When Roger Peterson commits to something, chances are he’s gonna stick with it.
For years.
And years.
Peterson has been heavily involved with Western Little League — in numerous roles — for 25 years. He and his wife, Deb, have lived in the same West Duluth home since the early 1980s. Neither of those things, however, match Peterson’s tenure at Esterbrooks Certified Public Accountants, Ltd. He was just 24 when he joined the company in 1978. Nearly a half-century later, the Duluth Central High School and University of Minnesota Duluth alumnus maintains the same passion for accounting he’s always had.
“I’ve been around a while, but I still have a lot of energy,” Peterson says. “It’s still enjoyable and it’s still challenging. I never say I’m going to work. That sounds as if it’s a burden, and I don’t look at it that way. Instead, I say I’m going to the office.”
Peterson has been “going to the office” at Esterbrooks for 47 years. He’s the vice president and one of four partners for a company that dates to 1946. That’s when Don Wirtanen founded the Twin Ports accounting firm, hiring his first employee for a modest salary of $100.
Under a variety of names ever since — including being known as Esterbrooks, Scott, Signorelli, Peterson, Smithson, Ltd. prior to the current iteration — it has delivered “quality, personalized financial guidance to local individuals and businesses,” according to the website. Services range from basic tax help and accounting to more in-depth analysis for things like audits, financial statements and financial planning. Payroll and bookkeeping services also are offered.
Esterbrooks has a Superior office and one in Duluth. There are about 25 employees working on behalf of nearly 2,000 clients (counting individuals and companies). In addition to Peterson, the other three partners are Mike Pederson, Mark Ball and Knute “JR” Pedersen — meaning there are three different spellings of the same surname among the four partners. There are two other “Petersons” on staff, which seems to give credence to Roger’s claim that theirs is the “correct spelling.”
Peterson and his colleagues liken their work to fitting a puzzle together. They are problem-solvers relying on their expertise and decades of experience, often to help clients keep as much of their money as possible vs. giving it to the state or federal government. Then there’s the matter of knowing the rules and avoiding anything that runs afoul of Uncle Sam.
“For me, I just enjoy working with people, my clients,” says JR Pedersen, whose father is also a CPA. “Trying to help them as best I can to pay the least amount of taxes possible. Let’s say they have $20 million a year in revenue. How are we going to limit their tax responsibility? So it’s looking for different ways to lower their taxable income. We really enjoy that.”
Pedersen attended the University of Minnesota after graduating from Superior High School. He worked a couple jobs in the Twin Cities, including as an auditor for Wells Fargo, but was eager to return to the Northland and public accounting.
Many of Esterbrooks’ clients are businesses or organizations too small to have their own accounting departments. The company’s mission is to help them “maintain financial viability in the present, while taking a proactive approach to achieve future goals.” That means investing ample time and energy into every single client, no matter how big or small. It could be someone looking for assistance with a basic W2 or it could be a multi-million-dollar corporation. The goal is to treat them equally, to develop transparent and mutually beneficial relationships rooted in trust.
“Would you shop at a store where they were indifferent toward you?” Peterson asks. “No, you wouldn’t. That’s kind of the philosophy behind our commitment to building relationships.”
Peterson says the Esterbrooks staff often hear things like “you guys are always there for us.”
“We want to be that trusted resource,” he says.
A Relationship Decades in the Making
One of those satisfied clients is Dave Miller, owner of sporting goods retailer Northwest Outlet. Miller took over the store from his father and has been running it since about the time Peterson joined Esterbrooks. The two have known each other nearly as long. Peterson does Miller’s accounting, both personal and business-related.
“Finding a good accountant is like finding a wonderful wife,” Miller jokes. “If you find a good one, you hold onto them.”
Esterbrooks’ Superior office is located next to Northwest Outlet. Miller is no stranger to working long days. Many nights when he finally leaves the store, he’ll notice Peterson’s car is still in the parking lot. The same is often true on weekends.
“He’s just incredibly studious and knowledgeable about accounting,” Miller says. “I would put him up against the best of the best.”
Miller ticks off a few adjectives and phrases when describing Peterson. Detail-oriented, inquisitive, trustworthy, private, strength and confidence. He also notes that there is no gray area with Peterson, especially when it comes to following the rules. Instead, it’s always very black and white.
When Miller’s parents have passed away, he’s turned to Peterson to help navigate the financial complexities.
“Roger was right there helping us work our way through that,” Miller recalls.
Ever-changing Field
Pedersen was asked what effect, if any, President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” will have on Esterbrooks’ business. He admitted there will be an impact for them and their clients, but they were still evaluating how significantly. Perhaps of greater concern, at least for their clients, are the widespread tariffs accompanying so many imports. Local businesses that purchase goods overseas have scrambled to determine how their bottom lines will be affected.
“They have questions about cost,” Pedersen says. “We’re not making management decisions. We’re just giving them numbers to help them make decisions – ‘Here’s what a tariff is going to cost you.’ ”
The uncertainty wrought by tariffs underscores a reality of accounting. Change is inevitable. In fact, it’s part of the appeal. Staying on top of new regulations, new opportunities and new trends in order to secure the best results for customers – that’s the fun stuff.
“If you don’t like change, this isn’t the field for you,” Peterson explains.
Considering he’s been with Esterbrooks since Jimmy Carter was president, he must really like change. Indeed, he does, almost as much as he enjoys his coworkers and clients.
“There was a time I was the youngest person here,” Peterson says. “Now I’m the oldest, so I’ve really seen both ends of the spectrum.”
In a world defined by numbers, Peterson’s 50 years as a CPA – he worked briefly at a different firm before joining Esterbrooks – just might be the most impressive.
Louie St. George III is a Duluth-based freelance writer.
