NABA Founders Look Back, Celebrate Successes, Commit to Future - 2019 Spring Spectrum Magazine

NABA FOUNDERS Left to right: Frank Ross, LOOK BACK, Richard McNamee, Ronald Benjamin, Earl Biggett Sr., Bert Gibson Celebrate Successes, Commit to Future By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter meeting with the Big Eight firms and asked why there were so few blacks at those firms. To become a CPA in those days NABA began 50 years ago when Frank Ross and eight of required two years of working with a CPA firm; since few his colleagues came together to co-found the organization white firms would hire blacks and no black firms existed, because, said Ross, “the major accounting firms began you can see why there were so few black CPAs. The firms hiring blacks, but did not help them assimilate into the responded that they were not racists; it was just that they workforce. They took the position that if they did anything could not find any black accountants to hire. Ms. Holmes special, they would be admitting that they were not hiring Norton told them that they better find some or they could the right individuals. The few of us in the profession at that not do business in the state of New York. They began a time said to ourselves that if the firms cannot do anything, frantic recruitment program to all the black colleges. And then we needed to step up and fill the void.” guess what? They found more than they could hire. Since As Ross said in his book, Quiet Guys Can Do Great Things, the national headquarters of all the Big Eight firms were in Too: A Black Accountant’s Success Story, NABA came New York, hiring blacks became the rule for the country — to life “in response to the City of New York’s 1968 civil north, south, east, and west.” rights lawsuit against six of the Big Eight accounting firms headquartered in New York City seeking the hiring of While NABA was the dream of its founders, more blacks. … From 1965 to 1967, most of the Big Eight “every black CPA in America owes a debt accounting firms would hire one black accountant a year. of gratitude to Ms. Holmes Norton. It No one ever told me that was the policy, but it became would be fitting to honor her on the 50th obvious as I met other blacks employed by these firms anniversary, for without her, there may not during this period … The issue at hand … was the need have been a NABA,” McNamee said. “It took for change in the recruitment and retention of blacks a lot of courage to do what she did. She put coming into the accounting industry. We realized that her job on the line. She is the real hero, and if any changes were forthcoming, we would need to be the world should know.” at least the precipitator of those changes.… We became committed to establishing a networking vehicle for black Remembering those days, “blacks in my generation were accountants in the country.” the most optimistic people in the world,” McNamee said. Co-founder Richard McNamee credits Eleanor Holmes “We had every right to just give up. There were no jobs Norton, now the member of Congress for the District of waiting for us. We knew no black accountants, engineers, or Columbia, with that lawsuit after New York Governor Nelson other ‘exotic’ careers. Rockefeller appointed her to head the New York State Civil Rights Commission. “It was brought to her attention that the Big Eight accounting firms were practicing racial discrimination in hiring blacks, which was against New York law,” McNamee recalled. “She immediately called a 8 SPECTRUM | SPRING 2019

“We went to college knowing that the only sure job was as for members of minority groups to increase their knowledge a Pullman porter – some younger people do not even know of accounting and increase individual capabilities; and unite what a Pullman porter was – but our parents stressed to us people interested in enhancing opportunities in accounting the importance of a good education. Yet, we believed that for members of minority groups. someday there would be a place for us. Yes, practically all of “We wanted to get to know other blacks [in the us went to segregated schools, but we had some of the best profession],” McNamee said of those early days. “We were teachers, who cared for us and encouraged us. We were told not naïve. We knew we were not wanted [but] the civil we could do anything. A smart kid was almost as valued as rights movement in the ’60s had taught us that there was a star athlete.” strength in unity. ... The biggest challenge was getting used As co-founder Ronald Benjamin said, “The civil rights to New York City. The work was easy. We just wanted to initiative imposed on large CPA firms that they had to hire get our two years in to qualify to be CPAs. We stayed in the black accountants. At least the nine of us were virtually the ready room and studied for the CPA exam.” first wave of those hired by the major CPA firms in New York City.” A VISION YIELDS FRUIT Among the challenges, “imagine being the only person racially different from everyone else in the office,” The founders’ vision for NABA was to help blacks overcome Benjamin said. The sense of isolation was often extreme, those challenges, and NABA has made substantial especially for young black accountants from outside New progress at many levels, from encouraging mentorship and York. “It was hard for firms to know what to do,” he said. entrepreneurship to providing resources for continuing “Some of them made special arrangements with clients professional education, support for certification and taking to see if they had any problems with black accountants on the CPA exam, networking, advocacy, and more. their audit teams.” “My vision was to facilitate black accountants’ transition Another challenge was that accounting curricula at New into the financial services industry and business,” Gibson York City colleges were often more demanding than said. “NABA has exceeded my expectations.” In the future, elsewhere, according to Benjamin, so their graduates were he would like to see NABA “continue and develop its often better-prepared for the workplace and professional members so they can take advantage of opportunities in accounting. “All of this created the need for networking, the profession and the financial services industry.” which led to founding NABA,” he said. Benjamin is proud of his career and NABA’s role in his Co-founder Earl Biggett Sr., CPA, remembers that “we success. “I have been fortunate as a result of NABA,” he said. often just sat in the assignment room. The firms were not “I’ve had a fantastic career.” He worked in public accounting sending black accountants out [to meet and work with for about three years, went into private accounting, and clients]. It was very disappointing.” Setting up NABA was then started his own firm with Ross, which operated for exciting and surprising, he said. “We didn’t realize NABA about 10 years before merging with another leading black- would get as big as it did. We started on a local level and owned firm. “We took on all aspects of accounting in every then decided to make it national. Firms welcomed it. NABA term of art,” he said. “We had a very impressive client list.” kept growing as we put together study sessions for the CPA Ross sees black accountants and students preparing to exam — we had to borrow letterhead for the first events! enter the profession as benefiting from opportunities Now it’s so strong and well-organized that it has gone today, but still facing challenges — there is a clear career beyond our wildest imaginations.” path in many instances and greater chances for entry and As co-founder Bert Gibson recalled, “The challenges in success with major accounting firms, as well as individual the workplace for black accountants, in addition to lack of business ownership, but technology can still be a barrier. knowledge in the field, were huge. Many of our members “The accounting profession is offering a great opportunity attended historically black colleges and universities and for blacks,” he said. “It is a challenging profession that were new to large urban environments like New York rewards those willing to work hard and meet the work City. We believed that we could help them adapt to the demands in a successful manner. It is constantly changing, difficulties of city life and share our knowledge of the as we can witness now with the impact that technology is business world. We also mentored them and provided having on the profession. Those who meet this challenge training that they were not getting in the workplace.” will advance rapidly in the profession and again be richly As Ross wrote, the goals of the organization were to assist rewarded.” and encourage members of minority groups in entering the Those seeking to advance their careers can see accounting profession; stimulate acquaintance and fellowship encouragement in the increasing number of blacks at the among members of minority groups; provide opportunities senior manager and partner levels today, Ross said. SPRING 2019 | SPECTRUM 9

NABA FOUNDERS LOOK BACK, Celebrate Successes, Commit to Future These changes “provide concrete examples to those “When I started my journey into the accounting profession entering the profession, because they can see that they some 53 years ago, many people of all races, background, too can achieve the highest levels of the profession. The gender, etc., helped me,” he said. “They reached back and larger numbers provide greater opportunities to seek became mentors, sponsors, or just someone whom I was mentors and sponsors who look like them. It also tells able to reach out to and seek advice. This is what drives them that they can reach even greater levels — the head me to do the same for those who are currently entering of a firm, for example.” the profession, as well as those seeking advice about which Even with greater visibility and success in leadership profession, firm, etc., they should join.” positions for minorities, Ross sees a continued need for Ross had served as an adjunct professor at Howard NABA. “Current studies show a majority of blacks still do University for many years and continued that relationship not feel they are really accepted in the social networks of after retiring from the profession of accounting, despite their employer companies,” he said. “NABA can definitely offers to teach at schools such as George Washington help them fit in better.” As he wrote in his book, “the work University and American University. He revived the of NABA is far from done. In many respects, many of the Center for Accounting Education in Howard’s School of problems we focused on in the I970s continue today. Low Business in 2003. numbers of blacks being recruited into the profession, As he wrote, “This post-retirement phase of my life has lack of upward mobility, low retention, and the problem allowed me to focus on a narrower band of goals that have of new accountants learning how to deal with the subtle always been important to me — changes that I can have racism and prejudices are still prevalent in the accounting an impact on, such as improving the status quo within field ... Among the many challenges of this 21st century, the accounting profession through research, advocacy, the accounting industry [still] must face and deal with mentoring and sponsorship.” That explains why his the problem of diversity and its willingness to hire and second career has been in academia: “One of my greatest promote accountants of color.” passions is to help shape young minds, and help guide and Since NABA’s 50th anniversary coincides with the 50th keep them focused on their career paths. I only have to anniversary of AICPA’s diversity efforts, this is a good time remember the challenges I faced, to realize that many of to look at AICPA’s progress to date and in the future. “That those challenges still exist, though nowadays, they may be progress lies in the issues of increasing the number of a bit more subtle.” blacks, as well as other minorities, in the profession — the Biggett also has had a combined career of accounting pipeline issue,” said Ross. “Once this is fully addressed practitioner for 20 years and educator for 26 years. and we start to see increased numbers coming into the “My thing was encouraging students to do better,” he profession and advancing to the key positions, then we can said. “I wanted colleagues to know that we need more pat ourselves on the back and say we have done our job. mentoring, not only at the college level but also for high Until that day, we still have a lot of work ahead of us — school students.” The best way to ensure that more black NABA and the AICPA, as well as the various state societies.” students go into accounting careers is for them to see To Ross, probably the most important aspect of NABA professionals in the field as role models, he said. membership today and in the future is, as he wrote, “the McNamee shares that sense of pride in co-founding NABA, opportunity for each member, young and old, to build a supporting the organization over the past 50 years, and network of fellow professionals with shared experiences. in helping colleagues succeed. “I founded the first black This network provides mentoring opportunities and builds firm to assist in the audit of the city of Detroit,” he said. lifetime relationships that prove supportive during the “We were selected by the first black city auditor, who most difficult times. It also offers business opportunities.” was a proud member of NABA. When we founded NABA, Ross retired from the profession a few years ago, but he we knew other cities would join. There were so many is still driven to be a champion for the success of blacks in new blacks recruited from a variety of schools. We used accounting and committed to the Lifting As We Climb motto. this factor to recruit NABA members all over America. 10 SPECTRUM | SPRING 2019

We didn’t have to sell NABA — everyone knew it was “You can get to the manager level, but no matter what you important to belong.” do, it still becomes difficult to exceed that level for many For Gibson, being a role model for younger generations blacks,” he said. has been rewarding. “I believe I have always fulfilled the NABA motto by encouraging young people to study A CONTINUING ROLE accounting and business, and use NABA as a vehicle for success,” he said. Because challenges remain to be confronted and Biggett has lived the NABA motto through his contributions overcome, “I believe there will always be a need for to NABA and as an educator. “My teaching experience and organizations like NABA to continue to develop ideas and commitment to showing people another side [to counter] move our people forward,” Gibson said. the negative stereotypes about black people represent “I wonder how much diversity exists in the workplace in the NABA motto,” he said. He also considers his volunteer 2019. There are more blacks than back in 1969, but we work with a national organization called First Tee, “similar can’t afford to stop moving forward.” to NABA but for golf,” which encourages young black “I would hope NABA will continue providing an people to learn and compete in that occupation, as living environment for networking and encouragement,” the motto. “It shows the other side of life,” he said. Benjamin said. “NABA is absolutely still needed. We have to encourage young black men and women to go into the TODAY’S CHALLENGES profession.” The fact that every ethnic group has its own professional association underscores the continuing need NABA’s founders agree that while much has been for such efforts, he said. accomplished, much remains to be done. To McNamee, NABA remains important, according to Biggett, because today’s challenge for NABA and its members is “to keep up the ongoing culture of “who do you like to work with? — no different than for whites.” People who look like you. Once you step outside that Benjamin’s perspective is optimistic; he sees the workplace umbrella, stereotypes break down. as more open and accepting today: “Large firms are We need to be accepted for who we are, not what we look now fairly diversified. Clients and the marketplace now like.” NABA “will continue to grow, not only in accounting seek diversity” in service providers. “There are no extra but in all aspects of business — finance, economics, etc.,” hurdles.” However, the fact that large corporations are he predicted, and by “embracing other people — not only generally white and black businesses are comparatively blacks.” The more people of any background who are small means that black accountants still face limits on committed to inclusion, diversity and equality, the better success — one reason to start a business of one’s own, for all, he said. he noted. “We were a major firm in the African American Regardless of the nature of today’s challenges and the community, supporting causes and creating opportunities level of diversity in the workplace, McNamee said, “there for others.” will always be a need for an organization like NABA; racism According to Gibson, “Current challenges include will never completely die. We must remain alert. As soon increasing the number of black people in leadership as you think it’s beat, it rears its ugly head again.” ▲ positions in majority firms and continuing to build our own competitive firms. We continue to have a duty to encourage students to enter the profession, get the proper training, and put themselves in a place where they can advance.” For Biggett, things have not changed enough for minorities aiming to rise in the profession. SPRING 2019 | SPECTRUM 11