Arkansas Business

Henry Neely II

When several of Henry "Hank" Neely's friends in college decided to major in accounting, the move sounded like a prudent choice, and he decided to join them.

"It came very naturally to me," the 35-year-old tax department senior manager and director of Little Rock's Ernst & Young office says.

After graduating with a economics and business degree from Hendrix College in Conway in 1983, he joined Arthur Andersen in Oklahoma City.

Neely is originally from north Louisiana, but his parents were Hendrix grads and hailed from the Natural State.

As office manager at Ernst & Young, the ongoing quality of the accounting firm is a big concern of his.

"We have to make certain that we maintain the quality of the service we provide," he says. "Recruiting and retention is a critical factor."

Neely's wife, Rene, is a Little Rock native. The couple has two sons: H.E., age 9, and Wilson, age 6.

He used to play volleyball in leagues and says he really enjoyed playing golf, but his hobbies have been put on hold indefinitely.

"It seems I'm doing whatever my kids happen to be doing," he says with a laugh.