Excellence Awards insert - 2023

Recognizing accounting professionals for their leadership and dedication to excellence

CPA in Public Accounting Award Anita Mahamed

Young Professional Award Victoria Thayer

Distinguished Career Award Scott Wrobbel

Woman to Watch Award Anne Kirschling

Business & Management Award Kyle Stephens

Accounting Student Award Alan Braatz

Diversity & Inclusion Impact Award Kara Coleman

Accounting Educator Award Sara Kissling

Community Service Award – Organization Kollath CPA

Accepted by Mike Brand

ongratulations to the 2023 WICPA Excellence Award recipients! Your achievement is the direct result of dedication to the accounting profession and to the WICPA. Thank you for your commitment to excellence!

Steven A. Pullara, CPA, CGMA

2022–2023 WICPA Board Chair

Excellence Award Descriptions

Accounting Student Award

This award recognizes a college accounting student for their commitment to success in the accounting field. The recipient has demonstrated leadership skills, involvement in an accounting or business club and contributions to the community.

Accounting Educator Award

This award recognizes an accounting or business educator for their contributions in academia and the accounting profession. The recipient has demonstrated innovative techniques in teaching and motivating students.

Young Professional Award

This award recognizes an individual age 35 or under who serves as an emerging and dynamic leader in the accounting profession. The recipient has demonstrated involvement within the community, has been engaged in one or more professional organizations and has served as an example for others entering the profession.

Woman to Watch Award

This award recognizes a female accounting professional. The recipient has demonstrated superior leadership, improvements in the workplace, significant contributions to the profession and mentorship of other professionals.

CPA in Public Accounting Award

This award recognizes an individual who is a CPA working in public practice. The recipient has demonstrated significant achievements that have contributed to the success and growth of a firm.

Community Service Award – Organization

This award recognizes an organization for their community service contributions at the local, regional or state level. The recipient has initiated or increased their community service activities and reinforced the profession’s reputation for commitment to the public good.

Business & Management Award

This award recognizes an individual working in business and management. The recipient has demonstrated blending information technology, financial decision-making and progressive management techniques that have helped a business move forward.

Diversity & Inclusion Impact Award

This award recognizes an individual who champions diversity and inclusiveness in the accounting profession. The recipient has demonstrated impactful contributions through organization initiatives or engagement in mentoring or coaching programs or promoted diversity initiatives through other organizations.

Distinguished Career Award

This award recognizes an individual for their outstanding achievements and efforts throughout their career. The recipient has demonstrated exemplary leadership and ongoing commitment of service to advance the accounting profession, the WICPA and the community.

Accounting Student Award

Alan Braatz

Receiving the WICPA Accounting Student Award means so much to me. I have been privileged to attend UW-Whitewater, where fantastic business educators and mentors have continuously supported me.

While in college, I was given the position of vice president of audit and finance for UW-Whitewater’s Enactus chapter, where I utilized my accounting skill set to help create sustainable businesses that aim to make the world a better place. Our most successful business has given eyesight back to thousands of people in India. I have also had the opportunity to help my local community through a class called VITA, in which students complete tax returns for community members in need. I was fortunate enough to be elected president of the UW-Whitewater men’s club soccer team, where I developed my leadership skills by mentoring the younger players and making tough decisions. Together, these experiences helped me attain life-changing internships at Ahlstrom-Munksjö, U.S. Venture Inc. and now Wipfli.

This award is the culmination of not only hard work, but also the many opportunities I have had to gain experience as both an accountant and a leader. I feel very blessed as I reflect on this award and all who helped make it possible. It is truly an honor to be recognized by such a prestigious organization.

Accounting Educator Award

Sara Kissling

Every educator enters the profession believing they can (and hopefully will) make a difference. Receiving the WICPA Excellence Award is recognition for succeeding in making a difference. All my former students who have gone on to earn the CPA credential have done so because of their hard work and dedication. I am so grateful that I was able to travel with them at the beginning of their journey. I hope my passion sparked their interest in the accounting field, and I hope they know the difference they have made in my life as an educator. Who could ask for more?

Young Professional Award

Victoria Thayer, CPA

Receiving the Young Professional Excellence Award is a huge honor and accomplishment. I arrived in this country 12 years ago with the dream of becoming a professional and having an impact on those around me. I am now living the American dream, serving others with my talents, giving back to my community and paving the way for the next generation.

This award allows me, a Latina immigrant, to inspire other minorities to take the lead in their jobs and communities and to be the change they wish to see in the world. This recognition also represents a platform to reach more young professionals, ignite them to follow their purpose and to show that no matter what your current circumstances are, you can work hard and achieve your dreams.

I want to thank God, my family, Berndt CPA LLC and all the mentors I have had throughout my career who have guided and supported me to live my purpose. I would not have been able to achieve this high distinction without them.

Woman to Watch Award

Anne Kirschling, CPA

Throughout my professional journey, I have been blessed to be surrounded by several individuals who have embodied what a phenomenal mentor is: One who is honest and acts with the utmost integrity; one who actively listens and devotes their time, knowing they can play a part in helping others grow and succeed; one who offers their expertise as they see the value in sharing their knowledge and experiences; and one who can motivate and help someone reach their full potential. These relationships have provided and continue to provide me with support and encouragement throughout my career, both personally and professionally.

So, what does receiving this award mean to me? It means that I have been able to pay it forward by being a mentor to others. I have been able to connect with colleagues and others in this profession to be a valuable resource as they navigate challenges in their lives, both professionally and personally. It is truly an honor and blessing to know that I have been a positive part of others’ journeys. I hope they benefited as much as I have.

in Public Accounting Award

Anita Mahamed, CPA, CFP, MPAS

Ihave been a CPA for over 20 years, with the last six years at Wipfli. I love working with my clients, mentoring new associates and giving back to my community. To be recognized for that means the world to me.

First, I love serving our clients. It is extremely rewarding working with business owners, talking through new tax laws and finding ways for them to benefit their businesses. I want to see our clients succeed and, hopefully, I have a small piece in making that happen.

Mentoring our next generation of CPAs is also important to me. I co-lead a construction tax mentoring program at Wipfli, and it’s exciting to see our mentees’ careers blossom as we also make sure they have the technical and emotional support to move into new positions within the firm.

Last, giving back to the community is what fuels my soul. From serving on the board of directors of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties –Wisconsin to being treasurer for Downtown Madison Inc. and past president for the Domestic Abuse Intervention Services board, it feels great to share my expertise and see those organizations grow.

Thank you for this award.

Community Service Award –Organization

Kollath CPA

Accepted by Mike Brand, CPA

Kollath & Associates CPA appreciates the recognition of this award, as we believe it is our responsibility to be engaged in and supportive of the communities we serve. As a CPA firm, we collectively have the skills and the ability to give back to our communities. Our firm has made the commitment to ourselves to do our part. We have an employee volunteer program called “KollathKares” that encourages and pays our staff time off to volunteer in their communities. We also launched a quarterly grant program that awards a Wisconsinbased nonprofit $1,500 per quarter, with the winner being selected by staff vote.

Business & Management Award

Kyle Stephens, CPA

In 2019, I was recognized by my peers at the WICPA as an outstanding young professional. This year, being honored for excellence in business and industry is such a surprise! It is gratifying to know that my peer group is watching and appreciating what I’ve done throughout my career and now in building my own business. I’m also happy to have a support system of other CPA professionals. I hope to continue on this path and to, hopefully, pave the way for more CPAs to drop the 10-key and go after their dreams of starting and building a manufacturing business.

Diversity & Inclusion Impact Award

Kara Coleman, CPA, MBA

Receiving the Diversity and Inclusion Impact Award from the WICPA is a true honor for me. It represents not only my personal commitment to social and economic justice, but also the progress that our profession has made in creating a more inclusive and equitable environment for all.

This award serves as a reminder that we are on the right track, but there is still much work to be done. As someone who knows firsthand the importance of feeling a sense of belonging in the workplace, I am deeply grateful to be recognized for my efforts in this area.

I am humbled by this recognition and am committed to continuing my work to connect with marginalized folks pursuing the accounting field. Thank you, WICPA, for this award and your ongoing support in advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Distinguished Career Award

Scott Wrobbel, CPA

Receiving the WICPA Distinguished Career Award is truly an honor. It means an incredible amount to me because it is recognition of my life’s work, spanning over 40 years as a CPA. Having met so many outstanding CPAs, I am honored and humbled to receive this award.

The award process has allowed me to fondly reflect on the many people, clients, educators and organizations that I have had the privilege to know and work with over the course of my career. I reflect with joy on my wonderful journey from a young staff accountant at Arthur Andersen to becoming a partner at Deloitte, which provided me numerous leadership roles, including U.S. central region managing partner and Wisconsin managing partner.

I had the privilege of working with incredible mentors and colleagues who guided my development and shaped my career. I am thankful for the opportunity to have served many of the largest and most recognized companies in Wisconsin and to have provided guidance and assistance to them during moments that mattered. I am grateful to all the people that I have met on my journey, so many of whom have become lifelong friends.

Being a CPA has truly shaped my life. It provided me the business and professional skills to transition into the current chapter of my career, serving on the board of directors of several Wisconsin companies. Many thanks to the WICPA for the assistance they provided me and so many other CPAs during their careers.

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Proud Partner in Our Wisconsin Communities

Like those being honored today, we couldn’t be prouder of the legacy we’re building. Proud of our longstanding commitment to our communities. Proud that our expertise has put us at the top of our class. Proud to be a workplace of choice for our dedicated associates. And most of all, proud to represent a family whose deep roots in Wisconsin have allowed us to build relationships with so many people and businesses in the state we love.

Congratulations to all on your outstanding achievements. Visit JohnsonFinancialGroup.com to learn more about the financial solutions we can provide to you and your clients.