Alumni Spotlight Wayne Dewald,'73 2015 Inductee in the UND Department of Accountancy Hall of Fame

Document Type

News Article

Publication Date

1-5-2016

Campus Unit

College of Business & Public Administration

Abstract

Wayne L. Dewald has more than 40 years of professional experience, the majority of his career in service at Deloitte. As a Deloitte partner, his only client was Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR). For nearly 10 years Wayne was the Global Lead Client Service partner for KKR, until his retirement in May 2014. Wayne developed dedicated KKR client service teams throughout the world, including London, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Beijing, Seoul, Sydney, Mumbai, Singapore, and Sao Paulo. He led the dedicated transaction team for KKR, which exceeds 75 professionals, as well as other functional teams with a similar number of professionals.

Wayne led or participated in numerous KKR M&A transactions from a multi-functional basis and was viewed by KKR as one of their most trusted business advisors. Notable transactions included RJR Nabisco, Safeway, Duracell, and American Re. His hands-on approach and creative solutions to structuring transactions were critical in KKR’s KPE public offering in 2006 and KKR’s overall public offerings in 2009 and 2010. For each, Wayne led his team in developing many cutting edge, first-to-the-market solutions for KKR’s business needs. Playing an active role in KKR’s public quarterly audit committee meetings, Wayne gained the confidence of very senior third party executives on the committee. He regularly provided advice to KKR in many areas, including risk management, the roles of IT, accounting positions, and governance in a growth environment. He initiated the first of its kind program for introducing KKR to key executives and company relationships of the firm.

Wayne was an active advisor as well to many of KKR’s 80-plus portfolio companies, addressing critical issues on a timely basis. For more than 10 years, he also served as the lead tax partner on Safeway Inc. Wayne also led a Deloitte team that advised Peter Magowan and his investor group in acquiring the San Francisco Giants in January 1993. Wayne was Peter’s business advisor on many early player transactions. Wayne worked closely with Ken Mehlman (former chairman of the Republican National Committee) and the Private Equity Council for several years addressing proposed legislation that would affect private equity. On many calls, he was the only member of a “Big 4” accounting firm asked to participate. In addition to his expertise in the taxation of mergers and acquisitions, he has substantial experience in partnerships, corporations, REITs, international taxation, and consolidated tax returns.

A native North Dakotan, Wayne grew up in Streeter and received his bachelor’s degree with a major in accounting in 1973. He earned the Broker-Hendrickson Award given at that time to the top accounting student. After graduation, he joined Haskins & Sells, where he remained until 1978. He then spent several years with several other companies, including Genstar Corporation, a Canadian building materials and financial services firm; Carma Developers, a Canadian residential developer, and Coopers & Lybrand, where he worked in international tax. He returned to Deloitte in June 1984 as a senior manager in the real estate practice. He was admitted to the partnership in June 1986 and began working on the KKR account two months later. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and California Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Wayne has a daughter, Stephanie, and a son, Eric, both of whom are now working at Deloitte. His son is engaged to be married in 2016. Wayne’s mother, June, and his sister, Pamela, both live on a farm near LaMoure, N.D.

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