ACE 2014 Award Recipient Recognized

Ronda Lawson, AAAPM, Director of Operations for The Henry Levy Group in Oakland, California, received the Association for Accounting Administration's ACE (Achievement, Commitment, Excellence) Award at the organization's June 2014 National Practice Management Conference in San Diego.

During the awards presentation, held in conjunction with the Conference's Fiesta, Norm Saale, AAAPM, outgoing Association President, noted Ronda's skills and qualities managing The Henry Levy Group's practice, to include facilities management, marketing, business development, client relations, billing, A/R, collections, finance and accounting, HR, recruiting and more.  She is the most senior employee next to the partner group and is a key member of the senior leadership team.

Ronda joined the firm in February 2014 and has made a significant impact with her positive attitude, enthusiasm, professionalism and organizational skills.  Through the learning of particular challenges with the firm, she has brought upon initial change with process improvements, particularly in the area of productivity as she identified shortcomings and reorganized the firm's administrative department.  She is the key to driving the firm's strategic initiatives by holding the partners accountable and implementing auditing processes. She has made changes and implemented solutions with minimal guidance and effectively communicated the situations and resolutions with the staff, showing the partners her excellent communication skills.  Ronda, formerly with BDO USA has continually demonstrated professionalism, integrity, a high degree of customer service and models a caring and collaborative work style.

The single largest reason she was nominated by the partner group has to do with the Association.  Her commitment to AAA has been impressive to the leadership team of the firm. Her most significant accomplishment?  Being able to adapt and use her talents and skills to help make the firm successful with confidence and minimal support.  She is a true leader in every sense of the word.

Ronda Lawson said, "I am overwhelmed with this honor but can honestly say that without AAA and the support of outstanding partner groups during my career, I would not have been able to make the change from a national firm to a local firm with confidence, knowledge and experience.  It is an honor to be nominated but to actually become an ACE Award Recipient is over the top."  According to partner group at The Henry Levy Group, "At the end of 2013, our firm, was in a transition period.  The ownership of the firm had changed and the new partner group had set large growth goals. We knew that in order to take our firm to the next level, we needed a Director of Operations who was up for the challenge.  We wanted a Director of Operations who could implement systems that would support growth, fine tune HR policies, lead by example, and facilitate and participate in partner meetings at a very high level.  In the short time Ronda Lawson has been with the Henry Levy Group, she has not only met our expectations, she has exceed them."

The ACE Award is the profession's most prestigious honor and as been presented at some of the country's most experienced and respected firm managers since its 1989 inception.  Recipients must hold a senior-level administration position for a public accounting firm with criteria focused on leadership and the administrator's strategic impact on the firm's profits and growth.

In addition to the honor on a personal and firm level, Ronda received a one-year complimentary AAA membership, free attendance at the 2015 AAA National Practice Management Conference in Orlando, and a handsome plaque.  

At the Conference, AAA continued its emphasis on its Firm Administrator certification program – the AAAPM™ (Accredited Administrator in Accounting Practice Management). Certification for Firm Administrators enhances the status and acceptance of the position within the industry, and creates a significant professional recognition for those managing accounting firms who achieve the Accredited Administrator in Accounting Practice Management (AAAPM)™ designation.

AAA is a recognized leader in CPA firm management delivering valuable education and collaboration opportunities for those interested in elevating their practice and strategically growing their firms. Achieving this by providing members with expert thinking, support, education, inspiration and advocacy.

To nominate a deserving individual for the 2015 ACE Award, click here.  The deadline is April 24, 2015.