Craig Steinhoff, 39

A mega-raffle at a golf tournament in Ohio in June 2012 was a true life-changing event for Craig Steinhoff.

Not because of a hole in one or a great putt. But that’s where Steinhoff, then a lifelong Ohio resident, won a weeklong stay at a condo in Siesta Key. Like many others before him, Steinhoff fell in love with the area when he came down the next year. “I told some partners at my firm that I’d like to be considered” if any leadership opportunities opened up in the area.

That opportunity opened up in late 2014. His firm, Canfield, Ohio-based HBK CPAs & Consultants, a top 100 accounting firm nationwide, needed a new principal accountant to oversee the fast-growing Sarasota office. Steinhoff accepted the offer, and he and his wife and two young daughters moved to the region.

While the area is new, some of the work is similar to what Steinhoff did in Ohio: help business clients understand the impact of all financial decisions, not just what to do to pay less taxes. “I love to sit down with business owners and really get into the operations side,” says Steinhoff.

Steinhoff says he knew he wanted to do something in finances and accounting when he was a young boy, and he saw how successful a friend’s dad was in the field. “I chose accounting before I really knew I would like accounting,” says Steinhoff, a graduate of Capital University in Bexley, Ohio. “Luckily I did.”

In his role in Sarasota, Steinhoff has additional responsibilities besides working with clients. He’s also supervising a team of accountants and support staff, the first time in his career he has a widespread leadership role. Says Steinhoff: “I’m hoping to be the type of leader I would want to have.”

— Mark Gordon

Q&A

Name: Craig Steinhoff

Age: 39

City of residence: Sarasota

Twitter handle: @csteinhoffcpa

Employer: HBK CPAs & Consultants

Title: Principal

Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio

Years on the Gulf Coast: 1

Marital status/children: Married to Joelle; Two daughters – Lauren (9) and Chloe (7)

Alma mater: Capital University (Bexley, Ohio)

Best place to network: Patricks 1481

Coolest business experience:  Going to Hawaii to audit a Marriott real estate development project.

Messy desk or clean workspace: Messy

Best business lesson ever learned:  People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

A website that makes your job easier: Guidestar.org

Community group you’re most involved with: The Argus Foundation

Favorite off-hours activity: Hanging out with the TLSC — Good friends, great kids, awesome times.

Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with:  Jesus and my wife’s maternal grandfather (Jerry) who I never got to meet.

What you would be doing if you could pick another career: General manager for a professional sports team.

Top item on your bucket list: Take my wife to Paris.

Skill you’d like to learn: Play the guitar.

Who would play you in a movie about your life:  Mark Wahlberg

If I had a magic wand I’d:  Make the Cleveland Indians win the World Series.