Charles Adams - Founding Director

Charles Adams is the youngest child of Eddie and Annie Adams.  He was born in Mississippi shortly before the family migrated to Utah, where he lived until his graduation from the University of Utah with a degree in Accounting.  While attending the “U” he enrolled in the Army ROTC to avoid the draft and to partially fund his education.  As a Lieutenant in the US Army Charles spent a year in Korea, which was a life changing experience.  For the first time in his life, he enjoyed being seen as an accomplished American citizen, not as a Negro existing in white America.

Upon completion of his military service and boosted by his new found self-esteem, Charles attended graduate business school at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.  He graduated with Honors, and was selected by Time Magazine as a business school All American.

While completing the experience requirement to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Charles founded the San Francisco Chapter of the newly created National Association of Black Accountants. where he also served as National Treasurer.  Charles also co-founded and was the Managing Partner of the CPA firm Adams, Grant & White in Oakland, California.  It was while at this firm that Charles achieved his most significant professional accomplishment:  mentoring more than 30 BIPOC accountants to obtain their CPA licenses while working at the firm.

One of the young accountants who obtained qualifying CPA experience at AG&W was Ifeoma Mbanugo, who Charles not only assisted in achieving her professional success, but who he supported as she trained to participate in the first Women’s Olympic Marathon held at the 1984 Los Angeles International Olympics.  Charles and Ifeoma are now the proud parents of five children and six grandchildren.