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 who is hoping to be a tennis star one day. 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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| Sarah Hawkes
Joined Stephenson Coates: May 2008
Biography:
After leaving sixth form where she successfully passed her A-levels, Sarah went to live in Australia for 6 months. On her return she joined Stephenson Coates, mainly on the administration side, however she is now more involved in helping out within the Tax and Payroll departments.
Sarah has completed the Foundation level of her AAT qualification and is now completing the Intermediate level.
Her interests are scuba diving and dancing, including Modern Jive and more recently turning her hand to West Coast Swing. |
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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 returns within the practice, together with assisting other staff members in accounts preparation where necessary. Susan has two grown up sons and her interests include her family, reading fiction, singing, socializing and trying to keep fit. |
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 | Ann MiddlemissJoined Stephenson Coates: 1998 Biography: After leaving Ponteland County High School in 1998 Ann joined John Marshall & Company in Ponteland (Stephenson Coates from 2003). Ann has completed part 2 and 3 of her AAT qualification and is studying for part 4. She is an audit clerk; her duties include Payroll, Book keeping/VAT and Tax Returns. Ann has lived all her life in Ponteland until joining the property ladder and now lives in Cramlington. As well as enjoying travelling her many interests include entertaining family and friends, swimming, reading and shopping. Her ambition is to travel around America. |
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 | John OswaldJoined Stephenson Coates: 2001 Biography: John has spent most of his professional life in the North East having studied Economics and Accounting at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He qualified with KPMG and was a Senior Manager there until 1992. Since then John has worked with SMEs in general practice with particular emphasis on audit and assurance, management accounting and business planning. John became a partner in Stephenson Coates in 2002 and is responsible for the provision of all the practices accounting and audit services. He is a hands on individual but with an ability to see and advise on the influence of wider business issues on client affairs. He has broad sector experience and deals with most of the practices charitable and voluntary sector clients. John is a director of Project North East, a local enterprise agency and is Chair of its finance committee. He is also a trustee of the PNE loan funds which have over £1m available to lend to new businesses in the area. John is married with four growing daughters. He follows the fortunes of Newcastle United and the Falcons and tries to keep actively involved in running, squash and tennis. |
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 | Gail RienewerfJoined Stephenson Coates: 1986 Biography: Gail was educated at King Edward VI School, Morpeth when it was still a grammar school. She worked in local authority for 10 years before joining Stephenson Coates, then known as Stephenson Armstrong & Co. Gail is an audit clerk for the firm and is married. Her husband is part Dutch, hence the unusual surname. There is a World War II memorial and a street named after a family member in the North of Holland. Gail herself is half Hungarian (and half Morpethian), her interests are visiting different countries and cultures and attending various motorsport and rally venues at home and abroad. |
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| Amanda SamosaJoined Stephenson Coates: 2004 Biography: Amanda obtained an Accounting & Finance Degree at Liverpool John Moores University and went on to qualify as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 1999. Amanda is responsible for a portfolio of clients and duties include bookkeeping, management accounts, accounts preparation and auditing. Amanda lives with her partner of 14 years and their two children, who take up most of her time. In her spare time she is currently researching her family tree to discover her Spanish roots, which are the origin of her surname. |
