Patrick Lee, CPA, MSA – 2018 40 Under 40 Honoree

Professional Associations/Memberships:

• AICPA – Student Recruitment Committe
• KSCPA – Formerly Board of Directors Member

Career Highlights:

• Recipient of the Charles H. and Verda R. Kokpe Award for Distinguished Teaching
• Recipient of the Kansas Independent College Association Faculty of Distinction
• Successful accounting education YouTube channel with over 2,300 subscribers, 205,000 views, and over 880,000 minutes viewed since 2015.
  

What are you doing to make a difference in the profession, your community, the world?

During the past three years, I have actively hosted a successful YouTube Channel that engages students from all over the world who have an interest in accounting. Although the channel is an educational channel helping students understand basic accounting and tax topics, I’ve been able to use the channel to extend the reach of the benefits of being an accountant by engaging the audience who view my videos. Students from all around the world watch the videos on my channel and it is a cool experience. I also sit on the AICPA’s Student Recruitment Committee which helps recruit students to the accounting profession.

Favorite books/websites/speakers:

One of my favorite speakers is Gary Vaynerchuk. I really enjoy listening to his insights about media, business, and content development. You could say that the drive to produce content for my YouTube Channel is directly because of Gary Vaynerchuk. His book, “#AskGaryVee: One Entrepreneur’s Take on Leadership, Social Media, & Self-Awareness,” is what got me so hooked on his career and his ideals.

What do you see yourself doing professionally in 10 years?

Hopefully it’s continuing to teach accounting to some bright students and helping those students advance in their professional career. I also see myself running some kind of online content business whether it is my YouTube channel or a website dedicated to personal finance topics and education.

What accounting conferences do you normally attend?

Annually, prior to my move to Texas, I attended the Kansas Society of CPAs conferences whether their annual meeting or their specialized conferences throughout the year. Depending on the year, I also try to attend the American Accounting Association annual meeting. 

What websites/magazines do you use to keep up on news of the accounting profession?

When it comes to the accounting profession, I keep up with the content on the CPA Practice Advisor’s website and e-mails. I also stay involved at the state society level because they provide me a great understanding of what is going on locally. As I sit on the AICPA’s Student Recruitment Committee I hear a bit about what is going on at the national level.

 

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See more of the 2018 40 Under 40 Honorees, and the 20 Under 40 Vendor Superstars.