City of Jacksonville finance manager and treasurer Scott Calhoun is quick to correct out a common misconception: Accounting isn’t as deep into mathematics as people might think.
Calhoun, a third-generation Alexandria native, earned his business and finance know-how from the University of Montevallo and Jacksonville State University, with a Masters of Business Administration from the latter. He started as a business major at Montevallo, he said, which required a few accounting courses, and found that he had a knack for numbers and financial thinking, and enjoyed it enough to change majors.
Asked if he had discovered a deep love of mathematics, Calhoun laughed and shook his head no.
“There’s this misconception about accounting, but it’s not that much math, really,” Calhoun said “There are some basics, but it’s not calculus.”
That doesn’t mean it’s a simple task to manage municipal money, though. In his current role Calhoun oversees the entire financial life of the City of Jacksonville, a living thing composed of numerous and varied departments that each have their own budgets and financial ecosystems.
It’s a fair degree of change from his earlier work as a certified public accountant, as a teacher at Gadsden State Community College and as the finance manager of The Anniston Star, where he oversaw the needs of a company that at the time mixed manufacturing with white-collar workers, before joining Jacksonville in early 2024.
“It’s more of a fiduciary role,” Calhoun said, noting the trust involved with public money. “You have all of these groups of money, and for some of the groups the money is restricted and can only be used for some things, which is not the case with a regular business.”
When he’s not managing money, Calhoun likes to travel with his wife, Christie, especially on cruises. The two are frequent floaters, traveling to St. Maarten and Aruba, among others, on ships like the Wonder of the Seas. When he’s at home, Calhoun said, he’s active with his church, Leatherwood Baptist.
His children, Celia and Bryson, are both college students majoring in — you guessed it — accounting and finance. Celia just graduated from JSU and is headed to the University of Alabama, where Bryson already studies.
Calhoun said he’s enjoyed his reception with the employees and residents of Jacksonville thus far, and that he was glad to serve the community.
“I’m just thrilled to be here,” Calhoun said. “I’m excited to be able to serve the people of this city.”
