AICPA Names 2015 Elijah Watt Sells Award Recipients, Recognizing Top CPA Exam Performance

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The American Institute of CPAs today announced the winners of the 2015 Elijah Watt Sells Award. The award is given to CPA candidates who have obtained a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination, passed all four sections of the Examination on their first attempt and completed testing in 2015.

A total of 93,742 individuals sat for the Examination in 2015, with 75 candidates meeting the criteria to receive the Elijah Watt Sells Award.

“This year’s winners earned the Elijah Watt Sells Award for their truly extraordinary performance on the CPA Exam,” said Michael Decker, AICPA Vice President of Examinations. “On behalf of the AICPA, I’d like to congratulate the winners on their accomplishment and wish them the best of luck throughout their careers in the profession.”

The Elijah Watt Sells Award program was established by the AICPA in 1923 to recognize outstanding performance on the CPA Examination. Sells, one of the first CPAs in the U.S., was active in the establishment of the AICPA and played a key role advancing professional education within the profession.

The AICPA recently announced that the next version of the CPA Exam will launch on April 1, 2017. Detailed information and FAQs are available online.

In addition to education and experience requirements, the CPA Exam plays a crucial role ensuring that individuals who earn their CPA license have demonstrated the skills and knowledge necessary to protect the public interest in an increasingly complex and ever-changing business and financial environment.

The individuals listed below are the 2015 Sells Award winners in alphabetical order, followed by their state board of accountancy affiliation, education and present employer:

• Jason L. Ackerman (New York), a graduate of Lehigh University with a BS in Business and Engineering and Baruch College with an MS in Taxation, is employed with Wagner, Ferber, Fine & Ackerman PLLC in Floral Park, NY.
• Eric Christopher Albee (Virginia), a graduate of the Virginia Tech with a BS in Business and an MS in Accounting and Information Systems, is employed with Dixon Hughes Goodman, LLP in Richmond, VA.
• Seyed Paul Arab (Tennessee), a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a BBA in Economics, is employed with Home Federal Bank of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN.
• Emily Nichole Baker (Texas), a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master in Professional Accounting, is employed with EY in Dallas, TX.
• Angela Katherine Bennion (California), a graduate of Brigham Young University with a BS in Accountancy and a Master of Professional Accountancy, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in San Jose, CA.
• Christopher Biesboer (Illinois), a graduate of Concordia University Wisconsin with a BS in Accounting and an MBA in Accounting, is employed with KPMG LLP in Chicago, IL.
• Matthew K. Bishop (Tennessee), a graduate of Lipscomb University with a BS in Finance, Economics and Business Management and the University of Memphis with a Juris Doctor degree, is employed with HCA in Nashville, TN.
• George Bloomfield (Ohio), a graduate of Marietta College with a Bachelor in Accounting and The Ohio State University with a Master of Accounting, is employed with Plante Moran in Columbus, OH.
• James Arthur Boudreau II (Florida), a graduate of the University of Florida with a BS in Accounting and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Austin, Gillman & Lovano, P.L.L.C. in Gainesville, FL.
• Benjamin Bowers (Georgia), a graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Bennett Thrasher LLP in Atlanta, GA.
• Paul Douglas Brown (Texas), a graduate of The University of Texas at Tyler with a BA in History and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Gollob Morgan Peddy in Tyler, TX.
• Trey M. Bruce (Florida), a graduate of the University of Florida with a LLM in Taxation, a Juris Doctor from the Lewis and Clark School, and a BSBA in Economics from the Ohio State University, is employed at the Phillips Harvey Group in Naples, FL.
• Marcos E. Carreño (Massachusetts), a graduate of MIT with a BS and an MS in Aeronautics & Astronautics and Boston College with an MBA and MS in Accounting, is employed with Andersen Tax in Boston, MA.
• Marcos Magnusson de Carvalho (New Hampshire), a graduate of the University of São Paulo with a Bachelor in Accountancy and the Getúlio Vargas Foundation with an MBA in Finance, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers Auditores Independentes in São Paulo, Brazil.
• Chia-Jen Chang (New Jersey), a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BS in Accountancy and the University of Michigan with a Master of Accounting, is employed with EY in New York, NY.
• Kathryn L. Claudy (Pennsylvania), a graduate of Grove City College with a BS in Accounting, is employed with Grossman Yanak & Ford, LLP in Pittsburgh, PA.
• Joel Gavin Cook (South Carolina), a graduate of Furman University with a BA in Accounting and Clemson University with a Master of Professional Accountancy, is employed with Deloitte in Charlotte, NC.
• Charles Coop (New York), a graduate of the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master in Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in New York, NY.
• Augustus Crimm (Texas), a graduate of Southwestern University with a BA in Accounting and History, is employed with Faske Lay & Co., LLP in Georgetown, TX.
• Samuel Crosby (Washington), a graduate of Gonzaga University with a BA in Political Science and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with KPMG in Seattle, WA.
• Trevor J. David (Colorado), a graduate of The University of Colorado Boulder with a BS in Business Administration and a Master of Accounting, is employed with EY in Denver, CO.
• Kimberly E. Deyak (Michigan), a graduate of the Oakland University with a BS in Accounting and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Plante Moran in Clinton Township, MI.
• Alex Engebretson (Michigan), a graduate of the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Plante Moran in Ann Arbor, MI.
• Brian Chad Erickson (Colorado), a graduate of Metro State University of Denver with a BS in Accounting, is employed with Eide Bailly LLP in Greenwood Village, CO.
• Derek Ettinger (North Carolina), a graduate of the Binghamton University with a BS in Accounting and an MS in Accounting, is employed with Grant Thornton, LLP in Charlotte, NC.
• Grant Jonathan Eudy (Missouri), a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a BS in Business Administration, is employed with Beussink, Hey & Roe, PC in Cape Girardeau, MO.
• Nathan Andrew Evenson (Texas), a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor in Business Administration and a Master in Professional Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Houston, TX.
• Tyler Faught (Illinois), a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BS in Accounting and a Master of Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Chicago, IL.
• Thomas R. Fine (Minnesota), a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Business Administration and an Integrated Master of Accountancy, is employed with KPMG, LLP in Minneapolis, MN.
• Courtney Folgeman (Massachusetts), a graduate of California Institute of Technology with a BS in Business, Economics and Management and Boston College with an MS in Accounting, is employed with KPMG LLP in Boston, MA.
• Patrick Frey-Frankenfield (Colorado), a graduate of The University of Kansas with a BS in Business and a Master of Accounting, is employed with EKS&H in Denver, CO.
• Joshua Furmage (Ohio), a graduate of The Ohio State University with a BS in Business Administration and Accounting, is employed with EY in Cleveland, OH.
• Paloma Gante (Texas), a graduate of Texas A&M International University with a Bachelor in Business Administration and Accounting, and The University of Texas at Austin with a Master in Professional Accounting, is employed with KPMG LLP in San Antonio, TX.
• Yu-Ting Huang (California), a graduate of National Taiwan University with a Bachelor in Business Administration and The University of Texas at Austin with a Master in Professional Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in San Francisco, CA.
• Erika Mary Jackson (North Carolina), a graduate of Wake Forest University with a BS in Accountancy and an MS in Accountancy, is employed with Deloitte in Parsippany, NJ.
• Nicole Lauren Jones (Kansas), a graduate of The University of Kansas with a BS in Accounting and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Grant Thornton, LLP in Kansas City, MO.
• Grant Joslin (Ohio), a graduate of The Ohio State University with a BS in Anthropological Sciences, a BS in Business Administration in Accounting, and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Deloitte in London, United Kingdom.
• Neerav Karia (California), a graduate of Saurashtra University with a Bachelor of Commerce, is employed with Deloitte, Haskins & Sells in Ahmedabad, India.
• Nicholas R. Kemmerle (Ohio), a graduate of Ashland University with a BS in Accounting and a Master in Business Administration, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Cleveland, OH.
• Maria Khrakovsky (Connecticut), a graduate of The Ohio State University with a BS in Business Administration, BA in French Language and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Financial Accounting Standards Board in Norwalk, CT.
• David Michael Kinnan (California), a graduate of the University of Kansas with a BS in Accounting and Baker University with an MBA, is employed with Carmel Stone Imports in Palo Alto, CA.
• Andrew T. Lamers (Wisconsin), a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Business Administration and BS in Accounting, is employed with Deloitte in Milwaukee, WI.
• Jennifer Lin (New York), a graduate of Emory University with a Bachelor of Business Administration, is employed with Grant Thornton, LLP in New York, NY.
• Andre T. Liu (Guam), a graduate of the National Chengchi University with a BA in Economics and a BS in Accounting, is employed with Deloitte in Taiwan.
• Matthew LoCascio (California), a graduate of The University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration and The University of Southern California with a Master in Accounting, is employed with Deloitte in Los Angeles, CA.
• Diana P. Lynn (Maryland), a graduate of Loyola University Maryland with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Accounting, is employed with EY in Baltimore, MD.
• Alex Mannis (Arkansas), a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Finance, is employed with the Arkansas Legislative Audit in Little Rock, AR
• Lisa Marchlewski (Michigan), a graduate of the University of Michigan with a BA in Economics and a Master of Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Detroit, MI.
• Kyle McDougle (Massachusetts), a graduate of Bentley University with a BS in Finance and Accounting and an MS in Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Boston, MA.
• Philip Meek (Arkansas), a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a BS in Accounting, Finance and Economics, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Springdale, AR.
• Gerard Don Padilla (California), a graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman with a BS in Business Administration and Accountancy, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in San Francisco, CA.
• Mark Bogdan Piorkowski (New York), a graduate of Boston College with a BS in Management, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in New York, NY.
• Mark W. Podeschi (Illinois), a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BS in Accountancy and a Master of Accounting Science, is employed with FTI Consulting in Chicago, IL.
• Michael Rozman Proppe (Michigan), a graduate of the University of Michigan with a BS in Statistics, a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Detroit, MI.
• Lacey M. Puls (Wisconsin), a graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Accounting and a Master of Professional Accountancy, is employed with Smith & Gesteland, LLP in Middleton, WI.
• Scott C. Radmall (Utah), a graduate of Brigham Young University with a BA in Economics and the University of Utah with a Master of Accounting, is employed with Goldman Sachs in Salt Lake City, UT.
• Daniel Rakad (California), a graduate of San Diego State University with a BS in Accountancy, is employed with EY in San Diego, CA.
• Andrew D. Reyes (New York), a graduate of CUNY with a BA in Accounting and Economics and Fordham University with a MS in Taxation, is employed with EY in New York, NY.
• Daniel Paul Rost (Pennsylvania), a graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a BS in Finance and Accounting and an MS in Accounting, is employed with EY in Pittsburgh, PA.
• Addison Nicole Deavers Scott (Arkansas), a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a BSBA in Accounting and Finance, a BSIB in International Economics, and a Master of Accounting, is employed with EY in Rogers, AR.
• Grant Michael Searcy (Utah), a graduate of Brigham Young University-Idaho with a BS in Accounting and The Ohio State University with a Masters in Accounting, is employed with EY in Salt Lake City, UT.
• Grant Tyler Seuferer (Iowa), a graduate of Iowa State University with a Master of Accounting, is employed with Deloitte Tax in Des Moines, IA.
• Emily L. Slaga (Michigan), a graduate of the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Detroit, MI.
• Brent R. Smith (Illinois), a graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a BS in Accounting & Economics and an MS in Accountancy, is employed with Grant Thornton LLP in Chicago, IL.
• Amber Turner (Kansas), a graduate of Wichita State University with a BS in Accounting & Economics and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Koch Industries in Wichita, KS.
• Christopher Vasile (New York), a graduate of St. John’s University with a BS in Accounting and an MS in Taxation, is employed with KPMG LLP in New York, NY.
• Qiaoli Wang (Illinois), a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with an MS in Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Chicago, IL.
• Michael Thomas Westendorf (Ohio), a graduate of the University of Dayton with a BS in Business Administration and Psychology and an MBA with a concentration in Accounting, is employed with RSM US LLP in Moraine, OH.
• Grzegorz Wiktor (Oregon), a graduate of Polish Open University, Oxford Brookes University, and Portland State University with a Bachelor in Financial Management, is employed at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Seattle, WA.
• Liang-Han Wuu (Virginia), a graduate of National Taiwan University with a BBA in Accounting and The University of Texas at Dallas with an MS in Accounting, is employed with VPT, Inc. in Blacksburg, VA.
• Bei Ye (Arizona), a graduate of the University of South Florida with a BS in Accounting and the University of Tampa with a MS in Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Phoenix, AZ.
• Austin G. Zarbuck (Illinois), a graduate of Augustana College with a BA in Accounting and Business Administration and The Ohio State University with a Master of Accounting, is employed with Grant Thornton, LLP in Chicago, IL.
• Shanfang (Jennifer) Zheng (New York), a graduate of Tsinghua University with a Bachelor of Accounting and the University of Notre Dame with an MS in Accountancy, is employed with Deloitte in San Francisco, CA.

A list of previous winners is available online.

About the AICPA

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is the world’s largest member association representing the accounting profession, with more than 412,000 members in 144 countries, and a history of serving the public interest since 1887. AICPA members represent many areas of practice, including business and industry, public practice, government, education and consulting.

The AICPA sets ethical standards for the profession and U.S. auditing standards for private companies, nonprofit organizations, federal, state and local governments. It develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination, and offers specialty credentials for CPAs who concentrate on personal financial planning; forensic accounting; business valuation; and information management and technology assurance. Through a joint venture with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), it has established the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation which sets a new standard for global recognition of management accounting.

The AICPA maintains offices in New York, Washington, DC, Durham, NC, and Ewing, NJ.

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