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Accounting

Illinois CPA Society President and CEO Receives Special Achievement Award

Geoffrey Brown, CAE, received this award in recognition of his exceptional achievements while serving as NAPFA’s CEO, a position he held for nine years before joining ICPAS in late 2022.

Geoffrey Brown, CAE.

The president and CEO of the Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS) has been honored with the 2023 National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) Special Achievement Award.

The NAPFA Special Achievement Award is presented to non-members whose service greatly enhanced the environment for fee-only financial advisors or the advising profession and helped provide consumer education on the benefits of a comprehensive financial plan and highly qualified advisor.

Geoffrey Brown, CAE, received this award in recognition of his exceptional achievements while serving as NAPFA’s CEO, a position he held for nine years before joining ICPAS in late 2022. During his tenure at NAPFA, Brown is regarded for formalizing the long-term strategic planning process and reorientation of the association’s board of directors; expanding large firm engagement; serving as an active and effective spokesperson to the media and public; collaborating with external stakeholders to grow NAPFA’s reach, influence, and membership; and launching NAPFA’s DEI Initiative and DEI Training & Certificate Program—which was recognized with a “Wealthies” Award in 2022 from WealthManagement.com—among other notable accomplishments.

“It’s great to see Geof being recognized for his valuable contributions as an association executive. His prior achievements exemplify why we were thrilled to appoint him as the society’s new president and CEO,” says ICPAS Chairperson Jonathan Hauser, CPA, a partner with KPMG in Chicago. “His accomplishments while leading NAPFA, an organization with many similarities to ours, are commendable, and we look forward to seeing what he achieves next as he guides the Illinois CPA Society through a new era of its 120-year history.”

Brown, currently a Chicago resident, is a native of Fort Washington, Md. and an alum of the University of Maryland, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in government and politics. Brown also holds the certified association executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). A dedicated volunteer leader, Brown is an active ASAE member and serves on the boards of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and the Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values.