ASU Trailblazer: Paige Smith
Class of 2020, B.B.A. in Accounting, Master of Professional Accountancy (M.P.Ac.)
From alumna to team manager and adjunct professor, Paige Smith’s passion for giving back and pouring into those around her knows no bounds.
Dreaming of being a Division I soccer player, Smith’s journey initially took her to a university in Oklahoma. After a career-ending head injury, she found herself back home in San Angelo and transferring to Angelo State.
“I always loved Angelo State,” Smith said. “So when I came back, I initially thought, ‘Well, maybe I’ll stay. Maybe I’ll transfer again. I’m not sure.’ This was a different path than I originally started on, but when I got here, I loved it so much. I can’t speak of how much Angelo State means to me.”
“When one door closes, the better door opens, and that’s how I feel about Angelo State,” she added. “I was unsure what my passion would be when starting college, but my professors helped me determine that accounting was a great career opportunity for me. I even met my husband in my very first class at Angelo State.”
Coming to ASU also meant that Smith joined a family legacy. Her parents and several extended family members are all Angelo State alumni, and her great-grandfather, Dr. Lloyd D. Vincent, served as ASU’s president for 26 years. She followed in their footsteps and graduated in 2020 with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting through Angelo State’s integrated degree program.
“Angelo State provided me with an incredible education,” Smith said. “It was a place that helped me grow as a professional. My internships gave me a lot of opportunities, and I got to network with many of the professionals in town to see what type of accounting I would want to go into.”
“Angelo State provided me with an incredible education.”
Through her internship experiences, one of them being at Armstrong, Backus & Co., LLP, Smith realized she was drawn to the career path of a business controller or chief financial officer.
After graduating, Smith worked as the assistant division controller at Republic Services while earning her CPA license in January 2021. The next opportunity presented itself, and she moved to Johnson & Johnson as a senior financial analyst for two years. Now she finds herself taking the next step in her career at Principal Industries as a controller.
“I like cost accounting, working with business partners, seeing how the numbers can drive efficiencies and being engaged in the whole business,” she said.
At Principal Industries, Smith manages a team of six to eight people with three being Angelo State interns. Leading her team, she taps into her many internship experiences and even her soccer days as a goalie.
“Pouring into my team what others poured into me is the most fulfilling part of my job,” Smith said. “I try my best to always empower them to make decisions and let them know that mistakes are okay. Growing others is what I love doing.”
“I want to help other people feel fulfilled and happy, regardless of what job I’m in.”
“As a young female, it can be hard to believe in yourself,” she continued. “I’ve been able to provide myself with that confidence through hard work and the support of my CFO and team. Angelo State helped me prepare for what a real work environment would be like.”
And Smith’s passion goes beyond just the numbers.
“The highlight of my career is working with my team,” she said. “I love solving problems, but getting to solve a problem with my team and helping them grow is my favorite part by far. I’m not really an accountant personality. I’m a major people person, so having that aspect in my job has made it 10 times more fulfilling.”
Since 2022, Smith has been teaching at Angelo State as an adjunct accounting professor in addition to her many other duties as a controller and manager.
“I get to give back to students in the way my professors gave to me,” she said. “It meant a lot how much my professors poured into me and how much I learned, and I want to give that to the students. Seeing the switch flip when they understand brings me a lot of joy. It’s so fulfilling.”
“I get to give back to students in the way my professors gave to me.”
Giving back doesn’t stop with her two occupations either. Smith is also part of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TXCPA), a nonprofit association of Texas accounting and finance professionals.
“TXCPA is an organization that helps provide continuing professional education (CPE) to members and updates about new accounting policies and procedures,” she explained. “They advocate in the Texas government, making sure no rules get changed that will negatively impact the profession. We do a lot of volunteer work and community events, as well.”
“I would like to find a way to bring more people into the chapter from the business and industry side of accounting,” she said. “I also want to reach younger students to let them know about the profession because accounting isn’t something people initially think of as a career. There are so many opportunities within the field.”
As Smith moves forward in her career, she’s focused on making an impact on those she meets along the way.
“At the end of the day, God’s going to make my plan for my life based on what he thinks is best for me, not what I think is best,” Smith said. “So I try not to make plans. My goals are always to grow, be the best version of myself and grow others. I want to help other people feel fulfilled and happy, regardless of what job I’m in.”