Meet the Team: Lisa Barton

At PetroLedger, we get to know our clients pretty well. We want you to know who we are, too. There’s a lot more personality than you might expect to find at a financial firm, and while professionalism is our first order of business, creating a fun work environment is always close behind! Today we’d like to introduce Lisa Barton, our General Ledger Manager in Dallas. We sat down with her to ask a few questions and get to know her a little better…

What is something you never thought you'd be able to do, until you actually did it?

Honestly, I’m not sure I ever thought that I wouldn’t be able to do something I set my mind to. But here are a couple of instances that would fall in the hard/challenging category.

One of my experiences needs a bit of back story: I went to pretty small high school, and I joined the dance team. One year, I was an Officer/Lieutenant, and I was a Captain my senior year. I got some awards at drill team camp, and for my school-age years, I was considered a fairly good dancer.

Once I graduated, I planned to attend Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. I had already paid my deposit and auditioned for their dance team. And, without a lot of effort, I made that team; I found their audition process pretty easy and not a challenge at all.

I also knew about the Kilgore College Rangerettes. Created in the 1940s, they were the world's first drill team of its kind, and they were known for being the very best. So, at the last minute, I decided to head to Kilgore and audition for that dance team. I figured it would be a harder challenge, and, even if I didn’t make it, it was worth it to try. Back then, it was a 2-week-long process that included hazing, along with the dancing and drill team stuff. I’m not sure if I was completely surprised that I made the team, but I wouldn’t have known I could do it unless I went there to try!

Completing Ironman triathlons or 100-mile ultra runs would be things that seem a bit out of reach, but they’re not impossible. They, like most things, just take planning and training.  But actually, completing my first 100-mile running event (after only completing 65 miles during my first attempt the year before) was pretty satisfying.

How did you get into the Oil & Gas industry?

In college, I was able to take an Oil & Gas accounting class, and I found that I liked accounting for a specific industry. At the time, there was a new recruiting process that let companies visit our campus to find accountants. I interviewed with the State Comptroller for an audit position and with Texaco for a revenue accounting position. Ultimately, I figured it would be much more enjoyable to go with Texaco.

After around three years with Texaco doing revenue for non-operated properties, I decided to work for a very small company. At that job, I said I’d do anything but revenue accounting— I wanted to gain experience with all aspects of Oil & Gas accounting and the industry. Now, I’ve been in the Oil & Gas industry for all but about two years of my career.

What is the first concert you ever went to?

Journey (and I believe Loverboy opened for them) at Reunion Arena in Dallas.  I was probably 16 years old. This would have been in the early 1980s, and the only place to purchase tickets was at the box office. My friends and I spent the night in the parking lot to be able to purchase tickets when they went on sale the next day.  I’m sure my mom didn’t know that I was doing that; it’s kind of funny to think back on it.

What is your specific role with PetroLedger, including day-to-day activities?

My title is General Ledger Manager, and I spend most of my time doing General Ledger type transactions (bank recs, lots of JEs, reconciliations, research, financial reporting), but I also spend quite a bit of time involved in other areas: AP, JIB and revenue.

Do you have a nickname?  If so, who gave it to you, and how did it come about?

No, I don’t have a nickname…  but throughout my life, several people have called me by my last name.  Also, quite a few people will shorten my first name to “Lis” when speaking to me. That always makes me laugh, because “Lisa” is already a short name that doesn’t need shortening to a nickname.

Want to learn more about other members of the PetroLedger team? Check out our other blog posts!