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Leadership Team
Ira Wayne McConnell | Thomas Jones, Jr. | Odysseus M. Lanier | Sharon Murphy
Ira Wayne McConnell
Ira Wayne McConnell has been in public accounting for more than 32 years. Starting his professional career with the international accounting firm of Price Waterhouse, he established the firm of McConnell & Company in July 1987 and is now Managing Partner for McConnell & Jones LLP and McConnell Jones Lanier & Murphy LLP.
His experience covers a broad range of accounting, auditing and financial consulting experience in public accounting and private industry, including acquisition due diligence, financial planning and trustee services and other attest services. In addition to his responsibilities as managing partner, Wayne serves as the lead partner on assurance engagements for domestic as well as international clients of the firm.
Wayne holds a masters degree in business administration from Louisiana Tech University and a bachelor degree in business administration from Grambling State University. At the American Heart Association, he currently serves on the board at the national level, is a board member and the Nominating Committee Chair of the Houston Division, and is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the South Central Affiliate.
Wayne also serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Houston Partnership, the Houston City Club and Grambling State University’s Black & Gold Foundation. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors for the United Way of Greater Houston where he is also a member of the board’s Audit Committee. He also is on the Board of Directors of the Houston Museum of African American Culture, where he is Chairman of the Finance Committee.
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Thomas Jones, Jr.
Thomas Jones, Jr., serves as partner within MJLM and heads the firm's tax and financial planning divisions. He started his career as a tax manager with Ernst & Ernst, and in 1996 established the CPA firm of McConnell & Jones LLP.
With more than 30 years of experience in investment and financial management, Thomas serves as lead partner on tax engagements where he works with a diverse mix of corporations, partnerships, individuals and non-profit agencies. Additionally, Thomas is responsible for providing the firm's clientele with access to a complete range of personal and confidential financial services including tax planning, retirement and estate planning services.
Thomas' civic involvement includes serving as Chairman the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau and also as Chairman of the Minority Task Force for the Greater Houston Partnership. Additionally, he is a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum and a graduate of Leadership Houston. Thomas received a bachelor of science in accounting from Florida A&M University, and serves as a Board Member for the FAMU Foundation.
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Odysseus M. Lanier
Odysseus M. Lanier serves as partner within MJLM’s consulting division and heads the firm’s Federal Services group as well as the Engineering & Technical Services division. In 1992, Odysseus co-founded the consulting firm of Empirical Management Services which merged with McConnell & Jones in 1999 to form McConnell Jones Lanier & Murphy LLP.
With more than 30 years of professional experience, he specializes in working with federal, state and local agencies; school districts; and municipalities by providing strategic planning; business process improvements; operations review and management support; and large-scale financial management and administrative support services contracts. Odysseus also provides oversight of internal audit, co-sourcing and outsourcing projects throughout the firm.
Odysseus holds a bachelor of science in accounting from Alabama A&M University and is a certified public accountant. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Mental Health America of Greater Houston. Additionally, he is the former chairperson on the Board of Commissioners for the Harris County Housing Authority and a former member on the Board of Regents for Texas Southern University, where he served as chairperson of the finance committee.
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Sharon E. Murphy
Sharon E. Murphy is a partner within MJLM's consulting division and heads the firm’s education practice. In 1992, Sharon co-founded the consulting firm of Empirical Management Services which merged with McConnell & Jones in 1999 to form McConnell Jones Lanier & Murphy LLP.
She has more than 25 years of experience in financial management, business and strategic planning, organizational assessment, policy analysis, and program evaluation. Sharon is responsible for a national clientele that includes industry sectors such as education, energy, finance and government.
In the education arena, Sharon has directed or participated in more than 40 K-12 public school district consulting engagements and her clients have included 12 of the nation’s top 100 school systems. Sharon has also had oversight responsibility for numerous cost containment and change management projects and internal/compliance audits for an array of public and private sector organizations and governmental agencies.
She received her undergraduate degree in communications from Indiana University and her masters of business administration from Clark Atlanta University. Sharon's civic involvement includes serving on the Board of Directors for Aspiring Youth of Houston as well as The Ensemble Theater. As a testament to her commitment to the community, Sharon was honored as a “Woman of Distinction” in 2003 by the Houston Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and Houston’s ABC affiliate KTRK.
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