From Asia to Assets: Epic CFO's Education Career Began 6,000 Miles Away
From educating students across Korea and Japan to serving as Epic’s chief financial officer, Dr. Rex Wall has built a career rooted in education, leadership and a global perspective.
As CFO, Wall oversees the financial operations that keep Epic Charter Schools running smoothly and efficiently. Through strategic financial planning, financial oversight and responsible resource management, he helps ensure the organization maintains a strong financial foundation to support its mission of providing students with educational opportunities.
Wall described his role this way: The chief financial officer is there to make sure the "I's are dotted and T's are crossed" to ensure the school stays compliant with state and federal regulations.
“I ensure the ship moves smoothly through the waters,” he said.
Wall is the authority on how funds are handled in the district. In this role, he focuses on stabilizing the school's budget by building realistic spending plans to prevent future funding shortfalls. Although Wall is looking ahead rather than backward, a big part of his role is to keep Epic from experiencing the kind of financial turmoil it experienced in the past. He tracks millions of dollars in state and federal grants to ensure the money is used correctly, handles ongoing audits by working directly with state investigators, and enforces strict rules so that all school spending fully complies with the law.
"At the core of my work has always been the premise that the ultimate goal of any use of money is to ensure that students are successful in whatever their goals and ambitions are going to be for now and in the future," he said.
These are duties Wall understands well.
After returning to the United States from teaching abroad, he oversaw federal funds for Norman Public Schools and Oklahoma City Public Schools. He also worked for four years for the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
A global perspective
Wall's career has taken him around the world. He spent years teaching in Japan and Korea, learning to speak Japanese and Korean along the way. He met his future wife, Tomomi, in Japan. They have a daughter, Meika. Wall's interest in Korean culture began during his undergraduate studies at the University of Oklahoma, where a Korean roommate introduced him to the language, food and traditions. After Korea, Wall headed to Japan.
“It doesn’t matter what country you travel to, people are people,” Wall said. "The kids that I worked with in South Korea and Japan ... folks there have the same things going on in their lives that you have here," he said.
However, that doesn't mean education is the same in these two countries as in the United States. Understanding the similarities and differences helped shape Wall's approach to teaching and administration.
"Culture and language and history, all of these things come together to inform our outlook in society. And it's really interesting when you travel to other countries and you become immersed in their language and culture," he said.
Cultural conformity is a much bigger part of life in Korea and Japan, as is rote learning and memorization, he said. This helps students gain foundational knowledge. But it can sometimes make it more difficult to solve unexpected problems that don't neatly match what students have learned, he said.
Lessons learned
Wall earned his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Oklahoma and a master’s degree from Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
Wall's journey demonstrates how continuing education and a commitment to learning can open doors to new opportunities.
His journey to where he is today was not without challenges.
Growing up in "generational poverty," he said he experienced periods of housing instability and moved between multiple family members, resulting in frequent changes in schools and learning environments. This upbringing gives Wall a perspective that allows him to better understand students who are going through life challenges themselves. And to be a good steward of the money that pays to educate Epic students and fund its programs.
Wall's parents stressed the transformative potential of education, and he brings that perspective to his work.
"My younger self could not imagine living in the circumstances I live in now," he said.
From traveling the world to serving as Epic’s CFO, Wall has gained a wealth of experiences that have shaped his perspective on leadership and education.
“What keeps me passionate about my work is trying to make a positive impact on people’s lives, especially students,” he said.
Wall's journey from overcoming childhood adversity to leading the financial operations of the state's third largest school district reflects his determination and commitment to helping others succeed.
For Wall, success extends beyond professional accomplishments; it is about creating opportunities, supporting students, and making a lasting difference in the lives of others.
