A Native Dallasite’s Path from West Point to Big 4 Accounting

By Arvin Combs

If you spend five minutes talking to someone in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, you’ll usually find out they just moved here from somewhere else. I’m one of the rare exceptions—I was born and raised right here in Dallas. I love this city, and watching it grow into what it is today has been incredible.

But if you had told me when I was a teenager that I’d spend over thirty years in the accounting and finance world, I wouldn’t have believed you. My plan back then was completely different.

The Military Pivot

Growing up, I was determined to go into the military. I put everything I had into that goal, and I was fortunate enough to secure an appointment to West Point.

I spent two years at the U.S. Military Academy. It was a remarkable place, and it taught me a lot about discipline and responsibility. But after those two years, I had to be honest with myself: I realized that I would simply make a much better civilian.

So, I made the decision to change direction and come back home to Texas.

Finding Accounting at UNT and KPMG

When I returned, I transferred to the University of North Texas. UNT has always had a reputation for having one of the absolute best, most rigorous accounting programs in the country, and that’s where I found my footing.

After graduating, I went straight into public accounting at KPMG (this was back before it was even called KPMG, to give you an idea of how long ago we're talking).

Starting out in public accounting is intense, but it gave me a foundational understanding of business that you just can't get anywhere else. You learn how to look at an organization from the inside out, read between the numbers, and see what actually keeps a company steady.

Why This Matters for A.G. Combs

Eventually, my career shifted from doing the accounting work to focusing on the people side of the business—working as a consultant myself, and later, recruiting. That’s what led me to start A.G. Combs.

Today, when a client calls me because they are facing a massive workload, a messy system migration, or an unexpected gap in their leadership team, I don't need them to explain the problem to me twice.

I’m not a generalist recruiter matching keywords on a computer screen. I’ve lived those exact same crunches. I know the technical reality of what a corporate finance team needs based on decades of experience.

In a nutshell, A.G. Combs is built on that exact mix: the discipline I learned early on, the technical background from public accounting, and over three decades of deep, local relationships right here in Dallas.

Let's Connect

Whether your business needs interim or project consulting muscle to handle an immediate challenge, or you're looking for a permanent leader to join your executive financial team, I’m here to help.

Reach out to me directly to see how we can work together.