Damien McKern - Principal and Founder – McKern & Associates

Damien McKern's career commenced in 1990 with enrolment into the prestigious Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Business majoring in Accountancy double degree at Queensland University of Technology's Garden Point (Brisbane) Campus. As this five year full time course progressed, Damien's 20 hour a week shop assistant job transformed to a 30 hour a week night fill role, teaching Damien a strong work ethic.

Six months work experience at Kitchen & Kennewell in Brisbane provided some practical experience, culminating in graduation in late 1994. By this time, Damien had commenced working for Holmes & Partners, a well established Chartered Accounting firm on the southern Gold Coast under the watchful eye of the senior partner, Noel Holmes, himself a Chartered Accountant. This invaluable professional & business mentoring continues to this day, with Damien & Noel having commitment to the same core values and giving Damien an experienced & successful 'sounding board'. In 1997, the Chartered Accountant (CA) program was passed with flying colours and Damien knew he had found his calling.

Following this study, Damien currently holds a Bachelor of Business with an accounting major, a Bachelor of Law degree, is a Chartered Accountant, Certified Practicing Accountant, Registered Tax Agent, Fellow if the Taxation Institute of Australia and is also a Justice of the Peace.

By 2002, Holmes & Partners had become a founding member of a National firm and Damien decided to commence a new chapter in life, and in March 2002 at the age of 29, with a tax agent's registration and CA practicing certificate in hand, formed McKern & Associates Chartered Accountants based at Burleigh Waters.

Now in 2010, McKern & Associates has two offices, based at Burleigh Waters & Tweed Heads South with a team of over 50 staff and is one of the larger sole practitioner accounting firms in Australia.

Damien is also an avid drag racer and is currently the reigning ANDRA National Champion for Super Compact, having run as quick as 8.000 seconds and as fast as 283 kilometres per hour over the standing quarter mile in his PAC Performance fettled Mazda RX2! In the little remaining spare time Damien is a committed father, spending as much time as he can with his young son attending diverse activities such as watching their favoured Gold Coast Blaze Basketball team, boating and reading.