A finance expert and community leader in Portland, OR, Charles Wilhoite has worked at Willamette Management Associates for more than three decades. He has been a managing director since 1995. Willamette Management Associates is a Citizens company that specializes in financial, economic, business valuation, and forensic accounting services.
Wilhoite believes that some understanding of finance and accounting is needed to do just about anything and that it’s a key to managing your life and opening doors. Earlier in his career while working in the Phoenix office of KPMG, an international accounting, tax, and consulting firm, Wilhoite took note that he was at one time one of only two Black auditors employed by Big 8 accounting firms in Phoenix. He saw this as an opportunity and responsibility to bring more people of color into the profession. Over the years, through his jobs, board service, and community involvement, he’s remained focused on advancing educational and economic opportunities among communities of color.
He serves on the board of directors for 4G Clinical, Jensen Quality Growth Fund, Lease Crutcher Lewis, Legacy Health, NW Natural Holdings/NW Natural, and the National Association of Corporate Directors—Pacific NW Branch. He is also a trustee for Meyer Memorial Trust and previously served as a board member for the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco–Portland Branch, SMART Reading, The Nature Conservancy of Oregon, and Urban League of Portland.
In addition to extensive professional credentials, Wilhoite’s lived experience brings a unique perspective to his work. He is one of six children born in Winslow, AZ, and raised by parents who were educators for the Bureau of Indian Affairs on the Navajo Nation, the largest Indian reservation in the United States. His upbringing and interactions with Native Americans shaped his awareness of and commitment to Native communities. He is known for being a collaborator who works to advance quality of life for others, especially in communities whose members have historically experienced racial, social, and economic injustice.
Wilhoite earned bachelor’s degrees in finance and accounting from Arizona State University. He holds numerous accreditations, including certified public accountant (CPA), certified management accountant (CMA), chartered global management accountant (CGMA), certified valuation analyst (CVA), certified business appraiser (CBA), certified fraud examiner (CFE), certified in financial forensics (CFF), certified in financial management (CFM), accredited in business valuation (ABV), and accredited senior appraiser (ASA).
In his rare free time, Wilhoite cherishes time with his family and becoming one with nature through fly fishing. His guiding motto is: “We maximize the value of our lives by working to better the lives of those less fortunate.”