‘Divine Hands Guided My Career,’ Says Honorary Doctorate Awardee Paul H. Douglas

Accountant Paul H. Douglas credits his education at Northern Caribbean University (NCU) in Jamaica as the foundation for his 40-year career with the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States. He has been serving as treasurer since 2021.

“There is no foundation like the foundation you will get here at Northern Caribbean University,” Douglas said during his address at the institution’s 101st Commencement on August 11, held on the campus in Mandeville, Jamaica. During the ceremony he received the Honorary Doctor of Commerce degree.

Douglas also attributed the development of his career to the guiding hand of God. He used the story of his career path to highlight how submission to divine guidance can make one achieve dreams and purpose. Speaking under the commencement theme “Empowered for Excellence … Poised for Greatness,” Douglas asked the class, “What is your story?”

“Do you know who you are, what you want, and where you are going?” he asked, encouraging the graduands to ask themselves the serious and life-changing questions of “Why me, why now, and what for?” in every situation and moment of their lives.

As a young man, Douglas graduated from Kingsway High School, a Seventh-day Adventist secondary institution in Jamaica in 1982. He had studied the sciences, and although his father was a pastor, Douglas was preparing to pursue a medical career. While enrolled at what was then known as West Indies College, he was encouraged to do the pre-university bookkeeping course. He was successful in that course and realized that his career path was more suited for business. In 1984, at age 18, he graduated with an associate’s degree in business administration.

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General Conference treasurer Paul H. Douglas smiles as he is fitted with honorary doctoral regalia during the Northern Caribbean University’s commencement ceremony. [Photo: Leonard Thomas/NCU]

Paul H. Douglas (right) receives his Honorary Doctor of Commerce degree credentials from university president Lincoln P. Edwards in Mandeville, Jamaica. [Photo: Northern Caribbean University]

Some of the graduates hold their certificates during the Northern Caribbean University graduation ceremony on August 11. [Photo: Leonard Thomas/NCU]

His plan was to continue business studies in Jamaica, and he was considering taking a job offer as an assistant treasurer in the East Jamaica Conference.

However, receiving encouragement and advice, as well as support from family in the United States, Douglas moved on to Loma Linda University and continued his studies. He was eligible for various scholarships and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration, with accounting emphasis.

Being a university graduate, Douglas applied repeatedly to various accounting firms but was rejected. He was discouraged and felt that he was not good enough.

Looking back at the 40 years since he left West Indies College, and his current life as the General Conference treasurer, he credits God and understands why the rejections happened. He believes the Lord’s message to him is, “All the rejections you have received have been My directions.”

God brought the young Douglas on the path with individuals who had the right networking. He was recommended to Thomas Miller at the General Conference and was subsequently interviewed. He was not hired immediately due to budgetary constraints. But eventually, in July 1986, Douglas was offered a job as an assistant staff auditor at the General Conference. He accepted the job and did well, though he was still job-hunting for “better, highly recognized secular accounting jobs.” He also continued to study as well as take on various opportunities that would move him up the ranks in his profession and give him valuable experience.

He earned a certificate from the Leadership and Strategic Management Program offered at Cornell University. He earned his Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, San Bernardino. Douglas holds a Certified Public Accountant license for the US states of California and Florida. He is recognized as a Chartered Accountant in Jamaica and is also a Chartered Global Management Accountant.

One of the opportunities that propelled Douglas to advance in his career and his service to God’s church was his appointment as the executive director for the General Conference Auditing Service (GCAS) in 2006. Recalling this step, Douglas declared to graduands that God had placed him, as He will place them, where He wants them to be.

“As I look back at it, I recognize the hand of God. Had I done the ministry, had I done the medicine, I would not have been prepared for what God had in store for me,” Douglas said. “When God places you, He will also prepare you for where you need to be.”

Pointing to the spiritual significance of his life’s work and what drives him, Douglas said,
“Jesus is coming, so we need to mobilize all the resources of our church — human, financial, technological — all for finishing the work of the gospel!” He emphasized, “Jesus is coming soon, and He is looking for persons to join His workforce. Whether in church work, in your schoolwork, or wherever you are placed — to be seen and known as a proclaimer of the gospel of Jesus Christ so that He can come.”

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division news site.