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After more than 40 years as an accountant, serving individuals, businesses and non-profits, Greg White officially retired from White, McClung and Barber Accounting (now Capstone Accounting and Advisors) on May 2.

White graduated from Andalusia High School in 1974. He attended the University of South Alabama before transferring to Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri where he met his wife, Jan. Both earned their degrees in 1977 and were married the following year.

After graduating, White held jobs in Atlanta, Tuscaloosa and was in Charlotte for two years, before returning home to Andalusia in 1980. Upon his return, he worked with his father, Billy White, who owned a Barber’s milk franchise for over 50 years.

“I had grown up in that business and came back to work with him, which I did for four years,” White said. “I had a route and was helping to manage the business. I had an accounting degree, but anticipated that I might just stay and be a small business owner and stay in the milk business.”

In 1984, an opportunity arose that would set White’s career on a new path.

“I purchased a small accounting firm from Emmett Rogers. I sat for the CPA exam shortly after that and when I became certified it became Greg White, CPA. I took over right in the middle of tax season, so that shows what I didn’t know at the time,” he laughed.

He said the new role as a business owner provided him opportunities outside of accounting and being more involved in the community.  He became a member of the Civitan Club, the Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce, the Alabama Association of Accountants, and many others over the years.

White said his accounting firm saw steady growth over the years. In 2011, Shon McClung, who had recently purchased a firm of his own, joined White to create White and McClung Accounting. In 2022, Robin Barber became a partner, changing the name to White, McClung, and Barber Accounting. Upon the announcement of White’s retirement McClung and Barber are operating the firm as Capstone Accounting and Advisors. White said the firm grew from two employees when he first started to having 15 at his retirement.

“In the early years, I probably had 250 clients,” White said. “Those were small business and individual tax clients. That grew to having several hundred more. When you’re dealing with folks most important financial issues, you develop very close relationships. You work hard, earn the trust of the clients, and all of that was be rewarding.

“You see small businesses envisioned and then become reality. It’s been very rewarding to participate in those in a small way.”

After all those years — and tax seasons — White said he felt the time was right to slow down and enjoy extra time with Jan.

“You come to a time when you realize that you’re not Superman; you realize that your health is a precious gift that you may not have for many more days. Jan and I thought we’d like to have freedom to travel and visit some folks we haven’t seen in a long time, see some sites that we have not been able to see. This gives us some freedom to do that,” he said.

Along with his career in accounting, White became a partner in the Blue Bird Café in downtown Andalusia and looks forward to focusing more on that business.

He also served multiple terms as chairman of the Covington County Commission. He was first appointed as chairman by former Gov. Fob James in 1995 to fill an unexpired term. In 1986, he was elected to his first full term.

“I was the first Republican officeholder in the county in many years, maybe only the second in over 100 years,” he said.

White went on to be elected to the chairman seat in 2000, 2004, 2016 and 2020, serving over 29 years as an elected and appointed county official. He said re-entering politics or taking up other causes is something he would consider.

“Retiring allow Jan and I to look for other opportunities. I don’t have anything in mind, but I’m open to what may come along. That might be a volunteer opportunity, it might be a part-time job. I still have a strong interest in the political arena, so maybe it could be some kind of public service,” White said.

In addition to his time as a county commissioner, White also represented the area on other boards, including the Covington County Economic Development Commission, the Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission, the Local Government Health Insurance Board, the Association of County Commissions of Alabama, and the Alabama Counties and Municipalities Trust Fund.

He also helped establish local boards. He is a 37-year member of the Andalusia City Schools Foundation, served 23 years on the Sav-A-Life Board, and three years on the board of Crossover Ministry.