LOS ANGELES, CA (November 10, 2022) – GHJ, a leading accounting and advisory firm, is thrilled to announce Managing Partner Tom Barry, State and Local Tax Practice Leader Frances Ellington and Audit and Assurance Practice Leader Satpal Nagpal were named among the inaugural Top 100 Accountants list from the Los Angeles Business Journal and the California Society of CPAs (CalCPA).
“Thank you to the Los Angeles Business Journal and CalCPA for this recognition,” Tom said. “As certified public accountants, we work to serve our clients first and foremost, so it is an honor to be recognized and even more so to be recognized alongside my esteemed colleagues.”
New this year, the Top 100 Accountants event recognizes the achievements of leading accountants and firms in the Los Angeles region for their ongoing efforts as financial stewards. It includes honors for audit, tax and consulting professionals at accounting firms as well as non-firm corporate accountants for private companies, public companies, nonprofits and government.
GHJ is a top accounting firm headquartered in Los Angeles with employees located throughout the U.S. and clients around the world. The Firm has been recognized both locally and nationally as a top-ranked firm and is a supporter of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility efforts within the accounting industry.
“All of GHJ’s growth is driven by the dedication of our people. With their help, we have continued our expansion across the U.S. with the opening of our San Jose office, added additional expanded service offerings and promoted several of our internal leaders into the partner group,” Tom said. “I am proud to work alongside leaders like Satpal and Frances who support their teams, serve their clients and inspire all to #BeMore.”
TOM BARRY
Tom Barry, CPA, is the Managing Partner at GHJ, where he considers himself a combination of entrepreneur, partner, consultant, coach and business advisor. He has spent the past 25 years dedicated to elevating and modernizing the role of the accountant.
Tom provides audit and accounting, tax and general business advisory services to clients in a variety of industries. Since becoming Managing Partner, Tom led efforts to move GHJ’s headquarters from Westwood to Downtown L.A. and launched a brand refresh with a new name, logo and branding. He embodies the Firm’s #BeMore philosophy, encouraging employees and clients to live their authentic selves personally and professionally.
He is an active member of YPO - Santa Monica Bay and is currently Treasurer and a member of the Executive Committee. He is also Chairman of the Accounting Advisory Board for Loyola Marymount University. Tom is also Treasurer for GHJ Foundation, GHJ’s vehicle for purposeful and proactive giving to the community. Due to his leadership both at GHJ and the community at large, Tom was recognized in 2018-2022 as “LA’s 500 Most Influential People in Business.”
FRANCES ELLINGTON
Frances Ellington, DBA, CPA, is the State and Local Tax Practice Leader at GHJ with a focus on multistate income and franchise tax, indirect tax and credits and incentives. Frances assists her clients on state and local tax issues related to tax audit controversy, nexus and reporting requirements, and various state tax planning initiatives.
Frances is a leader in GHJ’s Business Disruption Taskforce, which helps clients navigate changing regulations. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor for the University of North Carolina’s Master of Accounting program. Frances has previously taught courses for UCLA Extension, Strafford Publications and The Knowledge Group.
Due to her significant contributions in the community and accounting industry, Frances was a recipient of The Accountant’s and International Accounting Bulletin’s 2020 Young Accountant of the Year Award and CalCPA’s 2019 “Women to Watch” award in the Emerging Leader category. She is currently a Director on the Los Angeles Chapter Board of CalCPA with a focus on partnership and sponsorship initiatives for the accounting industry.
SATPAL NAGPAL
Satpal Nagpal, CPA, is the Firm’s Audit and Assurance Practice Leader and has more than 20 years of public accounting experience providing audit, accounting and business consulting services.
In addition to leading one of GHJ’s largest departments, Satpal is known as the Firm’s go-to resource for out-of-the-box solutions. He is always open to embracing new ways of working and encourages his team to collaborate with other departments as well as other Firms to ensure everyone has all resources available.
Passionate about education, Satpal is a Board Member at Synergy Academies, a nonprofit charter school organization that aims to close the achievement gap in South LA and Former Board Member at International Education Research Foundation, which prepares credentials evaluations for persons who have studied outside of the United States and need a statement of educational equivalency. He is also a member of CalCPA and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
…
About GHJ
GHJ is an accounting and advisory firm that specializes in nonprofit, food and beverage, entertainment and media and health and wellness companies. Ranked as Accounting Today’s “Firm to Watch” and “Top Regional Leader in the West,” an INSIDE Public Accounting Top 200 firm and a top-20 largest accounting firm on the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Book of Lists, GHJ is passionate about helping clients and its people #BeMore by focusing on building thriving businesses and creating a better future. GHJ works as a business advocate for its clients — providing personalized service and building long-term relationships to help position our clients for growth.
Through its affiliation with HLB International, a global network of independent professional accounting firms and business advisers, GHJ is able to partner with other top firms across major cities throughout the U.S. and the world. GHJ’s audit, tax and advisory teams leverage the HLB network to partner with its clients and give clients access to member firms in over 157 countries across the globe. GHJ has 21 partners and approximately 200 staff members that serve thousands of clients. The Firm is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the AICPA Governmental Audit Quality Center (GAQC), the California Society of CPAs and the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofit).
###
