Strickland and Barksdale is continuing a family tradition of CPAs, as Will Barksdale recently became a third-generation accountant in the family business by passing his Certified Public Accountant exam.

Barksdale said he was recently notified he passed the CPA exam he took in October. He has been working since then at Strickland and Barksdale and plans to continue in the family business.

“I love being able to work with my mom and grandfather, and knowing I can continue what my grandaddy started all means a lot to me,” Barksdale said.

Barksdale said he began working at the firm in 2015 after completing his master’s degree at Auburn University.

“I always knew that I wanted to be in accounting,” Barksdale said. “Accounting is in my blood and is what I grew up with. I’ve always loved it, so I knew it was an area I wanted to be in.”

Barksdale said he began studying for the four-part CPA exam a year in advance. The exam, which takes 16 hours to complete, focuses on business environments and concepts, auditing and attestation, regulation and financial accounting and reporting.

Barksdale said it is a relief to know his time studying for the CPA exam – an undertaking that typically consists of at least 100 hours studying for each of the four sections – has paid off.

“It is a personal pride,” Barksdale said. “This is more than a job to me. I’m excited to get to continue working in it and continue the firm.”