We hope you enjoy this series where we meet and get to know employees from across campus. Would you like to be featured? Contact us at campusnews@csufresno.edu.

Name: Paul P.J. Soligian
Title: Accountant II
Department: General Accounting
Academic Degree(s):

• B.S. in Business with an emphasis in Accounting; Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
• M.B.A with an emphasis in Finance; Fresno State

How long have you worked at Fresno State?
I started at Fresno State in the summer of 2003. I worked as the accounting manager for the Athletics auxiliary. I moved state side to General Accounting in 2006, and I've been an accountant here since that move.

Are you a Valley native?
I was born and raised in Fresno. I left for college, but I ended up back in Fresno. The cost of living and family brought me back here. After finishing my MBA, I was looking for a new job, and Fresno State Athletics provided me a good opportunity to grow. I didn't expect to stay here this long, but the people have kept me here.

Are you a Bulldog family with generations of Bulldog graduates or current students?
We have several Bulldogs in our family. My wife, sister, and several cousins have attended Fresno State. I remember going to a lot of men's basketball games with my godfather at Selland Arena during the Boyd Grant era. I have a 1983 NIT champions poster up on the wall in our office which was done by my next door neighbor at the time.

Do you have a campus mentor or someone who has helped you in your career?
All my colleagues have helped me through my career in some capacity. Current and former managers as well as co-workers have all helped me in one way or another.

Tell us about your department and what people may not know about it.
General Accounting has a great group. People often think summer is slow because instruction ends. However, when summer hits, we work long hours trying to close the year-end and prepare the financial statements. Several of us have been together for a long time.

What is your most notable accomplishment in your field, and why was it important?
Finishing my MBA was a great accomplishment for me. The program provided confidence for my career. Being in the workforce for several years helped in a lot of the MBA classes because we were able to share our perspectives on different scenarios.

What are you most passionate about in your field and why?
I enjoy reviewing and reconciling accounts. It can be like a puzzle, but sometimes, I realize some pieces aren't always available. There can be a lot of digging for supporting documents or entries. Balancing accounts is oddly satisfying.

What is a memorable moment you had at your job?
That moment hasn't happened yet because I haven't put in my retirement papers. Actually, there have been a lot of memories here, and they've all involved my co-workers. Athletics provided some fun times with hallway tailgates. On stateside, Procurement has pranked me a few times. Once, I came out to my car wrapped in plastic packing wrap. I still don't know what I could've done to deserve that.

What is your favorite quote or saying?
"Serenity Now" - Frank Costanza ["Seinfeld" television show character]. My favorite quotes change regularly, and they're almost always from a silly movie, TV show, or a song lyric.

What is the most interesting or unusual job you've ever had?
I had a couple fun jobs in college. One job was at surf shop, and between the locals and the tourists, there was always an interesting character coming through the store.

What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?
I enjoy doing traveling with my wife and daughter, going to concerts, yardwork or projects around the house, and watching soccer. I enjoyed a variety of sports included surfing, snowboarding and soccer, but age, living in Fresno, and injuries have caught up to me. I'm down to golf now, but I hope to give soccer one more season.

What is something interesting about you that most people don’t know?
I lost my sense of smell from a concussion playing soccer in my early 20s. The biggest question I get about it is if I can still taste. Yes, I can still taste, but it's just not as good as others since smell adds to taste.

Is there something else you would like to share that was not asked?
I try to make people smile. It's usually silly, bad humor, or self deprecating humor, but I like to get people to laugh.