AICPA Young CPA Award Presented to Lindsay Stevenson

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) has named Lindsay Stevenson, CPA, CGMA, Vice President of Finance & Tax at 1st Financial Bank USA, winner of the 2017 AICPA Outstanding Young CPA Award in Honor of Maximo Mukelabai. Stevenson was recognized for her volunteer activities within her community, her service to the AICPA and the work she has done with both the South Dakota CPA Society (SDCPAS) and the Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants (ASCPA) to promote the profession.

The Outstanding Young CPA Award recognizes a young CPA who personifies an unwavering commitment as demonstrated through successful practices, involvement in and contributions for the interest of the accounting profession. The award was presented to Stevenson at the AICPA’s EDGE Experience conference for emerging leaders by Danielle Supkis Cheek, CPA, President of D. Supkis Cheek, PLLC. Cheek was the recipient of last year’s award.

“Lindsay is a talented individual whose time and energy have gone into numerous projects that have helped advance the CPA profession,” said Donna Salter, AICPA Senior Manager, Young Member Initiatives. “Whether she is volunteering on one of the many AICPA or state society committees she serves on, or in her local community, Lindsay embodies the values the Maximo Mukelabai award represents and is an inspiration to peers.”

A member of the AICPA, the SDCPAS and the ASCPA, Stevenson has been an active volunteer in the profession for years. In addition to being an AICPA Leadership Academy Alumni, she is the Vice Chair of the AICPA Young Member Leadership Committee dedicated to engage emerging leaders in the profession. She also serves on the AICPA Depository Institutions Expert Panel and the AICPA Women’s Initiatives Executive Committee.

“It is an honor to receive this award created in Maximo’s memory,” said Stevenson. “I’ve learned a great deal about leadership and the importance of volunteering from my peers at the AICPA Leadership Academy and by attending the EDGE Experience. You often have an opportunity to learn from people with tremendous experience in an informal and relaxed way. It feels like mentoring instead of training.”

Prior to moving to South Dakota, Stevenson lived in Arizona where she built many professional relationships that she continues to maintain. She is a member of the ASCPA A&A Steering Committee that schedules and plans the annual ASCPA Audit & Accounting Conference. She is also a member of the ASCPA Emerging Leaders Committee where she utilizes her experience to speak to Arizona college students about becoming a CPA.

Within her home state of South Dakota, Stevenson is the chair of the Sioux City SCORE Chapter, a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping small businesses succeed through mentoring, community development and business education. She is a member of the SDCPAS Ambassador Committee where she speaks to college students about going into the CPA profession and she also serves on the SDCPAS Non-Practice Advisory Council. As the team leader for the 1st Financial Bank USA’s Financial Literacy Education Outreach Program, she provides financial literacy education to students in high risk areas focusing on understanding financial concepts and developing future financial well-being. In addition, she is a member of the Mary J. Treglia Community House’s board of directors. The organization serves immigrants by providing English language and citizenship classes and early childhood development support.

“I rarely feel more purpose than when I am giving my time to something greater than myself. Imagine a profession where every member is working to inspire the best version of themselves and every other accountant– the possibilities for positive results are limitless and the value of volunteering is exponential,” Stevenson added.

Maximo Mukelabai was a member of the inaugural class of the AICPA Leadership Academy in 2009 and the youngest chair of the North Carolina Association of CPAs board of directors. Tragically, his life ended abruptly at the age of 36. The AICPA established the award in 2011 as a tribute to Maximo’s legacy.

To be considered for the award, candidates submitted applications and details on their volunteer history, along with professional reference forms from peers, employers and state CPA societies. A task force of young CPAs then reviewed all qualified nominations to determine the winner.

The primary criteria used to judge nominations for the Outstanding Young CPA Award are:

Demonstrates passion and eagerness to encourage and pique students’ interest in accounting as a career
Contributes recommendations and best practices toward improving processes and/or activities
Performance in committee and/or other volunteer activities that relate to the engagement and advancement of the profession
Involvement in community-based organizations to improve the lives of citizens
Hold an active CPA license and be between the ages of 22 – 40.

Those with questions on the nomination process may contact YoungCPANetwork@aicpa.org. The application period for next year’s award will open in early 2018.