SYLVIA BEHRNS JOINS RLB AS PRINCIPAL
Guelph, Ontario – July 8th, 2025 – RLB Chartered Professional Accountants announced today that Sylvia Behrns has joined the firm as a Principal effective July 8th. Sylvia’s extensive knowledge and experience in agriculture is a welcome addition to the firm as she begins her journey as part of our Centre-Wellington-Dufferin team.
“RLB has grown a substantial agricultural practice working with primary agricultural producers across Central Southwestern Ontario” says Matthew Venne, Managing Partner of RLB. “Having a skilled expert who truly understands the needs and goals of our agricultural clients in this region is so important. Agribusiness isn’t like other industries, and you need someone who understands the intricacies of what these businesses need to be able to help them continue to thrive.”
RLB’s approach to adapting to the rapidly changing accounting landscape is one of the things that attracted Sylvia to the firm. “Technology is evolving at such an increased rate right now.” Sylvia shares. “It’s exciting to see how RLB is staying at the leading edge of these technologies to provide top tier service to clients while ensuring their people’s careers are impacted in a positive way.” She also shared that RLB’s culture of support and promoting a healthy work-life-integration was also a big part of her move.
While Sylvia did not grow up on a farm, she was raised in a family where her parents were small business owners, running a construction company in Clinton, Ontario. She was drawn to helping people from a young age and initially planned to go to school for nursing. When grade 12 biology helped change her mind about nursing, Sylvia decided to take a 2 year accounting program. She quickly learned she could continue to build lasting relationships and truly help others in a meaningful way. She obtained her CPA in 2016 and focused on corporate accounting for a few years before an opportunity to focus on agriculture appeared.
Supporting agribusiness has been a joy for Sylvia in her career. “It goes back to helping people,” she explains. “When I can help my clients plan for the future, or take the stress out of tax liabilities and implications, I know I’m really making a positive impact.” She prides herself on helping her clients think ahead; addressing issues like compensation planning, succession planning, and developing solid written plans. “A lot of times people just don’t plan ahead, or if they do it’s all done verbally. You need to have those plans and documents in place.”
Outside of her working life, Sylvia is married with two young sons. Her family loves to spend time together at the family cottage up north at the lake. She is also the Treasurer of the Ontario Agri-Food Discovery Centre where they are working to build Canada’s first agricultural science centre in Listowel, ON.
