The hard-driving, overachieving Jenny Hergenroether is now the playful and teary-eyed Jenny Griffin.
Yes, accountants cry.
Griffin, 43, has been an achiever her entire life. She took an accounting course at Monticello High School because her grandfather was a CPA and she was good at math; she ended up teaching the class for the most part.
She earned a full-ride scholarship to the University of Central Arkansas in Conway by earning straight A’s at Monticello and scoring a perfect 36 on her ACT. She made straight A’s at UCA so her grandfather, Hollis Bray, paid her way to earn an MBA from UCA — which she did in one year.
Insecurity drove Griffin — a CFO finalist a year ago under her maiden name — but all that driving led her to Advanced Cabling Systems, which hired her as the company’s first CFO three years ago.
When asked what that meant, Griffin choked back tears. “I’m happier. I’m more comfortable in my own skin,” Griffin said. “It has just been a dream job. I love my boss, my colleagues. I love everyone.”
Advanced Cabling has been a perfect fit because, as the company’s first CFO, Griffin has built the financial infrastructure her own way with a staff of four. Also, the company’s tight-knit, professional-with-time-for-fun culture was the tonic to Griffin’s hard-charging ways.
“I have always been extremely insecure, so I try to be a positive person,” Griffin said. “My biggest thing is to make work fun. I like to laugh. That is my release: Do silly stuff, goof off, play tricks. If you’re miserable at work, you’re just miserable.”
Griffin said she runs a tight ship, but when work is done, she makes sure her team knows they are valued. Her favorite job memories are not the audits managed or avoided but the people she has worked with.
See more finalists from the 2018 CFO of the Year awards.
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