What if opening our hearts opened more doors?

Leaders like Thear Suzuki serve as role models to personally give back, while also encouraging other employees to do the same.

Giving back not only reflects gratitude, it also contributes to growth and inspires more generosity. Dallas professionals have many avenues to share their knowledge, skills and experience to influence a positive change in the lives of others.

Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) enables this through both international and regional programs. EY Ripples is a global program with a threefold focus on supporting the workforce of the next generation, working with impact entrepreneurs, and accelerating environmental sustainability. Another program, EY Connect Day, mobilizes EY employees across the US, Canada, Israel, Mexico, Central America, and South America to work with local nonprofit organizations, with a focus on volunteer activities that support the next generation, teach entrepreneurial business skills, and advance environmental sustainability. This provides our people with the opportunity to positively impact the lives of others globally and locally.

In Dallas, we are proud to help energize the city by working with numerous local organizations, such as United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Junior Achievement of Dallas, to help nurture an extraordinary economy, infused with empathy and equality.

EY Global Client Service Partner Thear Suzuki is passionate about increasing leadership and philanthropic capacity in herself and others. She is active in the Dallas community with organizations like the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum and the 50/50 Women on Boards™ Dallas initiative, where she takes part in rich conversations devoted to accelerating diversity, equity and inclusion. Suzuki juggles a full and demanding work schedule and is a proud wife and mother to four boys, while serving and supporting these local organizations. Her personal purpose is to inspire courageous actions in others so they can lead more impactful lives. Thear lives by Winston Churchill’s quote, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

Suzuki immigrated to Dallas as a Cambodian refugee with her parents and siblings. She credits her third-grade teacher, generous Dallas volunteers and donors, and many mentors and sponsors for helping her grow and succeed as a business professional and community leader.

“My early life experiences and my differences have taught me to be curious about other people’s stories,” says Suzuki.

Her story inspires not only her family, friends, colleagues and clients, it also inspired President George W. Bush, who selected Suzuki as one of 43 portraits featured in his best-selling book, Out of Many, One – Portraits of America’s Immigrants. Her portrait is on display at the George W. Bush Presidential Center through January 2022.

EY US leaders like Suzuki serve as role models for being intentional and passionately seeking ways to give back to Dallas with a purpose to help others. By encouraging other employees to do so and helping them manage their work schedules to allow them the same opportunities, that passion multiplies throughout the community. Our leaders also foster empathy inside the firm by checking in regularly with team members to see how they are doing, and to discuss how the firm’s values and principles provide its people flexibility to incorporate community engagement into their busy but impactful lives.

We believe our commitment to serving the community in which we live and work can help engage and inspire thousands of EY people to get involved and have a much greater positive impact.

How EY is helping to build a better Dallas