Gary was elected to serve the firm as its Chairman of the Board in January 2018. As the board chair, he is responsible for the oversight of the Board and the strategic initiatives as approved by the Board. Gary will continue to serve clients in addition to his role as the Chairman of the Board.
Gary has spent his entire career working with middle market enterprises and their owners. He has a broad base of experience servicing publicly-owned and privately-held companies within a variety of industries. Industries with special emphasis include oil and gas exploration and production, oil field services, and energy related manufacturing and distribution companies. He also serves private-equity backed enterprises and private equity funds with multi-tier partnership structures.
Areas of taxation with specialized skills include tax consulting for mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy and insolvency workouts. Other services provided include tax planning and compliance related to state and local tax planning, representation before the Internal Revenue Service, and GAAP financial reporting for ASC 740 (formerly known as FAS 109).
Industries Served:
- Oil and Gas
- Real Estate
- Oilfield Service Companies
- Financial Service Companies
- Private Equity Markets
Designations:
CPA, Certified Public Accountant - Texas, Oklahoma
JD, Juris Doctorate
Experience:
Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas, P.C., Houston, TX
Director, July 2005 - Present
Grant Thornton LLP, Houston, TX
Partner, 1993 - 2005
Arthur Andersen & Co., Oklahoma City, OK
Manager, 1987 - 1993
Education:
University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Bachelor of Business Administration, 1984
Juris Doctorate, 1987
Professional Achievements:
Awards:
- 2016 - "Who's Who in Energy" - Houston Business Journal
- 2014 - "Who's Who in Energy" - Houston Business Journal
- 2013 - "Who's Who in Energy" - Houston Business Journal
- 2012 - "Who’s Who in Houston Energy" – Houston Business Journal
- 2011 - "Who’s Who in Houston Energy" – Houston Business Journal
Speaking Engagements:
- Moderator, "Methodologies for Valuing Your Business" - Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas, P.C., September 2018
- "Federal Tax Reform Act Update" - Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas, P.C., February 2018
- Moderator, “Financial Planning for Energy Companies in Uncertain Times” – Total Energy Conference, Houston, TX
Publications:
- Article mention, "Practice Profile: Triple threat" - Accounting Today, July 2019
- Article feature, PKF Texas' new management structure - Inside Public Accounting, 2018
- Leading Edge Magazine -
- “Thought Leaders Tackle M&A: Things You Need to Know About Mergers & Acquisitions,” Summer 2012
- “The 2012 Election Year: How will it impact your business,” Winter 2012
- “Buy? Sell? Accelerate? Defer? Give? I Have to File What?”, Fall 2010
- “Obama’s Win Equals Change,” Winter 2009
- “FIN 48 and the Due Diligence Process,” Winter 2008
- “On the Margin: An Overview of the New Texas Margin Tax,” Fall 2006
Video Series – PKF Texas – The Entrepreneur’s Playbook®:
- Financial Planning for Energy Companies in Uncertain Times
Why did you choose to be a CPA and/or advisor?
The very first accounting course in college seemed to come easy for me while some of my friends in the dorm seemed to struggle significantly with debits and credits, so I took that as a sign and went from there. I also always enjoyed "theory problems" in school - you get plenty of that being a CPA.
What do you like best about helping clients?
In addition to helping clients pay as little tax as possible, taking the worry away from those clients that tend to have about making a mistake with their taxes, as well as making it all seem less complex and less burdensome.
What energizes you about your job?
Working with a variety of clients in different industries and business structures always keeps me on my toes and learning. A significant portion of my client base is in the energy sector. Staying on top of the changes and advancements in this industry and the impact it has on the quality of our daily lives across the entire population of the planet provides me with a level of insight that many just take for granted.
What energizes you about working at PKF Texas?
Fostering an environment for learning and sharing knowledge, which includes learning about all of the backgrounds and cultures of our diverse team. It is truly a welcoming environment that you simply cannot find everywhere.
Why are you passionate about serving this niche?
Clients in the middle market are busy running and growing their businesses and typically don't have the time nor the desire to learn taxes, and they especially don't want to learn today's complex reporting requirements. Being the person that helps them leverage their time to focus on their business and allows them to trust their tax strategy is helping their business grow is very gratifying.
Where are you from?
I am from a small farming in community in northern Oklahoma called Kremlin. My family comes from a long line of wheat and cattle farming.
What's your favorite season?
Fall in Houston is great. The weather is generally very good here that time of year, and you can actually enjoy yourself outdoors!
What's your favorite sport to follow?
I love to follow college football - in particular OU football. I am not a crazy fanatical fan but always enjoy watching them play. I've adopted LSU as my 2nd favorite team due to having a good friend who IS a crazy fanatical Tiger fan!
Do you own any pets?
Currently have a cat (Festus) and a dog (Sonnet). Both are as spoiled as they possibly can be.
What kind of music do you like?
Generally, classic rock from the 80's is my kind of music (my college years).
What's your favorite vacation destination?
Europe in general. I've had the chance to travel to several European cities and they are each uniquely different. The history that is available there and the changes that have occurred throughout history are fascinating.
