We were pleased to sit down with Gary Homsley, a PSU accounting alum, Accounting Advisory Board member, and longtime supporter of Portland State University to learn more about his career path. Gary retired as a partner at Grant Thornton and built a long and successful career with leading companies in the accounting industry.
From Music Major to Public Accounting
For Gary, accounting was not part of the original plan. He began college as a music major, spending his first two years immersed in music before eventually discovering accounting as a junior. What initially felt like an unexpected shift became the foundation for a highly successful 30-plus-year career in public accounting, including more than two decades as a partner at a national accounting firm.
Finding a Pathway at Portland State University
That path took shape at Portland State University.
After graduating from college and beginning work in the accounting field, Gary realized in his mid-20s that he wanted to pursue accounting more seriously. While working full-time and raising a young family, he enrolled in Portland State University’s postbaccalaureate accounting program, taking evening classes that made it possible to continue his education while balancing work and home life. “The ability to take all my classes at night facilitated me being able to do it,” he says. “I wouldn’t have been able to complete the coursework otherwise.”
A Life-Changing Pivot to Public Accounting
At the time, Gary was working in private industry and collaborating with outside auditors. Watching their work and learning about their careers sparked something new. “I started working with our outside auditors and was encouraged to pursue a career in public accounting,” he says.
That decision ultimately changed the course of his life. “If not for the existence of the postbaccalaureate accounting program at Portland State, I would have never had the career that I had.”
Becoming a Trusted Business Advisor
What began as a practical step toward CPA licensure gradually evolved into a long-term profession centered on leadership, problem-solving, and trusted relationships. Gary eventually joined one of the then “Big Eight” accounting firms as an intern before building a decades-long career in public accounting. “When I first started taking classes at PSU, I had no idea where my career was going to go,” he says. “I ended up being a partner for over 20 years at a national accounting firm.”
Although he originally planned to stay in public accounting only long enough to earn his CPA license before returning to private industry, he quickly discovered he genuinely enjoyed the work. “There really was never a dull moment,” Gary says.
Each day brought new clients, new industries, and new challenges to solve. Over time, what motivated him most was the opportunity to help businesses grow and guide clients through challenges and change. “A lot of the clients looked to the partners in our firm as trusted business advisors,” he says. “That’s what I aspired to become.”
For Gary, accounting was never simply about numbers or spreadsheets. It was about relationships, curiosity, and helping people make thoughtful decisions for their businesses and futures.
Witnessing the Evolution of the Profession
Over the course of his career, he also witnessed how dramatically the accounting profession evolved. When he entered the field, much of the work was still completed manually using ledger paper, pencils, and calculators. Over the decades, the profession transformed through personal computers, spreadsheets, data analytics, and now artificial intelligence. “AI is going to make the job more interesting,” Gary says. “Professionals can focus more on giving insights and advice rather than running spreadsheets.”
He sees these technological shifts not as a replacement for accountants, but as an opportunity for the profession to become even more strategic, analytical, and relationship-driven.
Giving Back: Supporting the Next Generation at PSU
Today, Gary remains deeply connected to PSU through the Accounting Advisory Board, where he continues supporting the next generation of accounting professionals. He was originally recruited to the board after conversations with faculty about curriculum development and employer needs, an experience that gave him an early appreciation for the university’s responsiveness to students and industry alike.
“One thing that has really stood out to me is how passionate, committed, and creative the faculty are,” he says. “Their focus on helping students achieve their goals and dreams is really inspiring.” His involvement on the board has allowed him to witness PSU’s continued evolution over the decades, particularly the university’s commitment to meeting students where they are and creating pathways for opportunity. “It’s really demonstrated that the university has focused on serving both the business community and the student community,” he says.
That sense of gratitude and opportunity continues to shape the way Gary approaches mentorship, student support, and his ongoing involvement with PSU today, including support for the School of Business Career Center and resources that help accounting students confidently navigate the job market and connect with employers.
Advice for the Future: Staying Open and Caring First
Looking back, he credits much of his own success not to rigid career planning, but to remaining open to unexpected opportunities. One piece of advice from an early mentor stayed with him throughout his career: “Instead of trying to engineer your career, remain open to opportunities that arise.”
It is advice grounded in lived experience. What began as evening accounting classes while raising small children became a decades-long career defined by leadership, trusted relationships, and sustained professional success. At the center of that success, Gary says, was a principle that guided him throughout his professional life: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
That mindset continues to inform his ongoing involvement with PSU and his hope that future students will have access to the same opportunities that transformed his own life. “It has given me a life that is far different than I ever expected,” he says, “and I’m eternally thankful for that.”