Eight CPAs Recognized at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE

Las Vegas (June 5, 2024) – The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) honored eight CPAs during AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 2024 in Las Vegas this week. The awards highlight CPA efforts in a specific accounting specialty area, excellence in volunteer efforts, or significant contributions to the accounting profession.

“The CPA members awarded during the ENGAGE conference exemplify the pinnacle of achievement of the CPA profession, having exceptional professional accomplishments and the earned respect of their peers,” said Eva Simpson, vice president of tax practice and financial planning for the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, which combines the strengths of the AICPA and CIMA. “Each recipient is an example of a CPA professional who embodies the integrity, trust, and determination necessary to be successful in this field. These honors are hard-earned and well-deserved.”

Personal Financial Planning (PFP) Division Distinguished Service Award

Lori Luck, CPA/PFS, was presented with AICPA’s 2024 Personal Financial Planning (PFP) Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes an AICPA member who meritoriously contributes to the advancement of personal financial planning, best exemplifies a CPA financial planner, and serves the public’s interest by enhancing the quality of personal financial planning services.

Luck is the co-founder of CLS Financial Advisors in Portland, OR.

She is a member of AICPA’s CPA Evolution task force and is a past commissioner of the National Accreditation Commission, a senior AICPA committee that reports directly to the Institutes’ board to promote personal financial planning and other specialty areas for CPAs. She has also been a member of the PFP Executive Committee, and the PFS Credential Committee. Additionally, Luck has been interviewed for various published articles in the Journal of Accountancy and has written for the Tax Adviser magazine.

P. Thomas Austin Personal Financial Planning Scholarship

Mitch Kennedy, CPA/PFS, MS, CFP®, SYM Financial Advisors, Midland, MI, was awarded the 2024 P. Thomas Austin Personal Financial Planning (PFP) Scholarship.

CPAs who have fewer than 10 years of experience are eligible to be considered for the scholarship, which covers the registration fee for the AICPA’s Advanced Estate Planning Conference. The AICPA established the scholarship in 2010 to honor P. Thomas Austin, a CPA who chaired the Advanced Estate Planning Conference for three decades and is currently chair emeritus. Kennedy is a member of his firm’s tax team. He is a key subject matter expert within the firm, studying changes and nuances keeping the team sharp and in tune with the changing tax landscape. He was a leader in implementing software which allows the firm’s advisory team to evaluate clients’ specific tax circumstances and provide financial planning recommendations. Kennedy is also a leader in communicating tax changes to the firm-wide advisory team as well as always willing to lend a hand with research and interpretation of tax strategies.

Kennedy earned his BBA in Accounting from Saginaw Valley State University and his MS in Personal Financial Planning, Financial Planning and Services from the College of Financial Planning. In addition to obtaining his CPA license, he has added the Personal Financial Specialist and Certified Financial Planner credentials. He was also presented with a Rising Star award, given to up-and-coming professionals under age 40 from his local business community.

Sid Kess Award for Excellence in Continuing Education

The Sid Kess Award for Excellence in Continuing Education was presented to Tony Nitti, CPA, MST, a National Tax Partner at EY. Within EY, Nitti chairs the S Corporation and Section 1202 groups and is the leader of learning for Private Tax.

The AICPA created the Sidney Kess Award for Excellence in Continuing Education to recognize individual CPAs who have made significant and outstanding contributions in tax and financial planning and whose public service exemplifies the CPA profession’s values and ethics.

Nitti, a resident of Colorado, currently serves as the vice-chair for AICPA’s S Corporation Technical Resource Panel. He has served as a speaker at many AICPA & CIMA conferences, including ENGAGE, National Tax and Sophisticated Tax, and Real Estate. His work with AICPA includes presentations on many webcasts, and he is a frequent guest on the Tax Section Odyssey podcast.

Nitti is also part of the faculty at the University of Denver and Golden Gate University.

Standing Ovation Honors

The American Institute of CPAs honored five CPAs, all age 40 and under, for contributions to their specialty area with the Standing Ovation award.

The AICPA’s Standing Ovation program recognizes young CPAs who exhibit exemplary professional achievement in personal financial planning, business valuation and forensic accounting, and information management and technology assurance. Beyond making a notable contribution to the profession, nomination requirements include maintaining an active CPA license, being an AICPA member in good standing and holding either the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS), Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP), Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF), or Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) credential.

Personal Financial Planning Standing Ovation The three recipients of the Personal Financial Planning (PFP) Standing Ovation all hold the PFS credential. They are (in alphabetical order):

• Wesley Botto, CPA/PFS, CFP® — Hillcrest Financial Group, Cincinnati, OH

• Rebecca Conner, CPA/PFS, CFP® , RLP® — SeedSafe Financial LLC, Austin, TX

• Sean Gibbon, CPA/PFS, CFP® , CEPA™ — JFS Wealth Advisors, Hermitage, PA

Technology Advisory Standing Ovation The two recipients of the 2024 Technology Advisory Standing Ovation award all hold the CITP credential. They are (in alphabetical order):

• Raymond Cheng, CPA/CITP, CISSP, CISA, CCSK, CIPP/E — Decrypt Compliance, San Jose, CA

• Sophia Yang, CPA/CITP, CIA — EisnerAmper, Philadelphia, PA

About AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants

AICPA® & CIMA® , together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association), advance the global accounting and finance profession through our work on behalf of 597,000 AICPA and CIMA members, candidates, and registrants in 188 countries and territories. Together, we are the worldwide leader on public and management accounting issues through advocacy, support for the CPA license, the CGMA designation and specialized credentials, professional education and thought leadership. We build trust by empowering our members, candidates, and registrants with the knowledge and opportunities to be leaders in broadening prosperity for a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient future.