Cindy Adams CPA, CGMA, CPI

After earning an accounting degree from Drake University, Adams, like many ISCPA members, began her
career working at a CPA firm. In 1986, she joined Holmes Murphy & Associates as accounting manager
and was later named controller. In 1995, she transferred to the information technology department. Within
two years, Adams was promoted to vice president of the IT department where she managed a staff of 20.
Throughout her CPA career, Adams was involved with ISCPA as a volunteer and leader. She chaired
various committees, participated in multiple member programs, served as president in 2004-05 and was on
the Nominating Committee from 2005 to 2008, and again in 2011. When Stan Bonta announced his plans to
retire, Adams long-held passion for ISCPA and desire to give back to her profession propelled her to make
a career change and succeed Bonta as executive director in 2012. She was later named CEO in 2013.
Adams leadership skills, knowledge of the profession, strategic vision and more than 30 years of business
experience, coupled with her gregarious personality and collaborative and consensus-building abilities have
already served her well as the current CEO. She was a member of the 2013-14 AICPA Future of Learning
Task Force, was named a state executive representative to the AICPA National Accreditation Commission
(NAC) and elected to the CPA Society Executives (CPA/SEA) Association Board of Directors in 2014. The
board oversees the organizations role in helping members achieve excellence in the management of their
organizations, a position that fits well with Adams role as ISCPA CEO.
During her short tenure, Adams has already made notable contributions on behalf of ISCPA members by
launching a young professionals group (LEAP) in 2013, the Iowa CPA Education Foundation in 2014 and
restructuring the Societys ten original chapters into five geographic regional alliances. The Society has a
full slate of initiatives currently underway specific to enhancing continuing education, membership value,
career awareness and advancing ongoing member advocacy efforts. Under her direction, Adams facilitated
relocation of ISCPA complete with an expanded and enhanced training enrichment center and state-ofthe-
art technology and communications capabilities. In addition, the Society recently completed a
rebranding project designed as a more current and accurate reflection of ISCPA today.