Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Grant Coates and James “Jim” Trippon to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for terms set to expire on January 31, 2025. The Board ensures that individuals issued certificates as certified public accountants possess the necessary education, skills, and capabilities to perform competently in the profession of public accountancy.

Grant Coates of Fort Worth is CEO and president of The Miles Foundation. Previously, he served in various financial and investment roles for Miles Production Company and The Miles Foundation for over two decades. He is an executive committee member for Read Fort Worth and a board member of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Community Land Trust, and Philanthropy Advocates. Additionally, he is a former president of the Argyle Chamber of Commerce and a former board member of the Argyle Independent School District Education Foundation. Coates received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of North Texas and a Master of Business Administration from Texas Christian University.

James “Jim” Trippon of Houston is a certified public accountant (CPA) and president of JM Trippon & Company and Trippon Wealth Management Group. He is a personal finance author and member of the Texas Society of CPAs, Mensa International, and the Union League Club of Chicago. Trippon received a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.