Outstanding members and successful Exam candidates honored at 2022 CPA Celebration
The Indiana CPA Society recently recognized CPAs who are advancing their profession, organizations and communities, as well as successful Exam candidates, at the Indiana Roof Ballroom on May 13. Read on to learn more about each award honoree.
ADVOCACY AWARD
Robert W. Lazard, CPA-retired
Bob has been an active advocate for the profession since 1987. He has served as a member of the INCPAS Legislative Action Committee; as chair of the Ethics Committee; and as treasurer for the Indiana CPA-Political Action Committee. Although retired, he still maintains important relationships with legislators and keeps tabs on legislative issues affecting the profession through his involvement as a CPA Advocate. As a Government Relations Advisory Council member, his work on licensure and regulatory initiatives continues leading the profession in Indiana.
BUILDING BRIDGES TO THE PROFESSION AWARD
ZeNai Brooks, CPA
Controller, Corporate Responsibility & Foundation – Cummins
ZeNai has been helping INCPAS build and diversify the talent pipeline as a Scholars mentor; member of the Diversity Advisory Council; trustee of the Indiana CPA Educational Foundation; and now as a member of the Board of Directors. She also volunteers on a national level with NABA, where she works with high school students, plans annual student conferences and hosts professional chapter events. In addition, she recently obtained her CPA license and strives to share its value with students as well as mid-career professionals.
EMERGING LEADERS AWARD
Jud L. Brown, CPA
Campaign Finance Compliance Partner – Bee Compliance, LLC
Jud served as deputy director of accounting for Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s presidential run in 2020, after which he co-founded his own campaign finance compliance firm where he works with clients across the country. He also serves as a CPA advisor for the Indiana Democratic Party. With INCPAS, he is a Young Pros Leadership Academy alum; current member of the Leadership Council; and serves as an Indiana CPA-Political Action Committee trustee. He has a
Masters in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame and Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Operations Management from Indiana University.
Jordan L. Chavis, CPA
Senior Director, U.S Gross-to-Net Business Analysis – Eli Lilly and Company
Jordan joined Eli Lilly and Company in 2018 as a business analysis associate consultant and in three years worked his way up to senior director of U.S. gross-to-net business analysis. In this role, he helps oversee one of the largest accounting estimates for one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world. He is a coach and mentor for new hires and his existing team, encouraging real-time feedback and perspectives whether they’re in an on- or off-site work environment. He is co-chair of a Lilly inclusion team and facilitated an organization training on recognizing blind spots and bias. In the community, he has served as a board member for Reach for Youth, Inc. and as a volunteer for Junior Achievement of Central Indiana BizTown.
Cody W. Newport, CPA
Senior Manager – Kruggel Lawton CPAs
By age 30, Cody rose quickly through the ranks at Kruggel Lawton CPAs to become senior staff and then senior manager. With a focus on innovation, he has brought data analytics and artificial intelligence into the audit space and helped train staff members on MindBridge software. He also has enhanced their assurance practice by leading a team dedicated to identifying knowledge gaps and developing relevant team trainings. Further, he is on a future-focused task force that generates new ideas to recruit and retain top talent. With INCPAS, he is a graduate of the Young Pros Leadership Academy program. In the community, he is the newly elected president of the board for the Goshen Public Library and also serves as treasurer for the Goshen Community Schools Foundation.
INNOVATION AWARD
John G. Seale, CPA, CITP
Managing Partner – RBSK Partners PC
John is an audit, accounting and tax partner at RBSK Partners, PC, and holds the Certified Information Technology Professional credential. “Back in” 2014, he began his firm’s extensive transition to a virtual office and paperless document management, workflow and payments—successfully integrating the rollout across multiple offices and teams. He has helped fellow INCPAS members by sharing RBSK’s best practices and lessons learned during site visits that he hosts for CPA firms that want to see how the technology and processes work. He also helps an even wider audience as a presenter at Thomson Reuters Synergy Conference, where he has spoken on firm-of-the-future topics such as revenue alternatives and client accounting services.
CHAIR’S AWARD
Derrick Burks
Retired CPA
Presented by 2020–21 Board Chair Erland Porter, CPA
Derrick joined EY in 2002 and was promoted to managing partner in 2004. In this role, he led assurance, tax and advisory services for 13 years before retiring in 2017. Prior to EY, he worked at the Indianapolis office of Arthur Andersen for 24 years, where he was admitted into the partnership in 1991 and became office-managing partner in 2000. Burks was the first African American in Indiana promoted to partner by any of the major accounting firms.
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Martha T. Nommay, CPA
Director of Finance & Operations – Second Presbyterian Church
For the past 30 years, Martha has served as a trusted business advisor for the profession, the businesses for which she worked, the four she has owned, and her current employer, Second Presbyterian Church. As previous chair for the Indiana Board of Accountancy and NASBA volunteer, she recognizes that transparency and preserving the profession’s integrity by holding CPAs to a higher standard of ethics and professional standards is critical to our regulatory role in protecting the public.
She also was the state’s sole volunteer expert for the CPE audit for a number of years. As a member of the INCPAS Government Relations Advisory Council, she led the transition to leveraging licensed CPAs as volunteers to the Board of Accountancy for the CPE audit. To date, Indiana is the only state to have this structure which enables a higher percentage of audits to be conducted.
Her expertise has been instrumental in responding to exposure drafts, analyzing Uniform Accountancy Act changes, drafting rules and supporting licensure initiatives of the Society. In addition, Martha has served on Leadership Cabinet, Advocacy Council, as a CPA Advocate, and was an early advocate and supporter of the Society’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives as a volunteer for the Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration.
Thank You to Our Event Sponsors
Thank You to Our Table Sponsors
BGBC Partners, LLP
Crowe LLP
Deloitte
Donovan CPAs and Advisors
DOZ
EY
FORVIS
Greenwalt CPAs, Inc.
Katz, Sapper & Miller, LLP
Kruggel Lawton CPAs
PwC
RBSK Partners PC
Somerset CPAs and Advisors