Our History

Robert A. Casey & Co has its roots in an accounting practice that was founded by James W Paterson in Perth in 1903 with offices at 49 St George’s Terrace.  A well-known business identity, James was renowned throughout the city’s commercial community for his kind disposition and likeable nature.

Over two decades following the founding of his firm and despite varying economic conditions, James built up a practice of loyal and valuable clients, many of them pastoralists. The strong financial base developed over this period enabled the successful launch of a stockbroking arm of the business in 1922.

In 1929 James was joined by his youngest son Colin, who, despite entering when industry was suffering the grim effects of the Great Depression, worked hard and qualified as an accountant before he turned 21.

At the beginning of the Second World War Colin was the sole partner of the firm. When he enlisted with the RAAF in 1940, Colin’s sister Mary took over the running of the business until he returned from his service where he had been a RAF coastal surveillance navigator on a Wellington Bomber, even becoming a member of the exclusive Goldfish Club when he survived a ditching into the English Channel.

James Paterson died shortly before the end of the war, and Colin was still the sole partner of James W Paterson & Son when Robert (Bob) Casey joined the firm in 1946 as a clerk, later becoming a partner in 1956. A country boy who had grown up in Koorda and been schooled in Toodyay, Bob had joined the firm following often perilous war service in Borneo and the Middle East with the Australian Army’s seventh division.

During the 1950s the accounting profession introduced regulations that demanded the separation of the accounting and stockbroking functions of the firm. Colin Paterson decided to concentrate on stockbroking and his business developed into Patersons Securities, now one of Western Australia’s foremost securities and stockbroking firms.

Bob Casey continued with a dedicated accounting practice that traded as Paterson, Forbes and Casey from 1956 until 1965.  In 1965 Bob became a sole practitioner, and the business became known as Robert A. Casey & Co., located at 38 Kings Park Road West Perth. Bob’s continuing diligence in maintaining the interests of current clients while attracting new business saw his practice expand, and at the turn of the decade the decision was made to employ another accountant.

It was April 1970 that saw the appointment of Geoff Ryan and Frank Ballato after they both applied for the one position. Judging that Geoff and Frank were equally able and in a position to make a significant contribution to the business, Bob decided to employ both men. Such was their acumen and industry that Bob invited Geoff and Frank to become one-third partners later that year.

After 43 years in the commercial world, Bob Casey retired in 1989 when the firm moved to its current premises in Subiaco. Following Bob’s departure Geoff and Frank continued to attract new business while retaining clients who had been with the firm since the Paterson days. Today the firm continues to provide services to fourth and fifth-generation clients.

After graduating from the University of Western Australia, current partner Tim Ryan (Geoff’s youngest son) joined the firm as an employee in 1991, and became a partner in 2000. Con Kramer joined the firm in 2001 and became a partner a year later in 2002, following the retirement of Geoff and Frank as partners. Tim and Con have expanded the business by attracting new clients and providing new services such as financial planning, investment advice and advising on self-managed superannuation funds.

Tim and Con are proud of their firm’s history and continue to provide new and existing clients with the same dedication and attention that has become a hallmark of Robert A. Casey & Co since its foundations were laid more than a century ago.