Evolving with Intention: Greg Logan on Leadership, Culture, and the Human Side of Accounting
When Greg Logan describes his career path, he does so with characteristic humility and humor. The Managing Partner at Marshall Jones didn’t set out to lead an accounting firm — or even to become an accountant. “I was the undecided type,” he says, reflecting on his early days. “A good student, but without much of a plan.” What began as a practical choice to follow a friend into accounting became, over time, a deliberate pursuit of leadership, culture, and purpose.
Today, Logan’s influence at Marshall Jones extends far beyond the numbers. His journey from intern to partner reveals a thoughtful evolution — from a young professional content to “walk the well-trodden path” to a leader intent on shaping an organization that values people first.
From Following to Leading
Logan’s entry into accounting was as unplanned as it was fortuitous. A friend and future partner, Nathan, declared his intent to study accounting, and Logan simply followed. “It seemed practical,” he says. “I was good at it, so I just kept at it.” Over time, practicality gave way to ambition. He set his sights on partnership early, motivated not by prestige, but by the desire for autonomy — the right, as he puts it, “of refusal to be a partner.”
That drive eventually brought him to a crossroads about a decade into his career. As opportunities to buy into the firm emerged, Logan realized he could no longer coast. “I needed to actually make a decision,” he recalls. “The days of going with the flow were done. I had to decide what I wanted my future to be.”
The turning point came when he advocated for opening a new office in Alpharetta — a move that symbolized both personal and professional growth. “I wasn’t going to just pick up the identity of the old Buckhead CPA firm,” he says. “I had to make some decisions about who I wanted it to be.” It was the moment he began leading with intention rather than convenience.
Redefining Firm Culture
When Logan and his partners took over leadership in 2018, they were determined to evolve the firm from the inside out. “We told people, ‘We were just employees a year ago,’” he recalls. “So let’s make the kind of place we would have wanted to work.”
That simple but profound principle has guided the firm’s transformation. The focus shifted from hierarchy and tradition to flexibility, empathy, and shared ownership. “We let people succeed, we let people fail, and we remind ourselves that we’re all people first,” Logan says. Rather than chasing growth at all costs, the partners built a workplace grounded in mutual respect and work-life balance.
This people-first approach has paid dividends. Marshall Jones has been recognized among the “Best Places to Work,” a distinction Logan admits gives him “a little external validation.” But for him, the real achievement lies in retention and tenure. “I’m proud of the people who’ve been with us for so long,” he says. “They create a core thread through our trajectory that keeps us grounded.”
Facing Change with Curiosity
For Logan, leadership means balancing stability with adaptability. As the accounting industry faces new pressures — from technology to private equity consolidation — he sees opportunity in collaboration and learning.
“Private equity is buying up CPA firms,” he explains. “That’s a threat to firms like ours doing things our own way. But that doesn’t mean we can’t remain independent and still do things correctly.” His response is to seek connection rather than isolation, aligning Marshall Jones with organizations like CP America, a nationwide network of reputable firms. “We’re not going to blaze any trails here,” he says with a wry smile, “but we need to know which train to jump on to make sure we don’t fall behind.”
That steady yet open mindset extends to talent, too. As the profession grapples with declining interest from new graduates, Logan advocates for hiring based on values as much as credentials. “If you get the right people and have the right systems to train them, you can make it work,” he says. The firm increasingly embraces nontraditional hires, focusing on fit, curiosity, and shared purpose rather than rigid résumés.
Life Beyond the Ledger
Outside of work, Logan’s life is as multifaceted as his leadership. A devoted father of three, he’s candid about the challenges and rewards of balancing family, growth, and self-discovery. “I’ve gotten very good at compartmentalizing,” he says. “I’ve always been fairly good at getting home before six, at least most days.”
In recent years, following a personal reset after divorce, Logan has leaned into reinvention. He now cooks regularly, keeps an impeccably organized apartment, and even takes tango lessons. “I like to try different things,” he says. “I’m kind of a jack of all trades, master of none — but I’m okay with that.” He laughs, noting his fondness for K-pop and the memorabilia that decorates his office. “It’s fun, it’s expressive, and it reminds me not to take life too seriously.”
That openness to new experiences has deepened his empathy as a leader. “It takes a village to raise a business as much as it does a child,” he reflects. “We all go through different things, and we fill in for each other when we need to.”
The Evolving Mindset of Leadership
Logan’s path has been less about climbing ladders and more about building personal, professional, and cultural frameworks that allow people to thrive. His interest in industrial psychology reflects that shift. “It’s become a lot more about people than numbers,” he says. “It wasn’t something I considered my strong suit, but maybe it’s a hidden talent I need to develop.”
For him, leadership is not about being the loudest in the room or the most forceful decision-maker. It’s about balance, perspective, and genuine curiosity about how people work best together. He’s candid about his own temperament — “I don’t like conflict, but I’m getting better at healthy conflict” — and sees every challenge as a chance to refine both self and system.
Conclusion
Greg Logan’s story is less about ambition or sweeping reinvention, it’s one of deliberate evolution — a steady movement from following to leading, from stability to self-awareness, from tradition to transformation. Under his guidance, Marshall Jones continues to grow in size, capability, and reach, but Logan hopes its essence remains the same.
“My goal,” he says, “is that ten years from now, it’ll look incredibly different but feel awfully similar.” That balance — of progress and authenticity, professionalism and humanity — is what defines both his leadership and the firm he helps to lead.
