Brett Barney Found His Career Purpose at SUU's School of Business

Brett Barney, a native of Richfield, Utah, and a graduate of Richfield High, is never hesitant to speak of the education and experiences of Southern Utah University, from which he twice earned degrees.

He received his bachelor's degree in accounting in 1999 and his Master of Accountancy degree the following year. He and his wife Julie (McIff, ’96) reside in Mapleton, Utah, with their three sons.

Brett serves as the U.S. controller for doTERRA, the worldwide leader in essential oils manufacturing and sales, in Pleasant Grove, Utah. His position entails making sure that all of the accounting and financial reporting is done correctly and on time each month, quarter, and year. As manager of his staff, he is responsible for creating a productive and positive work environment.

He says he really found his career purpose in the SUU School of Business. Although he enjoyed exploring various majors across campus, once Brett tried business courses, he says felt he had found his home. He was particularly drawn to accounting because “there is usually a right answer,” and because he could employ problem-solving skills.

“I remember my days at SUU very fondly,” he says. “The small university setting, which is more intimate and personalized, worked well for me. I was not just a face in the crowd. I loved Cedar City and SUU. Additionally, I felt very comfortable and well prepared moving into my career. SUU was the right choice for me. I have never regretted it.”

Brett was confident in his preparation for employment, landing a job following graduation with Deloitte & Touche, one of the world’s Big Four accounting firms. While going through interviews on campus with Las Vegas employers, Brett was impressed when recruiters remarked that SUU graduates were better prepared, more responsible, and more mature than their peers. He has worked with many colleagues from bigger universities but always felt that he was equally prepared and equally capable of doing the job.

In addition to being well prepared for employment tasks by SUU, Brett says he also learned about developing a strong work ethic and strategic study habits, which greatly assisted him in passing the CPA exam. He was always proud that SUU ranked very favorably among all of the other Utah private and public school programs in the CPA passage rate.

When reflecting on his career, Brett says he is grateful to have made consistent, steady progress from a staff accountant in public accounting to a controller position at a private company.

“I'm proud of my work ethic,” he says. “I don't stop and reflect very often, but I'm proud that I've tried to work hard, be honest and ethical, and show fairness to my co-workers and clients."

When he is not working, Brett enjoys spending time doing anything involving his kids, like sporting events and traveling. He also loves to golf, read, watch movies, and to enjoy the outdoors, especially Fish Lake and Yellowstone.
“Whenever we are in Cedar City, we always find ourselves driving past campus, sometimes stopping and walking around reliving great memories,” Brett says. “You don't make a point of doing that with a place that doesn't mean something to you. For me, SUU is full of good memories and good people, people who care about developing students and relationships.”