The MACPA Annual Meeting’s virtual era came to an end on June 24 when members emerged from their homes, traveled to Ocean City, and elected Herbert J. Geary III as chair of the association’s 2022-23 Board of Directors.

Geary, a partner with UHY LLP in Salisbury and managing director of UHY Advisors, was on site for his election at the Princess Royale Hotel in Ocean City — the MACPA’s first in-person Annual Meeting since the start of the pandemic. He succeeds Aronson LLC Partner Lexy Kessler, who served as 2021-22 chair.

In his remarks to Maryland CPAs, Geary outlined a broad agenda for the coming year that includes four main tenets:

• Channeling the work of the MACPA Foundation to help grow and support the pipeline of new CPAs into the profession. 
• Serving as a “lookout post” for Maryland CPAs by keeping members informed and looking forward.
• Continuing to make good on the MACPA’s Member Promise, which pledges community, advocacy, professional development, and vital resources to help Maryland CPAs stay future-ready.
• Creating vibrant communities of interest and collaboration among members.

“Our future isn’t created, it’s co-created,” Geary said. “That kind of collaboration among the MACPA’s board, our volunteers, and our leadership team has resulted in a shared vision for our association’s future and a solid strategy for how to achieve it. I’m committed to realizing that vision by creating and expanding opportunities for our members, volunteers, and leaders to collaborate. We can build a blueprint for the profession of tomorrow, but only if we work together.”

An MACPA member since 1988, Geary has more than 30 years of accounting and auditing experience, specializing in areas that include closely held businesses, manufacturing, wholesalers, distributors, construction contractors, local governments, and non-profit organizations. He serves on the Board of Directors and several committees for TidalHealth, a hospital system that services Maryland’s lower Eastern Shore. He is also a member of the Greater Salisbury Committee, a non-profit organization committed to improving the Salisbury community.

In addition to his work on the MACPA’s Board of Directors, Geary is a past president of the association’s Eastern Shore Chapter and a current member of the Governing Council for the American Institute of CPAs.

Joining Geary on the 2022-23 MACPA Board of Directors are:

• Vice chair: Christine Aspell, CPA, managing partner / audit partner, KPMG LLP in Baltimore
• Secretary / treasurer: Thomas White, CPA, CGMA, director of accounting, CareFirst BC / BS
• Past chair: Lexy Kessler, CPA, partner, Aronson LLC
• Karl Ahlrichs, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CSP, senior consultant, Gregory & Appel
• Maxene Bardwell, CPA, CIA, CFE, CISA, CRMA, CIGA, assistant inspector general for audit, Office of the Inspector General, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
• Elise Brouillette, CPA, senior manager, PwC
• Michael Kimbrough, Ph.D., CPA, professor and chair, Department of Accounting and Information Assurance, University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business
• Kim Mustard, CPA, CGMA, partner, HCFL
• Dave Ryan, Esq., CPA (retired), managing director, CompensationGPS
• Brett Sanders, CPA, senior accounting manager, Bird Global Inc.
• Savedra Scott, CPA, owner, Savvy Financial Solutions

Max Teichmann Award
Also at the June 24 Annual Meeting, Tricia Katebini, CPA, a partner at GRF CPAs and Advisors, was awarded the MACPA’s 2021-22 Max Teichmann Award for her tireless volunteer work as an MACPA champion and volunteer.

“Tricia is not just a champion of the MACPA, she is passionate about this profession, offering her strategic and innovative insights to make it better, locally and nationally,” said MACPA CEO Jackie Brown. “She is deeply committed to the profession’s future and actively engaged in mentoring the next generation of CPAs and leaders. We are extremely grateful for all she does to make MACPA better.”

Named in honor of the association’s founder, the award recognizes an MACPA member who has made significant contributions on behalf of the profession.

Jackie Brown steps down
The Annual Meeting was the last of MACPA CEO Jackie Brown’s career. Jackie’s remarkable 42-year MACPA career comes to a close with her retirement on June 30. Rebekah Brown will succeed her as CEO beginning on July 1.

MACPA members are invited to congratulate Jackie on her retirement and honor her service on behalf of the profession by contributing to an MACPA scholarship that has been created in her name. The scholarship will be awarded to a non-traditional student, reflecting Jackie’s non-traditional path to CEO and legacy in the CPA profession.

Make your contribution to this important new scholarship here.

And be sure to post your personal note of congratulations to Jackie on our online message board.