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pat h finder


janice Gray


CPA, CVA, CGMA What does one do when one


reaches the apex of a career? Tat’s an ideal question for Janice Gray,


CPA, CVA, CGMA, the managing partner of Gray, Blodgett & Company in Norman. Ross Roye, CPA, a shareholder with Gray,


Blodgett & Company, said, “Janice has blazed her own trail through the CPA profession, all the way to the top … She has been instrumental in my career as a mentor and as a partner.”


Te trail started in a likely place –


involvement with her local chapter. Gray served as the Norman Chapter president and also served on the OSCPA’s Membership, Strategic Planning, Nominations, Government Relations, Accounting & Auditing, Peer Review and Technology Committees. She is a two-time recipient of the Norman Chapter’s Distinguished C.P.A. Award and the 2001 inductee in the Oklahoma Accounting Hall of Fame. From there, Gray moved on to national


service. She volunteered for the AICPA Board of Examiners State Board Committee, served two three-year terms on the AICPA Peer Review Board and on the AICPA Private Companies Practice Section Technical Issues Committee, which provides direct input to the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. She also volunteered for the Accounting and Review Services Committee and the Professional Ethics Executive Committee. Additionally, Gray served on two task forces with the AICPA Peer Review Board: Te Communications Task Force and the Quality Control Materials Task Force. In 2003, she was appointed to the


Oklahoma Accountancy Board (OAB) by


Never, never, never give


up. –Winsto n Churchill


8 CPAFOCUS Getting to know janice


If you could be any superhero, who would you be? Wonder Woman! She is beautiful, wise, swift and strong.


Who was your teen crush? Oh my—I will really age myself—Elvis!


What is your favorite holiday? Christmas! I love to shop with the hustle and bustle of people the closer it gets to Christmas! We also have a family tradition of making candy and giving it for gifts. We make about 15 different kinds and have made as much as 200 pounds in some years!


What bugs you? Having to repeat myself


Do you have any quirky talents? I twirled fire when I was younger! What scares you? The thought of retiring


Governor Brad Henry. She held all leadership positions and served on all OAB committees during her ten years, including two terms as chairman, when she initially became active with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). She served ten years on NASBA’s Compliance Assurance Committee, including as committee chair for five of those years. She has also served on the NASBA Audit, Education, Relations with


Member Boards, Regulatory Response, Strategic Planning and Ethics Committees. She served three one-year terms as the NASBA Southwest regional director, four years as a director at large and was elected vice chair for 2017-2018 and is currently chairman of the board. Jonathan Kern, CPA, a staff accountant


at Gray, Blodgett & Company, said, “I have never met anyone more committed to the future of the accounting profession.” Another colleague at Gray, Blodgett &


Company, Cyndi Byars, CPA, said, “Her knowledge of the profession, her ability to adapt for changes in standards or technology and her refusal to compromise her integrity inspires me.” Gray influences many young CPAs. “I always encourage candidates—because most of the time they come to work with us as candidates—the importance of the CPA designation,” Gray said. “How the designation adds credibility and makes them more marketable and regardless of whether they stay in public accounting or move to private accounting, having the designation opens doors. Once they become CPAs, I encourage them to be active in the Society. It provides opportunities for them to meet other individuals and build friendships that last a lifetime.”


March/April 2019


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