Les McPherson, ‘86
Since graduating with his accounting degree, Les McPherson has never lived more than two blocks from campus. The owner and founder of McPherson Consulting and Professional Accounting LLC helps small businesses build their vision so they can grow into large businesses. He really enjoys being able to start on the ground floor with a company to help them establish a trajectory and a plan of action and support them throughout the journey. In 20 years, he’s helped numerous companies grow and has helped even sell some of them at market value.
McPherson also enjoys giving back to the broader community. He sits on some boards for local nonprofits and was on the Las Colonias Development committee. Seeing the underutilized riverfront area come to life has been awesome for him. Thinking back to his Mesa beginnings, he speaks fondly of his experience.
“Professors at Mesa had been in the real world and in the community, which totally changes things. They were in the industry and they transferred that knowledge to their students,” said McPherson.
That preparation led him to an accounting job with Dalby Wendland where he spent almost a decade, then he made the jump into business for himself. McPherson regularly makes his way to campus to soak up the top-notch amenities and to attend events. He’s a regular at the Homecoming Victory Dinner and can be found playing the disc golf course from time to time. Although he’s enjoyed having much of the campus to himself during the pandemic, he can’t wait for students to return.
“It sort of feels like a well-kept ghost town,”said McPherson.
The dad of three is proud that all of his children chose to attend CMU as well as one daughter-in-law. If he has it his way, this Maverick loyalist will be enjoying the campus for years to come and hopes his six grandkids will decide to join the Mavily.