The University of Mississippi’s accounting program launched Gerard Gibert’s career after he graduated in 1980, and now he’s returning the favor in a big way.
With a $100,000 gift to the new building fund for the Patterson School of Accountancy, Gibert hopes to pay tribute to the professors and school that shaped him today.
The gift will name a corridor in the building that leads to the Dean’s office in honor of Gibert. The building itself is planned for the corner of University Avenue and Grove Loop. Its 110,000 square feet will house study spaces, administrative and faculty office suites, outdoor spaces and tiered auditoriums.
Gibert, a native of Jackson, Mississippi, said of his choice of study at Ole Miss, “Accounting was the best foundation for a business career, and the faculty really cared about the students, not only just teaching the technical aspects of accounting and business but about our careers overall.”
After college, Gibert joined Arthur Andersen, which was then one of the “Big Eight” accounting firms. However, despite his educational background, he always had an interest in technology. And in the ’80s, one particular technology was emerging as opportunistic: personal computers.
Gibert and his business partner launched Venture Technologies in 1986 to sell PCs and software to small and mid-sized businesses.
“Some of those clients also included accounting firms,” Gibert said. “Back then, those types of businesses were precluded from participating in technology that was available. Because we understood accounting and technology, we were able to blend those skill sets to deliver solutions to that market.”
By 2009, long after the birth of the internet and the Y2K bubble, Gibert felt that the industry “was fragmented and in desperate need of consolidation,” so he and his founding partner decided to seek capital from Wall Street. The company was ultimately sold by the pair a decade later.
“Going to Wall Street and the investment community and pitching our business plan of growth through strategic acquisitions … it helped that we had accounting backgrounds,” Gibert recalled. “It seemed like it gave investors greater confidence.”
Gibert credits his professional success to his time at Ole Miss and the support and encouragement he received from professors, such as Gene Peery and Jimmy Davis, as “the underpinnings and bedrocks of the entire School of Accountancy.”
“Anybody who was serious about their major and wanted to succeed listened to what those professors had to say,” Gibert added. “They weren’t just great teachers in the classroom but great mentors.”
Peery even helped Gibert get his first job. Following the graduate’s interview with Arthur Andersen, Peery had Gibert come to his office and called the company directly, asking for feedback.
“[Peery] asked the main partner what he thought of my interview and told them that they needed to have me,” Gibert said. “He hung up with them and said to me, ‘I think you’re in.’”
Along with his academic success, one of Gibert’s fondest Ole Miss memories is meeting his wife, Julie, during their first year; they have been married for over four decades. Gibert is still active with the Kappa Sigma fraternity on campus, speaking during recruitment week and maintaining friendships from his college days.
In recent years, he also has spoken to students in the Patterson School, which is ranked No. 8 in the nation.
“I believe it’s the best higher-ed program in the state,” Gibert said. “And that’s a tribute to the leadership: the dean, the chairs, the faculty and the students.”
Mark Wilder, dean of the Patterson School of Accountancy, expressed gratitude for Gibert’s support.
“Gerard is an exceptional individual and has enjoyed an outstanding career. We are fortunate that the Patterson School is an institution that is important to him,” Wilder said. “We are grateful for his generous gift, for being a role model for our students to follow, and for his belief in what we are doing in the Patterson School.”
Jason McCormick, executive director for development, initially met with Gibert to discuss contribution opportunities.
“Gerard had great things to say about his time in the program,” McCormick said. “He was extremely excited to hear that we had received a naming gift, with plans to break ground on the new building sometime in 2025.”
Gibert is host of the podcast MidDays with Gerard Gibert, which airs statewide on SuperTalk Mississippi. He is also the father of two children, Alex and Nick, with the former also being a UM graduate in 2012.
“I’m immensely grateful for the experience and guidance I received as a student,” Gibert said. “I, along with thousands of others, would say the school was critical to getting our careers underway. I’m so proud of the current state of the Patterson School.”
To make a gift to the Patterson School of Accountancy Building Fund, contact Jason McCormick, executive director for development, at jason@olemiss.edu or 662-915-1757; or visit online here.
By Andy Belt/UM Foundation