NASBA Announces 2020-21 Board Appointments

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NASHVILLE, Tenn., November 3, 2020 – The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) announces members of its Board of Directors for 2020-21. Members were installed today during NASBA’s 113th Annual Meeting.

A. Carlos Barrera, CPA, of Dripping Springs, TX, acceded to the office of chair. Barrera is a partner-emeritus at Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC and served six years on the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy, during which he chaired the Technical and Rules Committees and was a member of the Behavioral Enforcement Committee. He also served two years as Board treasurer and as presiding officer. A member of the NASBA Board of Directors since 2013, Barrera previously served as vice chair, director-at-large, treasurer and Southwest regional director of NASBA. He has also chaired NASBA’s Administrative and Finance, Global Strategies, Legislative Support and Standard Setting Advisory Committees, and was a member of the Executive and Relations with Member Boards Committees. Barrera’s professional affiliations include NASBA, the American Institute of CPAs and the Texas Society of CPAs.

W. Michael Fritz, CPA, of Blacklick, OH, was elected vice chair. Fritz served as treasurer of NASBA’s Board of Directors and also served as chair of NASBA’s Regulatory Response Committee. He is a former member of NASBA’s Standard-Setting Advisory, Relations with Member Boards, Ethics and Global Strategies Committees. Fritz is a past chair of the Accountancy Board of Ohio where he completed his seven-year term in December 2015 and is a past executive board member of the Ohio Society of CPAs. He is a retired partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP, in Columbus, OH, where he served as the industry professional practice director for state and local government, higher education and not-for-profit industries. He is a graduate of Ohio University.

Jimmy Burkes, CPA, of Miramar Beach, FL, was elected director-at-large. Burkes has served as both a member and chair of NASBA’s Administration and Finance Committee, as well as chaired NASBA’s Audit and Bylaws Committees. He also served the association as treasurer for two years, director-at-large for five years, and Southeast regional director for three years. In addition, Burkes served as a member of NASBA’s Compliance Assurance, Regulatory Response and Awards Committees. He is a retired partner with Haddox Reid Eubank Betts PLLC, in Jackson, MS, where he served as the partner responsible for administration and supervision of the assurance practice, litigation support and business valuation engagements. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi.

Nicola Neilon, CPA, CGMA, of Carson City, NV, was elected director-at-large. Neilon has served NASBA for over six years as Mountain regional director, member of the Enforcement Resources Committee, Accountancy Stakeholders Working Group and the Strategic Planning and Reorganization Impact Taskforces. She has also chaired the Legislative Support and Relations with Member Boards Committees. Most recently, Neilon was appointed to the AICPA’s Board of Examiners and she will be serving as the chair of NASBA’s Standard-Setting and Professional Trends Advisory Committee. She is a founding shareholder and principal of Casey Neilon, an accounting firm in Nevada with offices in Reno, and Carson City. Neilon’s area of specialty is auditing and she is a past chair of the audit issues group for Alliott Group North America.

Lynn Hutchinson, CPA, CGMA, of Ruston, LA, was elected Southwest regional director. Hutchinson has served as a member of NASBA’s Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Committee and Strategic Planning Task Force. Additionally, she has served on the State Board of CPAs of Louisiana since 2008 and was appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards to serve as the Board’s chair. Hutchinson is the CFO and secretary-treasurer of Lincoln Builders, Inc., a position she has held since 1994. Lincoln Builders is the parent company of three commercial contracting companies with gross revenues in excess of $100 million.

Kent Absec, of Boise, ID, was appointed Executive Directors Committee chair and executive directors’ liaison to the NASBA Board of Directors. Currently, Absec is the executive director of the Idaho State Board of Accountancy. He served on NASBA’s CBT Administration Committee for five years and has been a member of the Executive Directors Committee since 2019. Absec has extensive experience with all aspects of sales and customer service initiatives, staffing requirements, operations, employee training and development. Currently, he is in his third year as a member of the AICPA’s State Board Committee. Absec holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Boise State University.

Continuing Board Members:

Catherine R. Allen (Director-at-Large)
J. Coalter Baker (Director-at-Large)
J. Andy Bonner, Jr. (Southeast Regional Director)
John F. Dailey, Jr. (Director-at-Large)
Tyrone E. Dickerson (Director-at-Large)
Alison L. Houck (Middle Atlantic Regional Director)
Sharon A. Jensen (Director-at-Large)
Stephen F. Langowski (Northeast Regional Director)
Faye D. Miller (Central Regional Director)
Richard N. Reisig (Treasurer)
Jason D. Peery (Mountain Regional Director)
Katrina Salazar (Pacific Regional Director)
Stephanie M. Saunders (Secretary)
Laurie J. Tish (Past Chair)
Kenya Y. Watts (Great Lakes Regional Director)
Ken L. Bishop (President & CEO)