Randy L. Thornton Named PCAOB Chief Human Resources Officer

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) today announced the appointment of Randy L. Thornton as Chief Human Resources Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Thornton, who has overseen the PCAOB’s Office of Human Resources in an acting capacity since October 2022, will continue to provide strategic leadership to the organization’s human resources program, which includes talent acquisition and management, benefits and compensation, employee engagement, and initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“None of the work the PCAOB does to protect investors is possible without our dedicated staff,” said PCAOB Chair Erica Y. Williams. “We are fortunate to have someone with Randy’s outstanding experience and leadership as we work to retain the incredible staff we have and recruit even more talented professionals to join them.”

Mr. Thornton joined the PCAOB in August 2022 as the Deputy Director of HR Delivery. Prior to coming to the PCAOB, he spent four years as the Chief of Management Services for the CIO Organization at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). In that role, Mr. Thornton served as a policy advisor to senior executives and led a national administrative management program including human resources, labor and employee relations, employee development and training, diversity, reasonable accommodations, space management, and contractor and vendor management. Prior to joining the FDIC, Mr. Thornton held leadership roles in human resources at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of Labor, and in the private sector.

“The PCAOB is an extraordinary organization, in large part thanks to its talented and dedicated staff,” said Mr. Thornton. “I look forward to building program and process improvements to help our people thrive.”

Mr. Thornton received a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Shippensburg University and a Master of Human Resource Management from St. Francis University. He holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification.

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About the PCAOB 

The PCAOB is a nonprofit corporation established by Congress to oversee the audits of public companies in order to protect investors and further the public interest in the preparation of informative, accurate, and independent audit reports. The PCAOB also oversees the audits of brokers and dealers, including compliance reports filed pursuant to federal securities laws. 

Contact 

PCAOB Office of Communications and Engagement 
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