In 1959, Larry Heath, a mechanical engineer, moved his family to Santa Maria as part of the influx of aerospace jobs associated with Vandenberg AFB, where he was soon promoted into management. While helping others file their income tax returns, he discovered that he preferred doing that to his regular job, and decided to make a career of income tax preparation. In those early days, he would go to
people’s homes to prepare their taxes. Whatever the situation, he knew an appropriate joke, and would tell them as his fingers flew over the adding machine to calculate taxes. Even though he passed away in 1994, clients still fondly remember his wonderful jokes. He made his tax business a family affair. Both he and his wife, Jo, were Enrolled Agents, and they allowed their children to work in the business collating forms, stuffing envelopes, and making appointments. Upon Larry’s passing, Jo continued to work the business for several years, joined by her second husband, Dan Talbot. After Dan also passed, Jo moved to Orem, Utah to be with her third husband, Bob Olsen. At that time, Larry and Jo’s first child, Lynne Heath Terrazas, and her husband Mike took over the business which they had been working along with Jo for years. We retain Heath as our name because of our love and respect for Larry and all that he did for our business and our community.
