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Date: 9/7/2021
AGAWAM – Donna Roundy, CPA and Agawam resident was selected as a 2021 Women to Watch Award winner by the Massachusetts Society of CPAs (MassCPAs) – the state professional association of certified public accountants with over 11,000 members in public accounting practice, industry and business, government and education.
“The awards recognize women who have outstanding contributions to the accounting profession, their communities, their firms or companies and to the development of women as leaders,” said Hannah Naranjo, communications/membership specialist at the MassCPAs.
She shared that Roundy is a senior manager at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C., in Holyoke. For over 30 years, Roundy has served in public accounting. Due to her commitment not only in the firm but also in the community, she was selected for this award, claimed Naranjo.
“Roundy oversees the HUD and nonprofit niches regarding client relations, staff training, regulatory requirements and engagement management at Meyers Brothers Kalicka. In addition, she has worked with the partners at the firm on organizational projects, including streamlining the audit process and project management initiatives.”
Naranjo added that Roundy is seen as a role model and mentor to several of the young professional women at the firm, always assisting and aligning goals with their career paths.
Outside of accounting, Roundy currently serves as treasurer and executive committee member of National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), and volunteers at numerous organizations including the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, the Springfield Boys and Girls Club, Square One, and so on.
Along with Roundy, there were seven individuals selected for the Women to Watch Award. This includes four Emerging Leader Winners – reserved for women with 15 years of experience or less, along with three (including Roundy) in the Experienced Leader category – reserved for professionals with more than 15 years of experience.
These seven individuals were selected from a judging panel consisting of MassCPAs President and CEO Amy Pitter, along with previous winners of this award. In order to be nominated, Naranjo said a firm must send in a nomination form. Nominees must be a part of MassCPAs and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). All of the nomination forms remain anonymous.
“We had a record this year with about 32 nominations,” said Naranjo.
On Oct. 28, award winners will be honored at MassCPAs’ Women’s Leadership Summit, set to take place at the Marriott Long Wharf in Boston. Here, Roundy will be able to bring her family and friends, as she will be presented with a panel. As of now, Naranjo said the event is still on, despite the ongoing changes with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“MassCPAs is proud to recognize the accomplishments of these remarkable women, and we are thrilled to honor Donna for her exceptional contributions to her peers, her community and the profession,” said Pitter.
Naranjo expressed her excitement for this program, along with the shared passion from her entire team. As this is the 13th year the awards will be given, they look forward to continuing this in the future.
To learn more about the 2021 Women to Watch Award winners, visit masscpas.org/winners2021.