Aaron Konnick

Aaron Konnick

Senior Vice President and Global Head of Tax, UPS

Delivering strategic and sustainable solutions

During a recent conversation, Aaron Konnick discussed why accounting is a great career, what makes his current role so fulfilling, and how he likes to recharge outside of work.

You worked at PwC for more than 10 years. What stands out from that time?

When I was a first-year manager on our international tax team, we were working on structuring a client's Asia operations and we had to ask: “What do we want this operation to be—not just as a tax advisor, but as a business person—and what are some ways we could do that?” I found that strategic thinking so fascinating and it stuck with me as something I wanted to do more of.

How did you decide to focus your career on accounting?

I was at the state championships for the Future Business Leaders of America, which was a student organization I joined in high school. I was competing in entrepreneurship, and I met somebody on another team competing in accounting. I don’t think I even knew what accounting was at that time, so I asked him about it. I decided to take accounting classes in college, enjoyed them, and saw a clear path forward. And after that, the rest is history.

Now, as a leader at UPS, what’s the most fulfilling part of your work?

It’s gratifying to know you're part of a hundred-plus-year-old company that people use, and have come to really rely on, in their daily lives. Even though I’m not the first person who our customers think about when they think about UPS, I like knowing that I'm part of keeping the company healthy to survive and thrive for at least another hundred years.

What’s a key challenge you’ve had to overcome?

During the pandemic, people started expecting deliveries very fast—the next day, and on weekends. All of these are things, which now feel very commonplace, had to be developed and rolled out over a period of months, not years, which was quite challenging. But UPS did it. Now, of course, our ongoing challenge is to continue delivering quickly and efficiently, and to always stay at the forefront of innovation.

Sustainability must also be front of mind for you. How do you manage that?

We obviously use fossil fuels, based on the nature of the industry, but operating sustainably is a way of life for us. It’s a core part of our operations. And the tax incentives are helpful because they accelerate the investments we're already making to transform our business.

Reflecting on your own achievement so far, what makes you most proud?

Helping other people reach their goals and achieve their own success has easily been the most gratifying part of my career. I’ve had the chance to meet so many amazing people and getting to watch them grow, personally and professionally, is rewarding. I have to say I’m also just really proud to be a part of the PwC community. The firm taught me so many professional skills and it connected me with so many opportunities. I think it’s quite unique in that regard.

What advice can you offer to others?

There are many great career paths our profession has to offer. Keep an open mind to different options and pay attention to what makes the most sense to you.

How do you recharge outside of work?

I have a lot of hobbies—maybe too many! Some of my most common weekend activities are hiking, exercise, and playing video games. Those are the things that give me a quick recharge, and I like to do them with my sons, who are 16 and 13. For all the things that people caution you about the teenage years, they’ve been much better than advertised, in my experience.