By Joni Sundquist, Nebraska Society of CPAs
The Nominating Committee of the Nebraska Society of CPAs has recommended an outstanding slate of CPAs to serve in leadership positions for the 2020-2021 fiscal year during the Society Board of Directors meeting held at the NESCPA office in Lincoln and via Zoom on August 21. The membership is provided the opportunity to vote on the nominees during the Annual Meeting, which will be held via webcast on October 29 in conjunction with the Fall Conference.
“Dedicating time to volunteer for my profession has been very rewarding,” said Society Past Chairman and Nominating Committee Chairman Patrick A. Meyer of HBE in Lincoln. “Although volunteering requires some time away from the office, serving the profession through the Nebraska Society of CPAs has allowed me to build connections with fellow CPAs from across the country and be a part of decisions that could affect future CPAs,” he said.
“Volunteering is the right thing to do for so many reasons,” stated Society Chairman Shari A. Munro of Frankel Zacharia in Omaha. “In spite of the pandemic and the challenges it has created, serving as your chairman this past year empowered me to make a positive impact on the profession and to engage in ways I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.” Munro had the opportunity to testify before the Nebraska Legislature earlier this year, where she quickly recognized the ability of the Society to educate and influence our state senators and other elected officials. “The Society allows us to speak with one voice in the legislative and regulatory arenas,” she said. “We’re all part of the same team—making decisions to benefit the profession, fighting for issues that are important to us, and advancing thought where one individual or one organization may not be able to do so as effectively.”
“It’s been a privilege to contribute to the profession while serving side by side with my fellow CPAs,” said Society Secretary Kelly J. Martinson of Lutz in Omaha, whose term on the Society Board has drawn to an end. “Fortunately, we have a group of energetic and highly experienced leaders who will continue to guide and move our Society forward this coming year,” she stated. “I’m proud to present the following slate of candidates for the upcoming Society year. Congratulations to the nominees for 2020-2021.”
- CHAIRMAN: Ryan L. Burger, Gabriel, Burger & Else, CPA, PC, Seward
- CHAIRMAN-ELECT: Erica R. Parks, BKD LLP, Omaha
- DIRECTOR: Linda M. Scholting, Linda M. Scholting, CPA, Springfield
- DIRECTOR: Jessica L. Watts, Seim Johnson LLP, Omaha
The Society extends a sincere thank you to Martinson for her service on the NESCPA Board and Executive Committee. We also look forward to working with the newly nominated directors. Without a doubt, leadership and involvement are the greatest contributions you can make to your Society and your profession.
Ryan L. Burger
FOR CHAIRMAN: RYAN L. BURGER
Ryan L. Burger of Lincoln is an investment advisor representative at Gabriel, Burger & Else, CPA, PC in Seward. He graduated from Kearney High School before attending Concordia University in Seward. After receiving bachelor’s degrees in both accounting and business administration, Burger worked for four years at the Nebraska State Auditor’s Office before joining Gabriel, Burger & Else, CPA, PC in February 2009. In 2004, he was honored with Concordia University’s Outstanding Graduate in Business award. Burger joined the Society in 2008 and has served as chairman of the Accounting Careers Committee for five years. He has been on the Society’s Board of Directors for the past three years. In addition to his role as an adjunct professor in both auditing and tax for Concordia University, Burger serves on Concordia’s Board of Regents and on various committees. He also continues to provide leadership to various local and statewide organizations, including the Seward Memorial Library Foundation, Et Cetera Thrift Shop, Mental Health Association of Nebraska, Stone Bridge Creek Homeowners Association, and Fallbrook Homeowners Association. He is a member of the AICPA as well. Burger enjoys sports and spending time with his wife Lisa, who is a former teacher at Lincoln Lutheran Middle & High School. They are members of Christ Lutheran Church in Lincoln and have three children: Kylie, Lexie, and Dylan.
Erica R. Parks
FOR CHAIRMAN-ELECT: ERICA R. PARKS
Erica R. Parks of Omaha is a managing director in the tax practice at BKD CPAs & Advisors. A native of the Baltimore area, Parks graduated from the University of Maryland at College Park in 1994. Shortly thereafter, she began her career in tax accounting with the Washington, D.C., office of Arthur Andersen. She then worked in the tax practice at Ernst & Young as a senior tax manager out of the McLean, Virginia, office. Prior to joining BKD, Parks was a tax partner at Hancock & Dana in Omaha. She is also a member of the AICPA. Since moving to Omaha in 2003, Parks has become actively involved in the local community. She has been on the Nebraska Society of CPAs’ Taxation Committee for more than a decade, serving as chairman of the committee for the past five years and vice chairman for three years prior to that. She has served on the Society Board of Directors for the past three years. Parks currently serves on the budget committee for the Jewish Federation of Omaha. She and her husband, Michael Parks, enjoy spending time with their four children: Camden Parks, Adrianna Parks, Jack Rubin, and Ethan Rubin.
Linda M. Scholting
FOR DIRECTOR: LINDA M. SCHOLTING
Linda M. Scholting of Springfield is an accomplished finance executive and controller with more than 30 years of experience in healthcare, financial services, branded food, and public accounting. She started her accounting career with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), formerly Coopers & Lybrand, and has held management roles with various businesses over the years, including Conagra; Nashua Label Products; Nexterna Inc., a subsidiary of Union Pacific Corp.; First National Bank of Omaha; Nebraska Medicine; and Mosaic Health System. She presently is running her own consulting business. She earned both a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She is also a Certified Treasury Professional. Scholting has been a member of the Nebraska Society of CPAs for 33 years, serving on the Society’s Not-For-Profit Committee for the past several years, and is also an AICPA member. In addition, she is a member of the UNO Department of Accounting Advisory Board and the Association of Financial Professionals. In addition, she is a past president, treasurer, and board member of the American Society of Women Accountants. Scholting has served in numerous leadership roles for a wide range of other service and charitable organizations, including Global Partners in Hope, Hospice House, Awana, Christ Community Church, and River City Camp Fire Boys & Girls. She is married to Chris and has three daughters and one grandson.
Jessica L. Watts
FOR DIRECTOR: JESSICA L. WATTS
Jessica L. Watts of Omaha is a senior manager for Seim Johnson LLP, where she provides compliance, accounting, compensation, and business valuation consulting services for a variety of industries with a focus in healthcare. Prior to the start of her career with Seim Johnson in August 2019, Watts gained experience in higher education by providing accounting, operational, and management oversight as director of business operations and auxiliary services for the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She also has experience in federal, state, local, and international taxation through her work in the tax department at ACI Worldwide Inc., and she has multiple years of general public accounting, audit, and banking experience. Watts received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She presently serves on the Society’s Legislation Committee and Business & Industry Committee. In addition to being a CPA, she is a Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP) and a member of the AICPA. She and her husband Dan, who is director of risk management for OPPD, live in Omaha and enjoy spending time with their two young sons, Charlie and Liam.
Join more than 200 of your peers via webcast at the Annual Meeting and Fall Conference on October 29-30 by registering today. This year’s conference is being offered at a discount and features numerous outstanding speakers and topics! View the details and register today at https://nescpa.org/cpecoursedetails.php?id=4. t
Joni Sundquist is president and executive director of the Nebraska Society of CPAs. You may contact her at (402) 476-8482 or joni@nescpa.org.
This story appears in 2020 Issue 5 of the Nebraska CPA Magazine.
