Joel Black

Background

About Joel Black

As the fifth chair of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), I lead the seven-member board that establishes accounting and financial reporting standards for U.S. state and local governments that follow Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).Early in my career in public accounting, I became passionate about governmental accounting and understanding how governments operate and have been deeply involved the nearly three decades since.Prior to joining the GASB, I was the partner in charge of the audit practice at the accounting firm Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC, in Atlanta. I oversaw the audit practice of the firm’s eight offices throughout five states, including the work of more than 300 employees. I also led the firm’s government professional practice group covering more than 400 public sector clients. I led engagements for diverse government clients from communities of fewer than residents to states and state agencies, large counties and cities, school districts, and special-purpose entities with multibillion-dollar budgets. I joined Mauldin & Jenkins in 2004 as a director. I was named partner in 2005 before my appointment to partner in charge of the audit practice in January 2019. Previously, I worked for KPMG LLP from 1992 to 2004.I have been active in numerous professional activities concerning government accounting. I was appointed to the GASB’s Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC) in 2019. I served on the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA) State and Local Government Expert Panel from 2015–2019 and its Government Audit Quality Center Executive Committee from 2012–2015. I am a graduate of Georgia State University and am a certified public accountant.