Donah to Succeed Pitter as President and CEO of MassCPAs

Amy Pitter will retire as President and CEO of MassCPAs on December 31, 2023, the organization has announced. The Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MassCPAs) is the state’s professional association, representing 11,500 members.

The search committee of MassCPAs’ Board of Directors unanimously elected Zach Donah, CAE, current Deputy CEO and former Vice President of Advocacy, to succeed Pitter as President and CEO, effective January 1, 2024. As part of this planned leadership succession and in connection with his promotion, Donah was named Deputy CEO, effective May 1, 2023.

“I am thrilled Zach was selected, as no one is better suited to lead MassCPAs at such an important time in the profession,” said Pitter. “In the years I’ve worked with Zach, he has developed a track record of leadership, not only in the accounting industry, but also within the association and business communities. His vision will be instrumental in guiding the profession, growing the accounting pipeline and maintaining the Society’s unwavering commitment to helping our members learn, connect and prosper.”

MassCPAs Board Chair Laura O’Brien, CPA, MST, commented, “On behalf of MassCPAs’ Board of Directors, I’d like to extend our sincere thanks to Amy for her eight years of service to the Society and its members. Under her leadership, MassCPAs has grown and cemented itself as a trailblazer and voice of reason in the accounting industry and business community, with a trusted brand reputation and strategic outlook. Amy’s efforts have earned her the utmost respect from the Board, membership and employees, and we wish her the best in her retirement.”

As former Commissioner at the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Pitter was named President and CEO of MassCPAs in 2015. Donah joined the Society in 2013 and has worked alongside Pitter to champion many of the Society’s strategic priorities, including advocacy, pipeline, government affairs and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) initiatives. Pitter added, “I am honored to have led MassCPAs for nearly a decade and am grateful for the many opportunities and experiences I’ve had throughout my career. I’m extremely proud of our team and their dedication to our members. Given the strength of our people and culture, and under Zach’s leadership, I believe MassCPAs is well-positioned to thrive in the years ahead.”

“The Board is very pleased to announce Zach as Amy’s successor,” said O’Brien. “Zach’s promotion was the culmination of a deliberate and strategic succession planning process, through which we expect a seamless transition. He is a steadfast leader with experience, industry perspective and passion to successfully execute the Society’s strategic goals, building on Amy’s incredible legacy. We are delighted to have Zach at the helm as the accounting profession enters its next phase of growth.”

Donah commented, “I am excited to serve as MassCPAs’ next President and CEO. I’m grateful to the Board for their confidence and their partnership, and I would like to thank Amy for her sound guidance and strategic leadership over the years. Her contributions to the Society and the profession are enormous and deserve much recognition and celebration. MassCPAs is a key voice in the Commonwealth, the accounting profession and community as a whole. We have a solid foundation and long history of shaping the CPA community in Massachusetts, and I am honored to work with our talented team and lead the Society into the future.”