Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Hill.
Hi Steve, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m a Dallas native, born and raised right here, and I’ve been working in accounting for more than forty years. I graduated from UT Arlington with a BBA in accounting and started my career at KPMG Peat Marwick in Dallas. Those early years in audit gave me a front-row seat to how businesses really run from the inside out. After that, I served as CFO for a local bank and later joined PricewaterhouseCoopers. Each role taught me something different: how to manage risk, how to plan strategically, and how to help business owners make financial decisions that actually move the needle.
In 1993, I decided to venture out on my own and founded Steve Hill & Associates, CPAs. From day one, the focus was simple: serve professionals and small businesses with the same level of care and insight big firms give their corporate clients. Over the years, we built deep relationships with business owners who wanted a CPA that could think beyond the numbers.
After working alongside Tim Durnin (who also happens to be my son-in-law) for several years and once he earned his CPA license, I brought him on as partner and we rebranded as Hill Durnin CPAs. It’s been exciting to evolve into a firm that blends decades of experience with a more modern, technology-driven approach. But at its heart, our mission is still the same: helping business owners and families make smarter financial decisions and keep more of what they earn.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wouldn’t say it’s always been smooth, but it’s been steady and I’m grateful for that. In the early years, like most small firms, we had to earn every client one relationship at a time. There were long nights and plenty of learning moments about how to balance growth with quality.
The biggest test came in 2020 during the pandemic. Many of our clients were facing real uncertainty and we felt a responsibility to help them stay afloat. Our team worked around the clock navigating PPP loans and relief programs, ultimately securing millions of dollars in aid for local businesses. It was exhausting at times, but it reminded us why we do what we do — to help our clients get through challenges and come out stronger on the other side.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Hill Durnin CPAs is based in Plano and we serve business owners, self-employed professionals, and families across North Texas. In simple terms, we handle taxes, bookkeeping, and planning, but what really defines us is how we do it.
We look at a client’s entire financial picture, both business and personal, and build one coordinated plan around it. That’s where our firm stands apart. Most accountants treat those as two separate worlds, but we make sure they work together so our clients keep more of what they earn and avoid costly surprises.
We’re proud of the relationships we’ve built over the years. Many of our clients have been with us for decades, some since the very beginning, because they know they can call us anytime, not just at tax season. We’re also proud of how our team has evolved. We’ve embraced new technology and tools, but never at the expense of real, human attention.
At the end of the day, our job is to make complex things clear and help business owners make confident financial decisions. That’s what we love doing, and that’s what keeps us excited about coming to work every day.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Starting my own firm in 1993 was definitely the biggest professional risk I’ve ever taken. Leaving a secure position at a large firm to build something from the ground up was both exciting and intimidating. There were no guarantees, but I believed in doing things differently and giving small business owners the same level of strategy and attention usually reserved for big corporations. Looking back, that leap of faith shaped everything that followed.
As CPAs, we are wired to be cautious where it counts. Clients trust us to protect their financial wellbeing, so “risky” is not part of our vocabulary when it comes to taxes or compliance. But I do believe in smart, informed risk, the kind that helps you grow, evolve, and serve people better. Whether that means adopting new technology, expanding our services, or bringing on a new partner, we have always been willing to step forward when it makes sense.
So yes, we are careful by nature, but we are never afraid of progress.
Contact Info:
- Website: HillDuirninCPAs.com
- Facebook: https://facebook.comHillDurninCPAs
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/hilldurnincpa
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hill-durnin-cpas-plano
