From float planes to finance
How one CPA found possibility and purpose
Many kids dream of flying. Chris Deeth CPA lived that dream early in his career, working as a float plane pilot on the West Coast and in the Yukon. Flying in remote corners of the country was exhilarating, but it wasn’t enough. Chris realized he wanted more than adventure—he wanted variety and stability.
Inspiration came from close to home. With two uncles thriving as CPAs—Uncle Steve in public practice and Uncle Dave in industry—Chris got an early look at how flexible the CPA profession could be. It offers a solid foundation and the freedom to explore different career paths. “Seeing Uncle Steve’s client-facing role in public practice compared to Uncle Dave’s leadership in business showed me the sheer number of possibilities the CPA designation unlocked,” Chris says. “It seemed to give that solid footing to then springboard into accounting or consulting.”
He decided to leap into that completely different world. “I was barely 30 when I went back to school and got my Bachelor of Commerce,” he says. “There was a lot of anxiety in taking that route because the CPA designation is arduous. I had some friends ask, ‘Well, why don’t you just try something related but easier?’” he says. “But I didn’t want easier. I wanted to know that I was good enough to actually go all the way.”
The transition wasn’t easy. “It was terrifying going into something so completely different,” Chris says. “There was definitely a learning curve in going back to square one, from being the pilot in command of an aircraft to somebody who’s learning and really doesn’t know a whole lot about anything.”
He describes day one of his accounting career as one of the most intimidating things he’s ever done. “It’s really tough to fake it,” he explains. “You’ve just got to roll with it and be prepared to eat a little humble pie and know that you’re learning every day you’re there.”
That humility and drive paid off. “After I got my designation, I was like, ‘Oh, wow, this is real. This actually happened, and I’ve got the paperwork to prove it,’” he says.
Today, Chris is the Vice-president of Finance and Technology at Calgary’s Prostate Cancer Centre, where his work goes far beyond spreadsheets. “Success is not just numbers and margins,” he explains. “It’s outcomes. What I do as a CPA is directly impacting our patients and their families. That fiscal responsibility to the organization translates to a moral responsibility.”
His technical CPA skills help him keep the organization strong, but the human side of his role gives his work purpose. Every dollar he accounts for helps fund life-saving programs, support families, and sustain an organization that thousands rely on. Surprisingly, the skills he honed in the cockpit—precision, focus under pressure, and the ability to navigate uncertainty—serve him just as well in the boardroom.
“Flying small four- or six-seater airplanes, you’re in and out of some pretty tight spots,” he says. The experience taught him the importance of procedure and calm decision-making under pressure. “Pilots live and die by checklists,” he says. “Once you’ve made a decision, you’ve got to stick with it…and not panic. It’s just the steps you’ve got to take.”
Now, the stakes are different, but the mindset is the same. “Those were life-threatening situations,” he says. “Whereas now [I’m] making strategic decisions that aren’t going to cost [my] life but obviously impact the health of a number of patients.”
He grins. “Yeah, it’s like I say, I got into accounting for the thrills.”
Looking back, Chris says becoming a CPA was one of the best decisions he’s made. “Most paths are fairly narrow at the beginning,” he says. “It’s once you’re five or 10 years in that you really start seeing that breadth of opportunity. I know CPAs who are CEOs. I hope to be there one day.”
For Chris, discovering those possibilities is what makes a CPA career almost as exciting as being thousands of feet in the air. “Your story is what you put into it,” he says. “The more you put in, the more you’re going to get out. It’s deciding where you want your career to go, building the foundation, and then following that path. Debits and credits are such a small part of my day-to-day. It’s about seeing the big picture and being able to impact real change.”