Excellence Awards insert - 2024

Tetzlaff

Angela Thomas

Nash

Bichler

Acker

S.C.

Benjamin Hauser

Congratulations to the 2024 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!

Matthew J. Schaefer, CPA, CGMA

2023–2024 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, mentored other professionals, and made significant contributions to their workplace and the profession.

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 – Individual

This award recognizes an individual for their dedication and commitment to community service activities at the local, regional or state level. The recipient has demonstrated leadership and positively impacted the community.

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 an accounting role 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, engagement in mentoring or coaching programs, and/or has promoted diversity initiatives through other organizations.

Distinguished Career Award

This award recognizes an individual for 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.

Matthew Leikness Accounting Student Award

Being recognized by the WICPA with the Accounting Student Award is both very humbling and exciting for me. I’m incredibly lucky to have had the privilege of working with so many great educators and mentors at UW–La Crosse and in my hometown of Stoughton. Without their guidance, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

From an academic standpoint, I may not be the prodigal “super-student” you’d expect from two CPAs who met in the “Big Eight.” However, I believe this award speaks particularly to the value of taking on challenges outside one’s comfort zone and, subsequently, seeking out lessons when one’s ambition exceeds their current ability.

I encourage fellow students to try and get involved in as many relevant campus organizations as possible, research study-abroad programs and push for leadership opportunities. I’m incredibly grateful to the La Crosse chapters of Delta Sigma Pi and Beta Alpha Psi for the opportunities to learn from top students and professionals and, once the time came, to share the experiences I gained with the next cohort of students.

I hold fast to the belief that curiosity forges some of the strongest students, especially in accounting. Somewhere between the lines of assets and liabilities, there are fascinating stories and problems to solve. If you can learn to weave those stories together for yourself and look beyond the numbers, those accounting lectures become far more interesting.

Accounting Educator Award

Mark Bichler, M.Ed.

This award is a validation of what we are currently teaching students in school today! Teaching accounting and being involved with the WICPA allows me to make sure that what I am teaching to students is real, active and useful for students in their own lives. Over my many years of teaching, I have found that one way to inspire students is to instill in each of them that accounting is so much more than journals, posting and financials.

Students today are given such a vast array of classes to choose from, and it is upon us as educators to show them the path toward a rewarding career that is well beyond what they once thought they could achieve. This award shows me how I have changed my teaching style over the years to give each student a taste of what could be a career option in the future. They may not know it now, but many of my students end up taking accounting at the undergraduate or even graduate level.

This award is also special to me because it reflects the many students I have had who are now practicing CPAs living across the U.S. and the world. With my simple “Introduction to Accounting” class at Port Washington High School, they were able to spring themselves up into rewarding careers, both financially and professionally. This award helps me to know that I continue to make a difference every day in my classroom.

Young Professional Award

Alex Tetzlaff, CPA

Receiving the Young Professional Award means that I have been able to make meaningful use of the early part of my career. It means that I have been able to show my dedication to my work in taxation/accounting and to my work teams.

As I have progressed, I believe a major aspect of this award is that I have been able to mentor, educate and inspire those below me who are newcomers or less experienced in the profession. This would not have been possible without my professional involvement in the WICPA and my work experience in public accounting.

As a result, it is an honor that those around me (specifically, my mentor and former supervisor, Lucas Petzold) noted the significance of my work and nominated me for this award.

For this observation, and for now being a recipient of this award, I hope to continue to inspire and motivate other accounting professionals for years to come.

Woman to Watch Award

Heather Acker, CPA

Iam humbled to receive the Woman to Watch Award from the WICPA. As an eager accounting student three decades ago, I often contemplated the magnitude of impact our profession can have — how we enhance the business community, bring credibility to capital markets, and support public and private organizations. I’ve been fortunate to experience many of those firsthand and apply my CPA skills in serving clients, leading teams and mentoring future leaders. I could not be prouder of our profession and the collective impact that we have. I proudly accept this award on behalf of all CPAs committed to our great profession — and the eager accounting students of today!

in Public Accounting Award

Wendi Unger, CPA

The fact that I am receiving this award is very humbling. I am not one who looks for accolades. For my entire career, I have kept my head down and strived to be the best I can be, both personally and professionally. To receive this award means that my contributions to my team and the firm — whether large or small — have not gone unrecognized. The hard work and dedication, the always “yes” mindset, and my willingness to do whatever needs to be done has led to the person I am today and, ultimately, to the success and growth of my team and our firm. My goal in life is to leave things just a little bit better than I found them, and I feel this award proves that I may have done that.

Community Service Award – Individual

Angela Thomas, CPA

Receiving this award, even being nominated for it, is humbling. It means someone noticed and valued my efforts, and I know that means that I am making a positive difference. I appreciate this recognition and hope that I can inspire others to serve their communities too.

I could not be prouder of where I am today, and I know each moment of service contributed to my success. I was inspired to serve my community when I joined the Civil Air Patrol almost 30 years ago. I continue to be of service in many facets of my life, which includes the WICPA, Sun Prairie Community Development Authority, Dane County Airport Commission, and my full-time employer, the state of Wisconsin. Serving at the local, county and state levels helps me feel a part of something bigger and that my efforts, coupled with others, can really make a difference.

Over the years, I discovered areas I was passionate about and, subsequently, realized that giving brought me happiness too. I realized that time is my most valuable asset in life. To me, getting someone’s time is the biggest compliment. Thus, volunteering with others of a similar mindset is rewarding. I am truly grateful to be recognized for my community service.

Community Service Award –Organization

Accepted by Benjamin Hauser, CPA

S Northland CPAs, S.C.

ervant leadership and sharing time, talent and treasure are woven into the fabric of our firm’s culture. Volunteerism within our community is our way of saying “thank you” to the individuals and small businesses that make Rhinelander and the surrounding communities exceptional places to live. It is a constant, concerted effort to effect change within our community so that we may have a small part in making our community stronger.

This is one of the proudest moments of my career, because I have witnessed our staff embrace this philanthropic spirit and make it a part of their everyday lives. I have the privilege of working with the staff of Northland CPAs day in and day out, but it is truly an honor to be affiliated with such an amazing group of people who recognize and believe in the importance of devoting their time, talent and treasure to causes that enhance the well-being of those residing in Rhinelander and surrounding communities.

None of us do what we do for accolades or recognition. However, I am thankful that our industry -— and the WICPA in particular — places such importance on being stewards of the communities we call home. We are honored to have been considered and chosen for this award.

Business & Management Award

David Kerber, CPA

Receiving this award is completely unexpected, and I am very grateful to be recognized with the Business & Management Award. The award is truly a reflection of the firm that started as a local practice in a small community and expanded into a regional firm in central and northern Wisconsin.

This is indeed an award earned by my firm: KerberRose. It’s the individuals working alongside me — from staff members to managers to partners — who helped establish a culture that encourages family and community values at the same time as carrying out the business mission of making our clients and staff successful. Our firm’s growth and success are a result of the hard work and passion of these individuals to serve the clients of our communities. This award would not be possible without them.

Personally, I enjoy helping others, solving problems, tackling challenges and seeing others succeed. The biggest reward is hearing “thank you.” I am extremely happy to have chosen this profession — and grateful to be receiving this award.

Diversity & Inclusion Impact Award

Dan Nash, CPA

I’m proud to be recognized by the WICPA with the Diversity & Inclusion Impact Award. I’m even more proud to have the opportunity to illuminate the important work being done by so many people in Wisconsin and across the U.S. to empower a diverse student population and strengthen the pipeline of talent entering the accounting profession.

Deloitte’s commitment to Making Accounting Diverse & Equitable (MADE) is about leading the change — together. A heartfelt thank you to our many professionals for their unwavering efforts to lead the change and to the excellent schools and organizations that have collaborated with us to make an impact that matters in our communities.

Finally, thank you to the WICPA for this wonderful recognition that highlights the continued importance of diversity and inclusion to our profession.

Distinguished Career Award

Randy Mahoney, CPA, CIRM

There aren’t many times in life when you get a chance to be recognized among your peers for what you love to do. This is one of them. I am honestly humbled and grateful to be receiving the Distinguished Career Award.

The profession has changed immensely since I first began my career. It has become more complex, yes; but at its core, our profession is still about helping people. It’s about making a difference for peers, clients and the communities we live in. This is why we get up in the morning. I am incredibly blessed to have a loving family and great people around me, all of whom share in this award.