Chicago native Bill Browning knew that he would go into accounting as soon as he graduated from the University of Oklahoma.

“I love the exciting, fast-paced and rewarding business where I can see the results daily,” said Browning, 55. “From time to time, I thought about doing other things, but I’ve always come back to the excitement and the variety of challenges. So I stayed with it ever since I graduated from college.”

The 30-year accounting veteran was recently named office managing partner, overseeing 1,300 Ernst & Young LLP employees in the L.A. area. Browning, who works in the firm’s downtown L.A. office, is in charge of audit, advisory, tax and transaction services.

“I typically spend part of each day serving clients on the phone,” he said. “The rest of each day is spent on working with our people in the L.A. practice, helping them clear out obstacles and achieve their objectives and serve their clients.”

Prior to joining Ernst & Young in 1999, Browning spent 20 years at Arthur Andersen LLP, one of the so-called “Big Five” accounting firms. Arthur Andersen voluntarily surrendered its license to operate in 2002 for its involvement in the Enron scandal.

Browning said the current economic crunch has put new pressures on accounting firms to help client companies navigate the tough financial climate. The economic slowdown particularly impacts his hiring and recruitment duties.

“It’s challenging to find the brightest and smartest students on campus,” Browning said. “These days when business is not easy with the challenging global economy, we need to make sure that we are hiring the right people.”

He moved to Los Angeles from the Windy City in 1994, and currently resides in La Canada with his wife, Nina, and two children, Chandler and Davis. Browning says that his kids having been born and raised here makes him feel like a real Angeleno himself. In his spare time, he likes to run four to five days a week and coaches his kids’ sports activities.