Illinois CPA Society Names Geoffrey Brown as Next President & CEO

The Illinois CPA Society announced today that Geoffrey Brown, CAE, will serve as its next President and CEO. He will start in the role on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022.

A seasoned executive, Brown brings more than 20 years of experience as an association professional. Currently, he is the CEO of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), the nation’s leading professional association of fee-only financial advisors. In his nine years there, Brown has transformed NAPFA by addressing organizational structure and brand challenges resulting in multiple years of double-digit growth in membership and revenue increases. He also led development of the organization’s DEI initiative to form a more diverse and inclusive membership by becoming a beacon of diversity within the financial planning profession.

Prior to NAPFA, Brown was an Account Executive with Sentergroup and an Association Manager at SmithBucklin Corporation, the world’s largest association management company.

In his new role, Brown will lead the Illinois CPA Society in its next chapter of growth and evolution as it continues a tradition of excellence in supporting the CPA profession in Illinois and beyond. One of the largest state CPA societies in the nation, it is the only professional association serving CPAs in Illinois and plays a prominent role nationally in guiding and shaping the future of the profession. Brown will be the fifth leader in the Illinois CPA Society’s 120-year history and its first Black President and CEO.

Board Chair Mary Fuller noted, “We are thrilled to welcome Geof as our next leader. The Society is poised to tackle leading challenges within the profession today and in the future. Geof is the right leader for our continued focus on enhancing the value of the CPA profession through the strategic initiatives of education, information, advocacy, and connections.”

Brown served as the Board Chair for the Association Forum and is also an active member in the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). He is also a Board Member for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values.

Brown holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland. He lives in Chicago with his family.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to join the Illinois CPA Society at such an important time for the profession. I am looking forward to partnering with the Society’s leadership and staff to focus on helping CPAs take advantage of the opportunities and overcome the challenges that lie ahead. The Society has a long history of growing and stewarding the CPA community in Illinois and I am honored to have been selected to lead it into the future,” said Brown.

The Society’s Board of Directors created a seven-member Search Committee comprised of current and former Board members to lead this search after Todd Shapiro, the Society’s current President and CEO, announced he was retiring in early 2023 after a 24-year career with the Society. The Search Committee partnered with executive search firm, Koya Partners, to find the next President and CEO.

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