One Profession Many Career Choices

Lori Ang

“I moved to the financial advisory side of the
profession,” Ang reflects. “It complements my
personal goal, which is to help people. What
we do touches peoples’ lives. It’s very personal
and it’s very valuable and meaningful.” 

James Gellas - The Business World is His Oyster

James Gellas, who just turned 30, is president
and CEO of his own company—and he’s standing
on the cusp of a career change. 

John Samore III

Did you know the San Fernando Valley was the
home of a criminal dubbed the “Godfather of
Toner”? Neither did John Samore III until he
played his part in bringing the toner-touting
criminal to justice. 

Chris Davis - Super Sleuth

CPA and forensic accountant Chris Davis doesn’t
leap over buildings in a single bound, but she is a
modern-day corporate crime fighter. She gathers
evidence that explains why audits failed and how
corporations ignored the accounting rules––
conditions that usually result in massive investor
losses. 

Ken McGuire - Never a Dull Moment

CPA Ken McGuire packs a pistol. No, he’s not a
renegade; he’s among the 5 percent of FBI agents
who are CPAs. 

Cheryl Cruz - Accounting is the Foundation

“Whether it’s helping them [students] with the
subject matter, or finding the career path that’s
right for them, or expanding their résumés to land
that first job, I love being a mentor,” says Cruz. 

Myra McCaskill - In the Groove

After a post-college tour with a big accounting
firm, McCaskill returned to her music-industry
roots. A marketing planner at Geffen Interscope
Records, she is building a career that perfectly
combines her talents and interests. 

Andrea Cope -What's Cooking

“We would shop on Wednesdays and Thursdays, start
prep on Thursdays, I would come home on Friday and
we’d cook until midnight and cater our events at the
weekend,” she says. 

Irwin Jacobson - Listen to your Grandmother

In his freshman year in college, Jacobson thought he
would go into marketing and advertising—until he
mentioned the idea to his grandmother. Her response?
“Are you kidding? You need to do something practical.
You need to be an accountant. Your name is Irwin,
after all.” 

Kathy Johnson - Nose for News (and Numbers)

Her first job in newspapers was as a staff accountant at the
Dallas Times Herald. “It wasn’t something I expected to happen,
but I always loved reading newspapers and thought, ‘Why not
apply for the position and get into newspapers on the ground
level.’” 

From there Johnson moved to the Houston Post and eventually
to USA Today, working as the controller in the circulation office,
which took her to Los Angeles and then to Atlanta. 

Joseph Montes - More Than Just a License

“Our audit practice is diverse and our firm services
clients operating in many different industries,” he
says.“Part of our responsibility is to really
understand the client’s business. To really get behind
the numbers.” 

Okorie Ramsey - The Places You'll Go and People You'll Meet

“I’m constantly dealing with people and talking through ideas
and strategies,” he says. “It’s very different than just sitting
behind a desk and dealing with numbers.” 

Amy Ainsworth - Taking the Lead

Watching Amy Ainsworth direct a constant flow of traffic
through her office, it’s easy to see how the energetic
28-year-old CPA is always a few steps ahead of the crowd.