Kopsa grew up in the small town of Cordova, graduating in 1966 from Exeter High School and then receiving a Bachelor of Arts from what is now the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 1970.

After college and two years of teaching accounting at Spencer Public High School, Kopsa went to work at Lindell, Sylvester & Lindell in York. He earned his CPA certificate in 1976 and a couple of years later became a partner. The firm experienced various transitions over the next two decades. In 1999, the firm morphed into Kopsa Otte & Associates, with Candy Otte as partner and Stacey Stark subsequently becoming partner.

Kopsa Otte is a 25-plus member firm that concentrates in tax planning, consulting, and business support and solutions. The firm focuses on specific industries, including agriculture, small business, and the beauty industry. Because of this “niche” philosophy, the York, Neb.-based, firm serves clients in more than 40 states.

Kopsa was a member of Kopsa Otte, and its various predecessor firms, for 47 years. He retired at the end of 2018.

An author of numerous articles for various magazines and a frequent speaker, Kopsa has presented a wide range of seminars on management practices, sales and customer service, and corporate financial planning to diverse audiences throughout the United States. Those attending Nebraska Society of CPAs’ conferences as well as Kansas Society of CPAs’ events enjoyed Kopsa’s annual income tax updates for nearly 25 years. In addition, he served as an adjunct professor of taxation at York College for more than two decades as well as a featured instructor at various Nebraska Governor’s Agriculture Conferences and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Conventions over the years. Noted as an expert in the beauty industry, he also provided business talks for major distributor and salon conventions across the country and in Mexico.

Kopsa has been member of the Nebraska Society of CPAs for 45 years, serving on both the Taxation Committee and the Accounting Principles Committee for several years. In addition, he served as a Key Person for the Nebraska Society, helping to communicate the Society’s legislative positions to our elected officials and advocating for a legislative and regulatory environment that supports the accounting profession.

Heavily involved in numerous other local, state, and national professional activities, Kopsa is well known and respected for his leadership skills, positive outlook, boundless energy, and willingness to serve. He was a member of the American Institute of CPAs’ (AICPA’s) Small Business Taxation Committee; the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry Board of Directors, serving as chairman of the Chamber’s Small Business Council; York Industries Board, serving as president and as a member of the Economic Development Committee; City of York Planning Commission; Nebraska Diplomats Inc.; York Community Foundation Board of Directors; York Chamber of Commerce, serving as an ambassador; York United Fund, serving as president; York Sertoma, serving as president; Wessels Living History Farm, serving as president; and the Kilgore Memorial Library Foundation Board of Directors, serving as treasurer.

Kopsa and his wife Maggie still reside in York. Along with his volunteer work, he enjoys filling his retirement days with traveling, biking, painting, writing, and spending time with his wife, six children, 20 grandchildren and two great grandchildren—with an additional grandchild and another great grandchild on the way.

Throughout its 94-year history, the Nebraska Society of CPAs has had thousands of members. This year, Kopsa becomes only the 37th member to receive the Society’s highest award.