Wayne Reid – Enjoying Life
"Attending Georgia State was a great experience because I was fortunate to have professors who were not only great teachers but great mentors."

At the age of 59, when most men are looking forward to retirement, Wayne Reid was just getting started again. He was a partner with Deloitte & Touche, which he joined after the collapse of Arthur Andersen. He was getting close to the firm's mandatory retirement age. But Wayne wasn't quite ready to spend the rest of his days on the golf course. So, in 2004 he retired early from the firm and joined Frazier & Deeter, one of Atlanta's top 10 accounting firms, as a partner.
 
"The way I look at it, I have at least another 20 years before deciding whether or not I want to slow down, assuming my wife Rubye's and my health holds out," said Wayne. "After that, we'll see."
 
In addition to his service to clients and associates with Frazier & Deeter, Wayne serves on the board of the Association for Corporate Growth and the Georgia Biomedical Partnership. He also remains very active at both of his alma maters. He is a lifetime member of the Furman University Advisory Council and a member of Robinson College of Business Board of Advisors and Robinson's School of Accountancy Advisory Council.
 
His drive comes as no surprise to those who know him. When Wayne was a young boy growing up near Greenville, South Carolina, his family owned several gift shops where they sold locally made, handcrafted items. Wayne worked in the shops serving customers and even crafted a few hooked rugs. "It's been a while, but if I had the tools I could probably still design and hook a rug," he said chuckling.
 
Wayne's interest in accounting also began when he was fairly young. "My mother had me help with some of the accounting for our business. Also, in my senior year of high school, I was selected as Mr. Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) for our area. Two of the judges on the selection committee were CPAs, and they made a big impact on me," he said.
 
They weren't the only people who made an impression on Wayne during high school.
 
"I met my wife Rubye in high school at our Junior-Senior Prom. We eloped when we were freshmen in college, and this year we will celebrate our 43rd anniversary."
 
After high school Wayne attended Furman University and majored in accounting. In his junior year he was selected by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as the first cooperative work-study college student for the state of South Carolina. After graduation Wayne was transferred by the IRS to Atlanta and attended graduate school at Georgia State. He worked full time and attended classes at night.
 
"Attending Georgia State was a great experience because I was fortunate to have professors who were not only great teachers but great mentors," he said. "I remember one professor in particular, Dr. John Cook, who was more than just a great accounting teacher. He really helped me think through my career choices and encouraged me in everything that I was doing."
During Wayne's second year, he was offered a position with Arthur Andersen, where he spent most of his career.
 
"My experience with Arthur Andersen was fantastic. I served a wide variety of clients and industries, many based in other countries," said Wayne. "Unfortunately, Andersen was taken down in the whole Enron mess due to an unjustified indictment. It was really a shame because it was a great firm. As it turned out, three years later the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the firm had done nothing wrong, but by then it was too late."
 
Despite his many accomplishments, Wayne says that Rubye's and his biggest successes are their children.
 
"My mother and father adopted me when they were a bit older. My dad died when I was six, and my mom passed away when I was a junior in college," said Wayne. "I know that they were both proud of me, but losing them when I was young made me even more determined to make sure that I didn't miss a moment of my children's lives."
 
Wayne's daughter, Beth, is a successful sales representative for Commerce Clearing House, an international accounting soft ware firm. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband, Chris, and their two children.
 
As for his son, Wayne II, he chose to follow a bit closer in his father's footsteps.
 
"Like me, he also married his high school sweetheart and started his family when he began his graduate studies. He also went to both of my alma maters," said Wayne, who quickly adds that Wayne II has three master's degrees from Robinson – an MBA in real estate and finance ('97), one master's in decision sciences ('01), and one in computer information systems ('02). "Wayne is also very successful. He is a managing member of Irongate Capital Management and lives in Atlanta with his wife, Ginger, also a Georgia State alum, and their two sons," he said.
 
But the admiration Wayne has for his children is topped only by the admiration that they have for him.
 
"What can I say? Dad was a great role model. He's the nicest guy you'll ever meet, and I'm proud to say that he's my mentor," said Wayne II. "Actually, he was more than that. My dad was a dad before his time – a real 'do-it-all-dad' – more like fathers today who are really hands-on and involved with their kids' lives," said Wayne II.
 
That's Wayne Reid—a "do-it-all-dad" who is enjoying life.

This article was published in the summer 2007 issue of Back to Business, an alumni publication of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

   Wayne Reid,
   M.B.A. '70
   Partner,
   Frazier & Deeter