Distinguished Service to the Profession Award
Mark F. Manning, CPA
Mark F. Manning, CPA, has been selected to receive the prestigious Distinguished Service to the Profession Award from the Nebraska Society of CPAs, celebrating his exceptional commitment to the accounting profession. A respected practitioner and firm leader with a career spanning more than four decades, Mark has exemplified steady leadership, professional excellence, and deep dedication to the accounting profession in Nebraska.
Mark graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1981 and began working at Peat Marwick (now KPMG). He received his CPA certificate in 1982, launching a career that would shape both his life and the communities he has served. In 1988, he founded Manning and Associates, PC, in Crete, Neb. Just four years later, he expanded his practice by acquiring an office in Geneva, Neb. The two locations were consolidated in 2000.
As president of Manning and Associates, Mark has built a firm grounded in trust, technical competence, and community engagement. He has guided individuals, families, and businesses through financial challenges and opportunities, developing a reputation not only as a skilled CPA but also as a reliable partner who cares deeply about the people he serves. His work ethic has made him a fixture in southeast Nebraska’s professional and civic life.
Beyond his client work, Mark has contributed tirelessly to the growth and integrity of the accounting profession. A proud member of the Nebraska Society of CPAs for 41 years, he has been actively engaged in Society activities across decades of change, always championing the Society’s mission to advance and strengthen the profession. His leadership spans four years on the Society Board of Directors, 17 years on the Society Foundation Board of Trustees—where he served as both president and secretary—and 12 years on the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Committee, including a term as chairman. He also volunteered extensively with the Society’s former Peer Review Committee before peer review was officially formalized.
In addition, Mark has been deeply engaged in civic leadership. In the early 1990s, he served as president of the Crete Chamber of Commerce and was heavily involved with Sertoma, reflecting his belief that building communities and building the profession are closely intertwined.
In 2020, Mark was appointed—and reappointed in 2024—to the Nebraska Board of Public Accountancy, where he continues to provide leadership on issues critical to the profession’s future. He serves on the State Board’s CPE Committee, helping ensure Nebraska CPAs meet the highest standards of continuing professional education. As chairman of the Peer Review Committee, he plays a central role in upholding the profession’s commitment to quality and accountability.
Mark’s distinguished career reflects a rare balance of professional achievement, service to others, and unwavering dedication to public trust. Whether advising a client in Crete, traveling to Geneva to meet with a local business, raising scholarship dollars to support the Society’s Foundation, or shaping policy as a member of the State Board, he has consistently put service first.
The Nebraska Society of CPAs is proud to recognize Mark Manning with the 2025 Distinguished Service to the Profession Award—the Society’s highest award—for his decades of leadership, his commitment to excellence, and his enduring contributions to the accounting profession in Nebraska.
Public Service Award
Dennis D. Blackman, CPA
For more than half a century, Dennis D. Blackman, CPA, has exemplified what it means to be both a professional leader in accounting and a servant leader in his community. As president and founder of Blackman & Associates, PC, in Omaha, Neb., Dennis has spent more than 50 years providing trusted expertise in auditing, taxation, and management advisory services. His career has been defined by integrity, excellence, and a commitment to the next generation. His long-standing record of civic and charitable leadership sets him apart as this year’s recipient of the Nebraska Society of CPAs’ Public Service Award
Dennis began his career in public accounting after earning both a BSBA in accounting and an MBA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Over the years, he has developed expertise across industries including construction, real estate, finance, retail, and emerging companies.
While managing the demands of running a firm, Dennis found time to share his expertise with the profession. He authored articles for national publications such as Taxes: The Tax Magazine, Management Accounting, and The CPA Journal, tackling subjects from retirement planning to corporate strategy and staff recruitment.
Dennis’ impact has extended far beyond his own practice. He is a 48-year member of the Nebraska Society of CPAs, serving on the board of directors, chairing committees, instructing Society courses, and being a fervent supporter of the Society’s Foundation. Nationally, he is a long-time member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
Dennis’ alma mater has also benefited greatly from his service. He was chairman of the National Advisory Board for the University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Business Administration, helping guide the college’s vision. In 1990, UNO honored him with its Alumni Achievement Award, recognizing both his professional accomplishments and his dedication to the university.
Dennis has been equally active in civic leadership across Omaha. He served on the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and as a director and treasurer of the Metropolitan Omaha Builders Association.
Dennis has dedicated years of service—including two as chairman—to the Nebraska Methodist Hospital Foundation. Years ago, a critical asthma attack left him dependent on the lifesaving care of Methodist Hospital—a turning point where he translated his gratitude into both service and philanthropy.
Whether serving as a CPA, an educator, a board chairman, or a philanthropist, Dennis has consistently exemplified the highest standards of professionalism and civic duty. His career reminds us that the role of a CPA extends far beyond financial statements and tax returns—it is also about stewardship, leadership, and service.
Dennis has built a respected accounting practice, led professional organizations, guided civic institutions, and, alongside his wife Cathy, invested deeply in Omaha’s healthcare and educational communities. His leadership and generosity have touched thousands of lives, and he continues to embody the values of service and professionalism. For these reasons, the Nebraska Society of CPAs is proud to recognize Dennis Blackman with its 2025 Public Service Award.
Outstanding CPA in Business & Industry Award
Edward T. Regan
Today, nearly half of the Society’s members do not practice public accounting but instead have careers as educators, in government, or in a variety of capacities in business and industry in Nebraska. One of those outstanding Society members is Edward T. Regan, who is the recipient of the Society’s 2025 Outstanding CPA in Business and Industry Award—an honor he received shortly before his passing on Nov. 8, 2025.
Although Ed left public accounting in 1969, he continued to apply the knowledge and expertise he acquired during that time to become one of Nebraska’s most respected wealth management advisors.
Early in his career, he combed through SEC 10K reports to identify some investment opportunities, applying the analytical skills he gained through accounting—skills he continued to use in evaluating investment managers.
Over the years, he served a broad range of investment clients, assisted their CPAs, and shared his knowledge with schools and nonprofits as chairman, board president, board member, treasurer, and investment committee member.
Ed earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Creighton University in 1960, passing the CPA exam before graduation. In college, he worked for Brandeis, first in the men’s clothing department and later in the accounting department. After graduation, he became Brandeis’ internal auditor and soon joined Haskin & Sells (now Deloitte) in Omaha, Neb., as an audit department staff accountant.
He practiced public accounting for 10 years, holding audit positions with accounting firms in Omaha, Neb., Nebraska City, Neb., and Mankato, Minn. During this time, he specialized in electric utilities, providing services to small and large businesses including OPPD.
In 1969, he left public accounting and joined Dean Witter’s investment training program in San Francisco. This launched a 56-year career in Omaha with firms including Dean Witter; Chiles, Heider & Co.; Dain, Kalman & Quail; Robert W. Baird; Kemper Securities; and First Securities. In 1979, he opened the Omaha branch of EF Hutton, which later became Lehman Brothers’ Securities. As EF Hutton’s Omaha branch manager, he helped some major corporations go public.
Ed was a member of the first class to earn the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation from The Wharton School of Business at Penn State. This distinction required extensive graduate-level coursework and examination. He helped found the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA, now known as the Investment & Wealth Institute, IWI) and also chaired the continuing education classes required to maintain the CIMA designation. IMCA recognized him twice for his significant contributions to the industry.
In 2000, alongside his son Pat, he co-founded The Regan Group Inc., a wealth management consulting firm specializing in separate account management. Until his passing, Ed continued to assist clients at the Regan Group and prepared the firm’s monthly market newsletter, analyzing economic data and investment trends.
Outstanding Accounting Educator Award
Elizabeth L. Forbes, CPA, DBA
Elizabeth L. “Lisa” Forbes, CPA, DBA, is being honored with the Nebraska Society of CPAs’ 2025 Outstanding Accounting Educator Award for her remarkable contributions to the classroom, the profession, and the community. A dedicated teacher, mentor, and leader, Lisa has spent more than two decades inspiring students not only to master accounting concepts but also to connect theory with practice in meaningful ways.
Lisa is program director of the business program and the AdventHealth Endowed Chair of Business Administration at Union Adventist University in Lincoln, Neb. Since joining the faculty in 2002, she has inspired hundreds of students through her teaching in accounting and finance, weaving together theory and practice in courses ranging from Principles of Accounting and Intermediate Accounting to Governmental Accounting, Auditing, and Business Analytics. Her classes are known for their energy, interactivity, and real-world relevance. She incorporates case studies, professional speakers, CPA exam preparation, and budgeting simulations that bring accounting concepts to life.
Before entering academia, Lisa spent eight years in public accounting. She began her career at Baird, Kurtz & Dobson and later advanced to audit manager with Deloitte in Lincoln, where she worked with clients such as the University of Nebraska, Lincoln Public Schools, National Bank of Commerce, Ameritas, and Nebraska Book Company. These experiences continue to shape her classroom instruction, grounding her lessons in practical knowledge.
A licensed Nebraska CPA since 1992 and a 25-year Society member, Lisa earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration, summa cum laude, from Union College, followed by an MBA in finance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She completed her Doctor of Business Administration at Anderson (Ind.) University in 2016.
Lisa’s dedication to students extends beyond the classroom. She assists with Union’s mentorship program, pairing students with business professionals for career guidance. She advises dozens of students annually, helping them chart academic and professional paths. Her students consistently praise her ability to make complex topics understandable, her enthusiasm for teaching, and her genuine investment in their success. Twice, students have recognized her with Union Adventist University’s coveted Teacher of the Year award.
Colleagues and students alike describe Lisa as an inspiring role model who sets high standards while creating a supportive environment. As one former student wrote, “She truly puts her students’ success above all else, ensuring they are fully prepared for the workforce.”
In addition to her academic leadership, Lisa has been active in service to the church, community, and profession, from serving on finance committees and nonprofit boards to presenting personal finance workshops and contributing to professional training events.
For her unwavering commitment to excellence in teaching, her mentorship of future CPAs, and her leadership in advancing accounting education, the Nebraska Society of CPAs is proud to present Dr. Lisa Forbes with the Outstanding Accounting Educator Award.
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