March 29, 2008 — Gov. John deJongh Jr. recently nominated three certified public accountants to serve on the Virgin Islands Board of Public Accountancy: Janice Hodge, Francisco Depusoir and Leslie Smith.
In a letter to Senate President Usie Richards, deJongh said Hodge will replace Roy D. Jackson whose term has expired, Depusoir will replace Pablo O’Neill whose term has also expired and Smith fills a vacancy on the board. Members to the Public Accountancy Board serve a three-year term and continue to serve until their successors are named and confirmed by the Legislature.
"The importance of financial integrity and accountability is not an objective that we can minimize or understate in either the private or public sector," deJongh said. "Therefore, the need for an active board of highly qualified and commitment individuals to build the local industry and ensure our adherence to federal requirements and generally accepted accounting principles is important."
DeJongh said the need to build local capacity and training in this field is long overdue and he is confident these nominees will lead the effort towards achieving those objectives.
A 1986 graduate of the Charlotte Amalie High School, Janice Hodge is the owner of the accounting firm, Benham and Hodge, PC. She holds membership on the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; The Virgin Islands Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Government Finance Officers Association. In 2000, Hodge received the Woman of Achievement award from the Business and Professional Women’s Organization. Hodge holds a bachelor of science degree in accounting and business management from Point Park University.
Francisco Depusoir is a career accountant having worked for companies including Grant Thornton and Andres Esberg and Company before opening his own accounting firm on St. Croix in 1990. Depusoir holds a bachelor’s degree from the then-College of the Virgin Islands and a master’s degree from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Depusoir, licensed in both the state of Florida and in the Virgin Islands, has also served as an Associate Professor of Accounting at the University of the Virgin Islands.
St. John resident Leslie Smith brings over 25 years of national and international auditing experience to the V.I. Public Accountancy Board. Smith holds a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Roger Williams College in Rhode Island. Smith presently serves as audit manager at the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, a position he has held since 1995. In the late 1970’s he served as a Staff Auditor for the Virgin Islands Government.
DeJongh has asked the 27th Legislature for its prompt and favorable consideration of the three nominees which he said would "enhance the Board’s ability to meet its busy agenda and serve the people of the Virgin Islands."
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