The Team
Meet the team at Stephenson Coates
 | Gary AlexanderJoined Stephenson Coates: 1982 Biography: Having been educated at St Aloysius RC school, Newcastle upon Tyne, Gary trained with International Accountants BDO Binder Hamlyn Chartered Accountants. In 1982 Gary joined Stephenson Coates (then practicing under the name Stephenson Armstrong & Co.) and has gained promotion to senior manager of the audit and accounts department. Gary works with a broad range of SMEs and has over 25 years experience in audit, accountancy and management accounts - and is responsible for some of the firms largest audit clients, particularly businesses using bespoke accounting software requiring a systems based audit approach. Gary is involved with Charity accounts and Community Interest Companies. Gary is also responsible for new client development within the practice and is manager of our Ponteland office. Gary is married with two teenage boys and has many interests including all sports, and can be seen on a Sunday morning in his roll as linesman in Junior league football where his eyesight has been questioned on a number of occasions! |
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| Peter AlexanderJoined Stephenson Coates: 2007 Biography: Peter initially joined the firm in 1989 and trained for two years before leaving to study for his BSc in Pure and Applied Physics at Salford University. On graduating he worked for a local firm of chartered accountants within the tax department whilst continuing to participate in audits and accounts. Within 3 years he became manager in control of non audit companies and their tax affairs. Peter then progressed to be financial control of a subsidiary of a international Chinese manufacturing company for two years before rejoining public practice. He rejoined Stephenson Coates in 2007 as a manager responsible for accounts. Peter is married with one daughter and is a governor of a primary school. |
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 | Robert BradleyJoined Stephenson Coates: 1964 Biography: Robert joined Stephenson Coates (then trading as H Douglas Stephenson & Co) in 1964 and therefore has over forty years experience in accountancy and audit. Robert is responsible for accounts preparation over a wide client base. Robert is married and his interests include football and gardening. |
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 | Tony CoatesJoined Stephenson Coates: 1975 Biography: Having attended Newcastle RGS, Tony obtained an Economics Degree at University College London before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Peat Marwick Mitchell (now KPMG). Following qualification Tony joined Stephenson Coates (then trading under two names of H Douglas Stephenson & Co and J Stanley Armstrong & Son) and became a partner in 1977, and Managing Partner in 1995. Tony is responsible for the management and development of the practice, and whilst technical matters are dealt with by personnel from the accounts and tax departments of the practice, Tony is available to speak to all clients and contacts at any time regarding their businesses and associated matters. Tony is also a member of The Expert Witness Institute and undertakes litigation support, expert witness and forensic accounting assignments in support of solicitors and barristers. Tony is married with two grown up children, and his interests include many sports, specifically watching rugby and playing a lot of golf, badly. |
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 | Paul DochertyJoined Stephenson Coates: 1992 Biography: Paul was educated at Dame Allans Boys school in the 1970s. He trained as an accountant with Ryecroft Glenton and then changed career to specialise in Tax in 1987. He spent time at Grant Thornton and Joseph Miller & Co before becoming Tax manager at Stephenson Coates in 1992. He became Tax Partner in 2002 and is responsible for the management and development of the Tax department, and is also Partner in charge of the Ponteland office. He is married with a 13 year old son. His interests include tennis, walking and cycling. |
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 | Penny HawkesJoined Stephenson Coates: 1985 Biography: Penny became part of the team of Stephenson Armstrong & Co. in September 1985, and over the years has seen many changes, including a partnership name change (Stephenson Coates) and new partners coming in to the practice. She was employed on a full time basis but over recent years has become a part-time member of staff working four days a week. Her main responsibility is the production of accounts for clients, and more recently dealing with the accounts of the practice. Penny is married with one grown up daughter. Her interests include reading and cookery. |
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 | Susan HendersonJoined Stephenson Coates: 2006 Biography: Susan is one of the most recent members of staff. She worked previously for the Inland Revenue for several years before joining the accountancy profession, where she worked for a couple of smaller firms before joining Binder Hamlyn, which later merged with Arthur Andersen. She was then Office Manager for a manufacturing company based in South Shields, transferring to their Head Office in January 2005, to become an assistant to their Company Accountant. Susan is responsible for clients book-keeping and the preparation of VAT return  Looking for the best possible advice? Click here to read more about the services we can offer new businesses...  We are proud to offer our fixed fees service: true value-for-money with a user-friendly service - designed to keep the pounds in your pocket...  Solicitors Accounts Rules compliance, litigation support, forensic accounting, expert witness services... W3C: XHTML: CSS:  |
