Fun fact: Incoming COCPA Chair Jim Gilbert, who begins his term Nov. 16, is a trained sniper. 

Having graduated during his days as an infantryman from both French Commando school and German sniper school, he’s since enjoyed a widely varied career on the CPA side of things, holding accounting and leadership roles across several industries. For the past 12 years, he has run his own practice, Jim Gilbert, CPA LLC, providing outsourced CFO, accounting, and technology services. 

As Gilbert prepares to become chair, he’s ready to apply his wide-ranging experience and laser focus to bettering the future of the accounting profession. 

Not Your Typical Background

Gilbert acknowledges his past life experiences aren’t exactly typical. How often do you see schools and certifications like U.S. Army Airborne, U.S. Army Air Assault, German Airborne, and Expert Infantry Badge – all on the same résumé? 

His 21-year-old daughter, Marissa, says Gilbert “looks exactly like an accountant.” She laughs at people’s perception of her dad, because his extensive military background isn’t what most people expect from an accountant, and she enjoys watching others try to reconcile these two sides of her dad.

“She says, ‘Dad, when they hear you were an Airborne Infantry soldier in the Army, they pause,’” Gilbert says, laughing. “And she’s right. There’s a very pregnant pause.”

Looking Ahead

Gilbert’s career has focused on looking ahead, anticipating how technology can impact CPAs’ work, and encouraging the profession to move with it. Now, he’ll bring that perspective to his role as COCPA chair.

Get to know Gilbert in the fall 2026 issue of NewsAccount, now available digitally, as he recounts a career path that has included working his way from billing clerk to CFO, helping prepare a technology company for sale to Lockheed Martin, and holding positions across industries ranging from engineering and construction to automotive and healthcare. 

From his enduring gratitude to a CPA whose high school accounting classes convinced Gilbert to pursue a career in the profession to his fond recollections of the winding path that brought him where he is today, the article underscores Gilbert’s love of the profession and his commitment to serving it well in his coming term. 

“The role of a CPA is so massive. There’s so much you can do,” he says. “You don’t have to do the same old thing everyone else does. Being a CPA gives you options and choices. It gives you the chance to change course, create an opportunity you might not have had, and influence people’s lives. How great is this profession?”

Read more about Jim Gilbert’s unique background and his plans for his COCPA chair tenure in the newly-released fall 2026 issue of NewsAccount.

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