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Long-time INCPAS President & CEO is Retiring

Stephanie Parton, CAE, IOM
Jun 1, 2017

Gary Bolinger is stepping down; Jennifer Briggs is stepping up

Gary Bolinger stepping down, Jennifer Briggs stepping up

Gary Bolinger and Jennifer Briggs

After 33 years at the helm, Gary Bolinger, CAE, is retiring effective December 31. His successor - current Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Briggs, CAE - will begin serving as president & CEO on January 1, 2018.

Bolinger joined the Society in 1984 as field activities director. He was appointed interim executive director in 1990, was promoted to full-time executive director in 1991, and in 1999 was named president and CEO.

Under Bolinger’s leadership, the Society has revamped its organizational structure to better leverage volunteers and talent, become more proactive in legislative and regulatory affairs, overhauled its strategic planning process, initiated award-winning diversity programs, and implemented the statewide INCPAS Professional Issues Update seminar, which he has presented for 17 years.

Other major highlights from recent years include the establishment of the award-winning CPA Center of Excellence®, the development of an Integrated Report, the organization’s centennial anniversary, and successfully advocating for Indiana to become the first state in the country to add competency-based learning as an option for CPA license renewal. 

“Gary has been an outstanding CEO,” said INCPAS Chairman John Sauder, CPA, CGMA. “Gary is a forward-thinking executive and has been the driving force to put INCPAS in the state it is in today.”

The Society is recognized as one of the most progressive and active state CPA societies, according to Sauder based on his interactions with staff and volunteers from other state societies and the AICPA at national meetings. He believes that Bolinger is leaving the Society well positioned to continue its role in advancing the education and practices of CPAs in Indiana from all segments of the profession.

Briggs, who joined the Society in 2002, began as special projects manager and then moved on to marketing manager, marketing director, member services director and VP - member services before assuming her current position as senior VP and COO. The breadth of her  experience and external relationships with members across the state make her an ideal fit for succession.

“Jennifer is well prepared to take on the role and is the most qualified to person to lead us,” said INCPAS Chair-elect, Doug York, CPA, CGMA. “There will be bumps in the road as there are with any changes in leadership, but the organization will learn and prosper.

“She brings talent in many areas,” added York. “The most important is her experience with our membership and leaders of our profession. We are a member organization and must bring value to our members whether they are in public, private, education or other.” 

Briggs will help guide the Society’s response to several key issues in the coming years. Those include continuing changes to professional learning, addressing the increasing retirement of its member base, recruiting new members, and making the value of a CPA designation more prominent and to business leaders and the public.



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Stephanie Parton
About the Author

Stephanie M. Parton, CAE, IOM, is the Society's vice president - communications. She is editor-in-chief of the CPA IN Perspective magazine and other INCPAS print and electronic publications. She oversees the department responsible for all marketing, publications, branding, public relations, social media, sponsorships and advertising. In 2016, she was awarded Association Professional of the Year from the Indiana Society of Association Executives. In 2011, she completed the curriculum in association management through the Institute for Organization Management with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She has served as a volunteer member of the Institute since 2011 and chaired the Board of Regents of the Winter Institute in 2017. She has more than 20 years’ experience in the communications field. She is a Certified Association Executive and is a member of the American Society of Association Executives and the Indiana Society of Association Executives.