Tommye E. Barie, CPA – 2019 Most Powerful Women in Accounting

What advice would you give to female college students about the opportunities for women in the accounting profession?

Opportunities for women in the accounting profession are limitless, but you cannot be passive and expect your career to develop without working on it. It is important to speak up and volunteer for projects and activities that will raise your profile.  Women need to be bold, brave, and diligent in pursuing what they want.

What would you suggest to accounting firms that are interested in retaining and advancing more qualified female staff?

While generally unintentional, women often have unequal access to career development and advocacy relationships and experiences.  It is a matter of human tendency to mentor those who remind us of ourselves.  Unequal access to targeted development and high-impact high influential advocacy significantly impacts the career trajectory of a woman as there is a void of someone helping to navigate the culture and strategies that will elevate the individual’s value.  Additionally, it is important for women to have access to stretch assignments, targeted experiences necessary for advancement, and networking opportunities that increase the person’s knowledge. Without these, one could be seen as less experienced and therefore not on equal footing when advancements are considered. 

Why did you choose to work in – and stay in – the accounting field?

In addition to being finically rewarding, I love the diversity of work opportunities in the accounting profession.  In my opinion, there is no better profession.

What book(s), blog(s), podcast(s) do you recommend? The Overachiever’s Guide to Getting Unstuck: Replan, Reprioritize, Reaffirm by: William L. Reeb AND You are Not so Smart by: David McRaney

What changes do you foresee in the accounting profession of the near future (3-5 years)?

Technology will continue its disruption and we will need to transform the work and value we provide by fundamentally changing ourselves.  The future requires new skill sets and competencies in addition to the ones we have now.  It will likely require us to cast the net wider to include other qualified professionals in our profession.

How do you see yourself participating in shaping the future of the accounting profession?

 My experiences as past Chair of the AICPA, an AICPA Council member for life, and my current and future service on the IFAC Board afford me opportunities to be on the pulse of what is happening in our profession.  I recently retired from public accounting because I wanted to have a more direct impact shaping the future of our profession.  I have the perfect platform for that as a partner with Succession Institute consulting with and transforming firms and individuals.

Describe one person who has been an important mentor to you and how that person helped shape the direction or focus of your professional life.  

I’ve had a female and a male mentor for many many years.  They are people I respect and who are very well respected by others in our profession.  Both male and female perspectives have been very valuable to me.  They coached me to be strategic and persistent in making decisions to enhance my career and to always be authentic.  

Please share a personal rule or principle that you follow.

I’m ever mindful that we have choices in most everything we do.  I take responsibility for the choices I make as they shape my life whether professional or personal.

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Learn more about the 2019 Most Powerful Women in Accounting.