Johnnie L. Clark, CPA, MBA, Ph.D. Recognized for Lifetime Achievements to the CPA Profession

The Educational Foundation of GSCPA recently recognized Johnnie L. Clark, CPA, MBA, Ph.D., for her lifetime achievements in the accounting profession and dedication to accounting education.

Dr. Clark has been a pioneer in the profession, paving the pathway for African American CPAs, especially for African American women. No matter how difficult the obstacles and struggles were, she stood up to the challenge. She persevered through racism and segregation. She used her experience as an impetus to fight and advocate for fairness and equal opportunity for all. She has been and continues to be a champion in the fight for true diversity, equity, and inclusion.

"Today, I'm one of the thousands of Black professionals who have found success in work and life thanks to this coveted credential we share. That success is, in large part, thanks to those who paved the way for Black accountants to become CPAs. Dr. Clark was a true trailblazer as the 95th Black CPA in our nation. She dedicated her life to this profession and impacted countless students along the way," said Evelyn Rosier, CPA, CGMA, PMP.

Dr. Clark's mother insisted on education past high school, leading her to pursue higher education. Through persistence, determination and hard work, she earned the distinction of being the first black woman to receive a Ph.D. in business administration with a concentration in accounting from the University of Georgia. "Getting a doctorate was different because I looked at it as a union card—an opportunity to move up in the academic realm and earn more money." 

Dr. Clark was required to wait until 1964 to receive her CPA Certificate even though she had met all the experience requirements before passing the CPA exam in 1962. While the tradition was to award the certificates at a celebration luncheon, she received hers in private. 

Her many career milestones are serving as an educator, a bank president and Dean of the Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University) Graduate School Business. "The most important experience in my life was working with the students when I was at Morris Brown and Atlanta University. There were over 100 CPAs that emerged from that experience." 

Dr. Clark advises today's accounting students to work hard and put in the time to reach their potential and do good in this life.

Watch the video interview with Dr. Clark to hear about her inspiring life >