Part 2 of 10
In honor of Black History Month, NCACPA would like to celebrate the diverse individuals who contributed to the success of the accounting profession and the association. Please join us in recognizing these trailblazers through a 10-part series of posts being published throughout February.
By D. Scott Showalter, CPA, CGMA, CGFM, Immediate Past Chair, NCACPA Board
The individuals highlighted in this series of posts represent minorities and have all made significant contributions to the accounting profession during their careers despite the many challenges they faced.
I’ll introduce everyone by asking a question that describes their respective contribution. I apologize in advance for any factual inaccuracies in this article. While researching, I ran across conflicting dates and proofs, settling on the facts that seem best supported. Either way, I don’t think it distracts from their significant accomplishments.
Who was the first woman CPA? She was born in Nova Scotia in 1873. In 1896, New York enacted licensure legislation and gave its inaugural CPA exam in December. This woman sat for the exam in June 1898 and scored among the top three in her group. Her certificate was delayed by state regents for 6 to 18 months because of her gender. Completing the requirements, she became the first woman CPA in the United States, receiving certificate no. 143 dated Dec. 21, 1899. For several years, she worked for Manning’s Yacht Agency in New York. Her clients included women’s organizations, wealthy women, and those in fashion and business. Who is she? Her name is Christine Ross.