The 2023 Top 100 People: Mentoring the next generation

December 28, 2023 9:00 AM

Nearly all of the 2023 Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting — unsurprisingly — mentor someone (and often some people). So we wanted to know what these relationships mean to them.

After asking if they mentored anyone, we followed up with: "What do you get out of it?"

Many of the Top 100 reported that, in their perception, they gained far more value out of the arrangement than their mentees, and a large amount even shared that these connections gave them hope for the future of accounting.

(To see the full responses of all the candidates for the Top 100, click here.)

I believe as leaders we need to stay connected – from the youngest person we can impact to the most senior. We can learn from everyone – and we need to be connected to stay relevant and do our best leading our organizations.

— Jennifer Leary, CEO, CliftonLarsonAllen

There is no greater accomplishment for a leader than to be surpassed by those they mentor.

— Richard Jones, chair, Financial Accounting Standards Board

Derrick Lilly

I'm proud of the number of individuals from historically marginalized communities that I've mentored and supported throughout my life. It's incredibly fulfilling to help steward highly talented and motivated individuals to help them seize opportunities to contribute.

— Geoffrey Brown, president and CEO, Illinois CPA Society

Froemming-LeDuc-Denise-California CPA Society

Honestly, I often derive more from the experience than they do. It is a privilege I deeply cherish and never take for granted! The opportunity to inspire someone, to illuminate paths they might not have noticed, or to offer alternative perspectives is profoundly rewarding. It's not merely about sharing knowledge but also about learning from them, gaining fresh insights, and enhancing my own understanding. Especially in today's rapidly evolving world, the human touch and genuine understanding have become paramount. Engaging in dialogues that might not always align with my views but are respectful and tolerant is vital for growth and fostering a culture of continuous learning and empathy – which today separates true leaders.

— Denise LeDuc Froemming, president and CEO, California Society of CPAs

I believe mentoring is a valuable two-way process. While I can pass on experiences and processes in decision making, I can better understand the evolution of new ways of thinking by a younger, future leader.

— Ken Bishop, president and CEO, National Association of State Boards of Accountancy

Not only has this experience been rewarding and enriching for me, it's been a wonderful way to peek through the eyes of next generation of professionals (the challenges they face, and their mindset to address them). Very much a win-win.

— David Cieslak, EVP, chief cloud officer, RKL eSolutions LLC

I love investing in and supporting people in my personal and professional life. It is truly rewarding to assist and watch others in their development and progress. I believe we should all invest in others, whether people invested in us or not. Many times, when I ask my clients and students to reflect on the best leaders they have had in their careers, they remark they haven't had many good ones. Many times, we learn as much from mediocre or "bad" leaders as we do from good ones.

— Angie Grissom, owner, chief relationship officer, The Rainmaker Companies

I get the satisfaction of helping the next generation uncover their blind spots regarding opportunities available to them and I also better understand the next generation's wants and needs, which helps me uncover my own blind spots, enabling me to better serve the profession.

— Andrej Suskavcevic, president and CEO, Financial Executives International and Financial Education & Research Foundation

Terri Keefer

It's a tremendous honor! What I appreciate most is how much I learn from mentees—they inspire me and they teach me. I gain great insights about others and even myself through these relationships. There's so much truth in the old saying… I definitely find the older I get, the less I know.

— Michelle Golden River, owner/president, Fore LLC

Supporting their growth is top of the list and I do that by drawing on my professional experiences. It helps me grow as a leader, too. Through the conversations I have with mentees, I gain different insights, and diverse thoughts and opinions. This perspective helps me to make sure this is ultimately reflected in our culture.

— Elizabeth Beastrom, president, tax & accounting professionals, Thomson Reuters

Micah Highland Photography

The satisfaction and pride I receive from watching mentees gain confidence and succeed in their endeavors is priceless.

— Brian Becker, managing partner and CEO, RSM US

I was blessed to have multiple mentors that really helped me grow and understand the profession better, so its important to me that I pass that kindness on and support other women in their professional development. I learn from them just as much as I hope they learn from me. The younger generations have a unique lens and perspective, and we can all learn from each other's experiences.

— Kacee Johnson, VP, strategy & innovation, CPA.com

Okorie Ramsey of the AICPA and Kaiser Permanente

I believe to whom much is given, much is expected, and I think its important to pay it forward to support the next generation of professional. My personal mission is to live a life that matters, and I believe supporting individuals in advancing and growing within their careers is part of my life's mission.

— Okorie Ramsey, chair, AICPA & Association of International Certified Professional Accountants

Scott Wynn

Establishing a two-way dialogue about what somebody wants to achieve in their life and career can give you a fresh perspective while ensuring that you are being inclusive and intentional in your own professional journey.

— Paul Knopp, chair and CEO, KPMG LLP

Helping someone establish goals, identify, and remove roadblocks, take the steps needed to crush their goals, and then take a leap forward is SO gratifying. I am in awe of, wowed by, and humbled by the amazing transformations that I am fortunate to witness in others. Of all the things I do, it's my very favorite thing.

— Jennifer Wilson, co-founder and partner, ConvergenceCoaching LLC

I get out of it the joy and personal fulfillment when I see the spark in their eyes and expression on their faces when they "get it." That gives me a high and personal satisfaction that I am able to assist young staff in getting started in their careers and of the many people who I mentored that have become extremely successful.

— Edward Mendlowitz, emeritus partner, WithumSmith+Brown, PC

This is one of the most rewarding areas of my career. I have spent 55 years of my life (25 within this profession) accumulating knowledge and wisdom, much of which I learned through the proverbial school of hard knocks. I now have the incredible opportunity, and privilege, of offering this knowledge and wisdom to others without them having to take the same "knocks."

— Joe Woodard, CEO, Woodard

For me, leadership is a passion, and mentorship is channeling that passion into an investment in someone else's development and success – not just to help them in their career, but to help them continue to evolve and grow their worldview and pursue what makes them happy. It is rewarding to see someone you've mentored develop and achieve their goals.

— Kalil Merhib, VP, growth & professional services, CPA.com

PCAOB

I would not be where I am in my career today without the support of incredible mentors and sponsors who believed in me and promoted me at pivotal moments in my career. I continue to rely on my mentors and sponsors to this day. And I am grateful to have the opportunity to pay it forward by mentoring others.

— Erica Williams, chair, PCAOB

I believe in paying it forward by passing on the insights from my experience to the next generation - to empower them and help them develop their purpose to make a positive impact from their services to their clients and society. There is no better satisfaction than helping others live better lives.

— Hitendra Patil, president, global finance and accounting services, Datamatics Business Solutions

Donny Shimamoto of Intraprise Techknowlogies

Seeing someone grow both professionally and personally is one of the greatest rewards. Some of my mentees are now also managing others and I see them share some of the philosophies and approaches that they learned from me to their mentees. That's the greatest compliment and makes me feel like I'm really contributing to the improvement of the profession.

— Donny Shimamoto, founder and managing director, IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC

Yes – I help develop those who are following my path to success through social media, and in the process making the profession more accessible to a new generation.

— Jason Staats, founder, Realize LLC

Each connection teaches me something new, and I've learned that one of the most rewarding aspects of a successful mentorship is the growth you and your mentee achieve together… Mentorship can't be a one-way street; we should always be open to learning just as much from our mentees as they may learn from us. As the saying goes: "In learning, you will teach, and in teaching, you will learn."

— Seth Siegel, CEO, Grant Thornton

Jon Williams

By helping others, I get rejuvenated seeing them work really hard to change their mindset and the way they operate so they can find happiness.

I have also been a supporter of women and have many that reach out to me through social media or set meetings to go over their struggles and their goals. I see hope that if more and more women starting supporting each other that we can get more women in leadership positions in the firms which will in turn change culture by having different perspectives and ways of thinking at the leadership table.

— Amy Vetter, CEO, The B3 Method Institute

Wright-Candace-Postlethwaite & Netterville

I enjoy watching their confidence grow and the development of their leadership skills. What I enjoy the most is when I observe them mentoring someone else on something that we worked on together. I feel like it's being passed on!

— Candace Wright, chair of the Private Company Council of the Financial Accounting Foundation