Yellowstone Times

Mitch Thompson, a Montana State University (MSU) alumnus and executive at Iron Oil, is returning to his alma mater to share insights from his career journey. Thompson will present "My Journey from Jabs to the C-Suite" at the Orser Executive Speakers Forum on March 26.

Thompson, who co-founded Iron Oil and serves as its chief financial officer, will engage in a "fireside chat" with Brian Gillespie, dean of the Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship. He will discuss his path from studying at MSU to becoming a certified public accountant (CPA) and eventually entering the oil industry by establishing his business in Billings.

A native of Billings and a sixth-generation Montanan, Thompson graduated from MSU in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in accounting and completed the Master of Professional Accountancy program in 2004. He has been a licensed CPA since 2006.

In his role as CFO, Thompson manages Iron Oil's financial operations, planning, and investor relations. Before founding Iron Oil, he held positions as chief accounting officer and vice president for financial reporting at two small publicly traded oil and gas companies. His career also includes experience at Grant Thornton's offices in Minneapolis and Brisbane.

Before his upcoming talk, MSU News interviewed Thompson about how his education at MSU influenced his professional life. Reflecting on his time at MSU, he noted that the practical curriculum prepared him well for public accounting. He appreciated how professors treated students with respect akin to colleagues, which helped him transition smoothly into professional settings.

Thompson credited specific courses and professors for shaping his career path. He highlighted Anne Christensen’s tax courses despite not pursuing taxation professionally. Intermediate and advanced accounting courses taught by Christie Johnson and Marc Giullian were foundational for him. Additionally, an MPAc class on technical business writing was pivotal in developing skills crucial for analyzing complex scenarios clearly.

He emphasized overcoming challenges like time management during college as beneficial for handling multiple projects under pressure later in his career.

Offering advice to current students aspiring to follow similar paths, Thompson shared: “Run to fire,” encouraging them to face challenges directly while maintaining balance between work seriousness and personal enjoyment.