• April 21, 2026

 Gary McGaghey Recap

Some CFOs are strategists, bringing big ideas and strategies to the table. Gary McGaghey was a strategist before he became an accountant and joined Deloitte. With their experience at Deloitte, Gary wrote a book about how he went from being an inexperienced public accountant to becoming an expert in strategy for a Fortune 500 company.

It’s no secret that some people are born with natural talent, but others like Gary have learned what it takes to become highly skilled without special training. “Strategy is not an innate talent or a gift; it’s a skill that can be learned most effectively through practice,” Gary says.

Gary McGaghey has a long history of successful leadership and strategy, which is evident in his writing and speaking skills. He has been asked to lecture at many universities about his life experiences and what he believes could have made him a “strategist CEO.” Through experience, Gary has learned that people can know to do what he does if they’ve got the drive and desire for continuous learning. Find out more business insights from Gary McGaghey on Medium.com

Gary has received many accolades and honors, which are listed below.

  • He was listed in the Inc. Magazine’s Fortunate 500 List.
  • He has been presented with Best of Alberta Award for Distinguished Service to the Community and has been a columnist for Canadian Business magazine for 15 years, having interviewed corporate leaders on a wide array of issues, with his articles published in their monthly publication.
  • His consulting business, GML Consulting, specializes in leadership development, organizational change management and strategy.
  • Gary was awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year award from Technology New Ventures Inc., which recognizes innovative young entrepreneurs who have created new ventures from scratch.
  • He was inducted into the Canadian Accounting Hall of Fame.
  • He has been listed in Who’s in Canada for seven out of the last eight years, and the University of Alberta also awarded him an honorary doctorate.

Gary is committed to sharing what he knows about making real change and helping others transition towards their goals and see themselves succeed, which is evident in his life experiences. He is passionate about helping other people learn how to set up their businesses so they can make a difference. Making a change at work is a big decision, but as we all know: “It’s never too late to change.