News from the Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy

Jan Lewis: Leading Globally

ASAC alumna Jan Lewis stands out among her peers. The 1985 summa cum laude graduate has been elected Board Chair of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). The organization represents 574,000 members across 150 countries. The position also means she has the dual role of chairing the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

She has served AICPA for 25 years, including chairing the Tax Executive Committee, helping set policy and standards and testifying on Capitol Hill. A Tax Member at BMSS Advisors & CPAs, she is the 113th chairperson and only the ninth woman to serve as Chair. She is also the first from Mississippi, and she wants the profession to take notice.

AICPA Board Chair and Mississippi State alumna Jan Lewis with ASAC Director Shawn Mauldin

“What means the most to me is that I’m from Mississippi, and this platform allows me to share with the world how smart and talented we are,” she says.

In college, Lewis was reluctant to follow her brother and sister into accounting, but once she took the Principles of Accounting class required for her general business major, she was hooked. She switched to an accountancy major and found that tax held a real interest for her. This profession seemed to fit who she was.

She credits Dr. Mark Lehman for teaching her real-world applications in the classroom and Billy Simmons for giving her the opportunity to implement those in her part-time job at his Starkville accounting firm.

Dr. Dora Herring was also impactful in her life, especially after she graduated. Having the legendary Herring break barriers for women in the field meant she was someone Lewis could go to for advice.

Lewis’ passion for the accounting profession is characterized by a foundation of caring for her individual clients. She believes accountants should be highly trusted advisors, helping their clients resolve tax concerns, make wise business decisions and plan for their futures.

She brings that focus to her tenure as AICPA Board Chair, which has her traveling the world advocating for the profession and encouraging members.

“I try to make sure we’re listening and responding to their needs,” Lewis says.

Lewis was first attracted to Mississippi State as a high school senior when she visited the campus, and it “felt right.” She says it was the family atmosphere that drew her to enroll. It is that same family feeling that keeps her returning to campus.

She is an ardent MSU sports fan, particularly enjoying football and baseball seasons. She also has dedicated her time to serving on the ASAC Advisory Council for more than 20 years, twice holding the Chair position.

We are grateful to have someone with such integrity and insight leading our profession and are particularly appreciative that she commits her time to the university that she loves. Her dedication to our students and the future of the accounting field is evident in the way she invests herself in our program. The Adkerson School of Accountancy could have no better advocate waving the banner for us across the globe than Jan Lewis.

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