OSCPA announces 2020-2021 board nominees

The Ohio Society of CPAs Nominating Committee unanimously recommended Lori Kaiser, CPA, MBA, CGMA, of Powell as the 2020-2021 chair-elect candidate of the Executive Board. She joined the board in 2018.

The committee welcomes five new nominees to the board: Keenan Cooper, CPA, of Cincinnati; Rick Fedorovich, CPA, of Akron; Nancy Juron, CPA, of Windermere, Fla.; Aaron Swiggum, CPA/PFS, CFE, of Maumee; and Amy Vetter, CPA, CGMA, CITP, of Mason. Fedorovich, Swiggum and Vetter will serve three-year terms from 2020 to 2023; Juron will serve a two-year term; and Cooper will serve a one-year term.

Crystal Faulkner, CPA, CExP, MAFF, will become Chair of the Executive Board and Don Mellott, Jr. CPA, will become past chair. Current Board Member Chris Igodan, CPA, will remain as Vice Chair, Finance.

Meet the chair-elect, vice chair of finance and new Executive Board members:

Chair Elect: Lori Kaiser, CPA, MBA, CGMA

Founder & CEO, Kaiser Consulting

Lori Kaiser is the founder and CEO of Kaiser Consulting, where she provides clients value-based services that allow organizations to navigate transitions and successfully execute critical projects. A graduate – with honors – from Miami University (bachelor of science in accountancy) and The University of Chicago (MBA), she has a proven record in assessing risk and creating solutions for Fortune 500 company C-level executives and boards. Lori has led her firm to nearly 30 years of successive revenue growth achieving multi-million-dollar revenues. She meets all the criteria and currently functions as an SEC Audit Committee Financial Expert. She has served as a member of OSCPA’s Finance Committee and as chair of the Society’s Women's Initiatives Committee. Additionally, Lori has served as Executive Board Member and Small Business Council Chair of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce; a Board of Trustees and Audit Committee member for Franklin University; and a Business Advisory Council Member for The Miami University Farmer School of Business.

Vice-Chair Finance: Chris Igodan, Jr., CPA

Vice President-Investments Controller, Nationwide Insurance

Chris leads Nationwide’s Investment Controllership team that oversees all investments accounting, including investment reporting; supporting analysis and accounting internal controls; monitoring investment risks; and ensuring compliance with regulations and accounting standards. He joined Nationwide in 2010 and has held various roles with increasing responsibility within the Controllership department. He previously spent time on the Financial Reporting team managing the Nationwide Financial audited GAAP & statutory financial statements, and the Nationwide Financial Controllership team leading life insurance and broker dealer accounting operations. He also was previously part of the Investment Controllership team leading the Investment Advisory, Derivatives & Commercial Mortgage Loans teams. Before joining Nationwide, Chris was an auditor at PwC and served clients primarily in the financial services industry. Additionally, he is a member of The Ohio CPA Foundation Board of Trustees and is an active member of the Columbus Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants.

NEW DIRECTOR NOMINEES

Keenan Cooper, CPA

Senior IT Audit Associate, Grant Thornton LLP

After graduating from Mason High School in 2005, Keenan joined the Army Reserves. At basic combat training, he was named Soldier Leader of the Cycle for his company. From there, he trained as an intelligence analyst and was assigned to the 15th Psychological Operations Battalion. During his deployment to Afghanistan in 2009, he served with distinction as the NCOIC for the intelligence shop of the corps-level PsyOp Task Force. After his return, Keenan graduated cum laude from University of Cincinnati’s Lindner College of Business with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. In the years since graduating, he earned his CPA license and now serves clients in the audit department at Grant Thornton. As co-chair to the Cincinnati YCPAs, he enjoys driving awareness of and engagement with the OSCPA by planning networking and CPE events. In his spare time, Keenan stays active by biking and playing hockey, and enjoys growing his own produce.

Rick Fedorovich, CPA

CEO & Managing Partner, Bober Markey Fedorovich

Rick serves privately held, middle-market, high-growth clients in a variety of industries. Specifically, he has extensive experience working with closely held and family owned businesses and their attendant issues including succession planning, merger and acquisition transactions, tax planning, employee stock ownership plans and estate planning. As managing partner, Rick delivers high level and advisory services to the firm’s clients providing strategic planning, best practices and serves as an adviser to boards of directors. Rick was with KPMG Peat Marwick from 1974 until 1980 when he joined Bober Markey Fedorovich. Rick was elected partner in 1982 and managing partner in 1996. A graduate with honors from the University of Akron, he has volunteered for numerous organizations, including the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, the Cleveland Clinic, the AICPA and OSCPA.

Nancy Juron, CPA

Managing Partner, Deloitte LLP

Nancy is a member of Deloitte’s Risk and Brand Protection Group. She leads the firm’s State Regulatory Team and is responsible for developing and executing Deloitte’s state regulatory strategy, which includes focusing on advocacy, compliance and outreach activities related to state regulatory and legislative matters. She is a former AICPA Council member at-large and has served on the joint AICPA-NASBA Uniform Accountancy Act Committee and the CPA Evolution Working Group. She currently serves on the joint AICPA-NASBA International Qualifications Appraisal Board. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in accounting from Bethany College and a Master of Taxation from Capital University Law School. She is also a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, and of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, where she is in her second term as board council. Nancy is passionate about exploring ways to increase the CPA pipeline, particularly for underserved and underrepresented talent.

Aaron Swiggum, CPA/PFS, CFE

Managing Partner, William Vaughan Company

A graduate of Adrian College, Aaron joined William Vaughan Company in 1999 and has been an integral part of the firm ever since rising through the ranks to becoming a partner in 2008. Over the past 20 years at the firm, Aaron has amassed considerable experience providing solution-oriented services to clients within the manufacturing, distribution, and professional service industries. As managing partner, he works with management, practice growth, and other key team members to set and execute the firm strategy for expansion. He led the firm’s audit practice for more than 10 years. Aaron now specializes in helping family-owned and closely held businesses manage the challenges of growth, cash flow, and organizational restructuring, while understanding their risks, needs, and goals to provide creative accounting solutions. In addition to being actively involved with OSCPA and the AICPA, he is a member of the ProMedica - Bixby/Herrick Hospital & Foundation Board.

Amy Vetter, CPA, CGMA, CITP

CEO of The B3 Method Institute and Drishtiq Yoga

Amy has been named one of the “Most Powerful Women in Accounting” by the AICPA and CPA Practice Advisor and recognized repeatedly as a “Top 100 Most Influential Person” by Accounting Today. A keynote speaker, corporate adviser, board member, and author, Amy – who specializes in Technology Innovation – shares her accounting and business insights as a contributor to AICPA’s Journal of Accountancy, Accounting Today, CPA Practice Advisor as well as Inc.com and Entrepreneur.com. She has served as a C-suite executive and leader overseeing customer, sales, education, and marketing functions in accounting technology companies. She has also served as a partner in a regional CPA Firm, and owned and operated her own accounting practice. As a member of the AICPA IMTA Executive committee, Amy leads the Technology Innovations Taskforce, member of the AICPA’s Technology COVID-19 Taskforce and a member of the AICPA’s Tech+ conference planning committee. Additionally, Amy has been a part of the AICPA’s key blockchain initiatives, including AICPA’s Blockchain Symposium, and as a technical reviewer and a speaker for the AICPA’s Blockchain Fundamentals Program. She is also a corporate board and advisory member for a variety of companies.

Continuing Board Members

Michael J. Elliott, CPA

Managing Principal, Camp and Park Accounting, LLC

Ebonie Jackson, CPA, CITP, CGMA

Director Administrative Services, Lucas County Children Services

Jessie C. Wright, CPA, CGMA, CVA

Manager, Schroedel, Scullin & Bestic, CPAs and Strategic Advisors

Ellen Wisbar, CPA

Director of Independence- CBIZ

Julie Wozniak, CPA

Director, Transition Management Office Project Support – NiSource (Columbia Gas)

Jon Zavislak, CPA, CGMA

Director of Financial & SEC Reporting – Express