About The Chapter

Gus Nimly, CPA, served as the chapter's first president and one of its founding members along with Greta Russell, Tim Grant, and others after the chapter received its charter in 1981. Numerous events were held, and scholarships were awarded to university students throughout the Central Region on behalf of the Columbus Chapter. The Chapter also participated with the Internal Revenue Service in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, and in 1996 organized the first State-wide Accounting Careers Awareness Program (ACAP-Ohio). Since then, close to 400 high school students have participated and graduated from the program and as a direct result, more than 60% have gone on to declare majors in either the finance or accounting field. Over the years the chapter picked up momentum and under the leadership of Nina Jackson, reached it’s highest membership numbers since inception.

Since the late 80's NABA's Columbus Chapter has been active and has seen the number of African American accountants grow in the city. We now have members who are employed in government, corporate, nonprofit organizations and in the national accounting firms, as well as other fields. Eventually, Gus Nimly, CPA, returned to his home land of Liberia, and our own Greta Russell served as NABA’s National President and subsequently has taken the reigns of University Controller for The Ohio State University.

The early years of the twenty-first century proved to be a challenge as a new generation of members evolved and challenged the status quo. Today, the Columbus Chapter has met that challenge and in September of 2006, launched its first Columbus Chapter website. The Chapter is well on it’s way to success using the 2007 annual theme; “Power, Passion, and Possibilities” to reach it’s goal of negotiating three new corporate partner relationships, with Huntington Bank being the first.

NABA Columbus continues to prove valuable as a great professional network. Members have suggested that many of their employment opportunities have been obtained as a direct result of their NABA connections, affiliations and relationships, locally, and at the national level. Relationships are built across the country as members attend the National Convention held in major cities throughout the United States. These relationships create a network of opportunities for our members as they grow within their field and reach back to the next new professional challenging them to live out the motto of the organization of “Lifting As We Climb”.