In partnership with the AICPA, NCACPA has announced the recipients for the 2018 Women to Watch Awards, which will be presented at the Professional Women’s Conference in Winston-Salem on October 18, 2018. A new award was introduced by NCACPA this year to recognize the role of a male in the CPA profession who actively supports the advancement of women, and the first-ever recipient of the Elevating Women Award will also be recognized at this conference.
- Experienced Leader: Wendi Boddy, CPA
- Emerging Leader: Stacia Neugent, CPA
- Elevating Women: Jonathan Kraftchick, CPA
Experienced Leader Award
Wendi Boddy is the managing partner of the Charlotte office and the tax principal in charge with the CliftonLarsonAllen Carolinas office. She has over thirteen years in public accounting specializing in compliance and tax issues affecting both individuals and privately held for-profit businesses. Wendi is receiving the “Experienced Leader” Award, which recognizes her notable contributions to the accounting profession, her organization, and to the development of women as leaders.
Wendi is known for being a trailblazer for women in leadership in the CPA profession and an advocate for finding new or unique paths for women in the CPA profession. Wendi is part of a small percentage of women in public accounting who are managing partners in a major market for a national firm. Through her experience, she is able to mentor other women within and outside of CLA to find their desired career paths. While Wendi has made a significant impact on female leaders in the CPA profession, she has also impacted many female leaders and aspiring female leaders in the Charlotte community. She was the winner of the 2018 Charlotte Business Journal’s “Women in Business” Award, a unique honor where she was able to connect with women across industries in the Charlotte community and share what it’s like to be a women in leadership in the CPA profession.
Emerging Leader
Stacia Neugent, of Charlotte, has been named the Women to Watch: Emerging Leader for demonstrating the characteristics necessary to becoming a leader in the accounting profession. A tax manager at GreerWalker, Stacia manages the firm’s real estate practice and is responsible for identifying target clients and planning opportunities/relevant industry events. She is a key player in the firm’s motorsports practice, where she has helped clients navigate industry-specific state tax issues affecting both the drivers and teams.
A colleague shared, “Stacia serves as a coach to female staff/seniors and is involved with the GreerWalker Women’s Network—she is passionate about ensuring the success of women in public accounting. She works hard to demonstrate that it is possible to have a family and a successful career in public accounting. Additionally, Stacia prioritizes teaching and investing in new staff and believes that you can only retain top talent by constantly teaching and developing.”
Elevating Women Award
This year, one of NCACPA’s most active member communities, the Women’s Initiative Group, created the Elevating Women Award to recognize a male in the CPA profession who actively supports the advancement of women. The 2018 winner is Jonathan Kraftchick, Managing Director, Process & Training—Audit and Assurance Services with Cherry Bekaert, LLP, in Raleigh. Jonathan represents his firm when it comes to recruiting, training, and the development of leaders. Through this role, he has supported a high level of diversity in leadership positions today.
One individual who nominated Jonathan said, “He truly understands the importance of having all backgrounds, genders, and cultures represented in our firm—especially at the leadership level. He has what I call a “Quiet Diversity Leadership” quality. He does not have to draw direct attention to the diversity he creates when building teams/focus groups/etc., but he always ensures that all voices are represented and heard before making major decisions that will impact everyone in our firm.”
Please join us in congratulating Stacia, Wendi, and Jonathan for their contributions to the advancement of the accounting profession and for elevating the role of women in the field.