2024 Accounting Young Alumnus of the Year: Nick Markey '13

When Nick Markey arrived at Deloitte & Touche LLP’s Boston offices as a new hire, he didn’t have trouble creating a space for himself within such a large and complex environment. His experience at The University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management had prepared him well.

“UMass is a very big place,” says Markey. “What you’re looking for isn’t going to jump out and say ‘here I am.’ You have to actively search for what you’re trying to find. At Deloitte it’s similar; we have somewhere between two and three thousand employees in the Boston offices alone. There are so many opportunities and paths to explore. But you must go out and navigate the system.”

A Distinguished Career

Ten years into his career at Deloitte, Markey is a successful senior manager within Deloitte’s Boston Audit & Assurance business. He is recognized for his exceptional interpersonal skills and self-aware leadership style and plays a pivotal role in driving business development efforts.

“For most of my tenure here, I’ve focused on financial services clients,” Markey says, “so I’ve audited mutual funds, hedge funds, and private equity funds, which often include complex investment structures, strategies, and a wide variety of financial instruments. I find it all truly fascinating.”

The Isenberg Edge

Deloitte has a strong history of including Isenberg alumni among its ranks. Markey estimates that Deloitte usually has more than 200 UMass alumni on the payroll, most of which are based either in Boston or New York. What this could mean for UMass new hires is that there is a support network waiting for them when they start. 

“I do a lot of interviews on campus, and students wonder how they’re going to navigate an organization of our size,” he says. “I always say, ‘You have a network that you don’t even know exists yet, right when you walk in the door.’ Deloitte does a great job at fostering connection. For example, when new UMass grads start, we’ll get a big group of alums together with them to connect. I think that really helps them feel comfortable and set up for success.”

What is it exactly that makes Isenberg grads such great candidates for Deloitte and similar large accounting firms? Markey gives a lot of credit to the faculty. “It’s a combination of their academic background with their real-world experience that was so compelling to me,” he says. “It wasn’t just teaching out of a textbook; they also demonstrate how a concept applies to work based on experience.”

Giving Back

Markey currently serves as a director on the University of Massachusetts Amherst Foundation Board and is a member of the Finance & Audit Committee and Development Committee. Markey’s philanthropic spirit is exemplified through the creation of multiple endowed scholarship funds that provide vital support to undergraduate students, recognizing both academic excellence and financial need.

“I don’t know if I’d be where I am today without my Isenberg education,” says Markey. “I think it’s important to give back to the next generation of students. Some recent grads might think that means they have to write a check, but giving back can be going back to campus and speaking to students, recruiting, or signing up for an interview or skill session. Choose an area you’re passionate about and do what you can.”

A “Recognition of Commitment”

Never a spotlight seeker, Markey is nonetheless proud and honored to be named the Accounting Young Alumnus of the Year for 2024. “I see it as a recognition of my commitment and my giving back to the university and to Isenberg,” he says. “My target audience at the banquet is going to be the recent alumni in the room, and my focus is going to be in communicating the importance of giving back. They need to know that they likely wouldn’t be where they are without the support of others, much of which they might not even have known existed.”

Markey is pleased to be honored alongside this year’s Accounting Alumnus of the Year, his colleague Jody Steel '97, Audit & Assurance Partner at Deloitte. “Jody helped recruit me to Deloitte, and she’s become a friend and mentor. Deloitte is sure to have a prominent presence at this year’s banquet. Accepting our awards together amongst Deloitte colleagues and the Isenberg community will be a fun and special moment!”