two fantastic young adults who move through the world with joy, compassion and personal responsibility. It’s been a privilege to see them find life partners and take lessons I’ve taught them into the families that they are starting to build. Just ask them about the power of a laugh attack or the importance of paying themselves first.
Bio
Chris joined Aspiriant in 2022 after more than 30 years in private practice and now leads our Tax Services Group. He has extensive experience working with high net worth individuals as well as with closely held businesses. With a practice based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Chris has been helping clients to manage their equity compensation from the early days of the internet!
Prior to merging with Aspiriant, Murray, Stok & Company (the San Francisco firm that Chris founded in 1991) was a boutique tax and advisory practice with a varied portfolio of loyal and satisfied clients from all across the country.
Chris received a B.S. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley (Go Bears!) He currently sits on the leadership team of the San Francisco chapter of the California Society of CPAs and is also a member and past chairman of the State Management of Accounting Practice Committee.
Chris has served on a variety of youth nonprofit boards over the past 30 years and appreciates the opportunity to leverage his expertise for the benefit of his community. You can often find him carrying his camera as he pursues his passion for architectural photography or poring over cookbooks as he searches for exciting new dishes to prepare. Chris and his wife, Kris, raised their family in the San Francisco Bay Area but escape to the North Shore of Lake Tahoe at every opportunity.
