James (Jim) C. White, Sr. CPA serves as Chairman Emeritus of Banks Finley White & Co. He began his career with the international accounting firm Arthur Young & Company in Boston, Massachusetts in 1970. In 1973, he co-founded Banks, Finley, White & Co., Certified Public Accountants. Jim holds CPA Certificates in five states.
Jim has extensive experience in providing services in all of the Firm’s practice areas and industries. He specialized early in his career in management consulting, providing services to the public and private sectors in the areas of accounting and internal control system design and implementation; operational reviews and analyses; feasibility studies; job costing system design and reviews. He is particularly experienced in the governmental sector, and colleges and universities.
Because of his extensive expertise in the public sector with governmental services, Jim was appointed to serve in the Cabinets of two Alabama governors. In 1983, he was appointed the first black Commissioner of Revenue of the State of Alabama by Governor George C. Wallace and served until 1987. In 1993, he was appointed as the only black Finance Director in the history of the State of Alabama by Governor Jim Folsom.
Jim was appointed to the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy in 1985 and served for 14 years including three terms as its Chairman. In 2002, he was awarded the coveted Life Member status of the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants. He has served on the board of directors of some publicly traded companies.