Passion for the profession

Wendi Unger, CPA, spent four years at Oconomowoc High School dreaming of becoming a veterinarian. She had never taken an accounting course before she got to college. Then, as a freshman at Marquette University, she took Introduction to Accounting and aced the course. That ended any thoughts she had about working with animals. As it turned out, acing that course was the spark that lit a flame that’s burned for more than 30 years. And this year, she brings her passion to the WICPA board of directors as chair. Unger — now a partner with Baker Tilly, Milwaukee — graduated from Marquette in 1990 with a degree in accounting. She married her high school sweetheart shortly after. While still in college, she worked part time for William Rewolinski, CPA (then a sole practitioner, now with Chortek LLP), and after graduation she stayed on with his firm for six more years. Being newly married, starting a new career and commuting downtown every day from her home in Erin left little time for studying, so she took her time when it came to the CPA Exam and eventually got her CPA license in 2000. Then she joined the WICPA. Like many WICPA members, Unger believes in giving back, whether it’s volunteering her time for a good cause, contributing financially to charitable organizations or helping move the CPA profession forward. In her involvement with the WICPA, Unger has walked the talk in the following roles: • School District Audit Conference Planning

Committee, 2008–2020 o Chair, 2009–present • WICPA Educational Foundation board of directors, 2018–2019 o Strategic Planning Task Force o Scholarship Selection Committee • WICPA board of directors, 2014–2017 and 2018–present o Director, 2014–2017 o Nominations Committee, 2018–2019 o Chair-elect, 2019–2020 o Chair, present “I think it’s important to give back to a career and a profession that I’m very proud of and that I think has unlimited benefits for the people who decide to enter it,” she said. “So whatever I can do to move that forward so our profession continues to thrive, I’m going to do it.”

By Marcia Tillett-Zinzow

One of the aspects of Unger's job that she loves most is mentoring young professionals.

“I think it’s important to give back to a career and a profession that I’m very proud of and that I think has unlimited benefits for the people who decide to enter it.

Paul Frantz, CPA, also a partner with Baker Tilly and a member of the WICPA Educational Foundation board, said Unger’s passion for the industry drew him in very early in his career. “I would not be where I am today without her guidance and the empowerment she offered during my growth in our profession,” he said. “I am blessed to call her a friend and have her as a role model in my career on a daily basis.”

Crystallizing a vision

Unger’s vision for her term as board chair is simple: She wants to leave the organization and the profession in Wisconsin a little better than she found it. She’s not sure yet what the details of that will be, but she’s determined to make a difference. Once crystallized, her agenda just might include strategies to make the profession more appealing to high school students and encourage college students to take the CPA Exam.

Unger, who once thought she could never work for “a big firm,” has been with Baker Tilly for 22 years.

“I think we’ve had enough discussions about the decrease in enrollment in college accounting programs,” she said. “Now we need to ask ourselves why that is. What can we as an organization do to better promote our profession? How do we break the stereotypes and effectively deliver our message about what this profession really is?” Frantz, who has worked with Unger for more than 15 years, is confident she will achieve this goal and more. “She approaches life with full enthusiasm and with a mindset of collaboration and integrity to ensure appropriate outcomes are reached,” he said. “She will be a wonderful ambassador for our industry and the WICPA and a role model for our future leaders.” Unger’s enthusiasm for her own work as a partner with Baker Tilly speaks loudly about what the profession really is. She’s been with the firm since it was still Virchow Krause (VK), having come on board in 1998 when VK acquired Conley McDonald, where Unger had been working since 1996. “At that point, I contemplated whether or not I wanted to be in a ‘big’ firm,” she said. “We were nowhere near the size we are now, but VK was hundreds of people, and I thought Oh my gosh, I could never be part of a big firm! And now here I am — 4,000 people later, and Baker Tilly is going strong.” Unger explained why the profession is much more than being “just” an auditor or a tax preparer, which is what many young people may think. “It’s the involvement you have with your clients. It’s the people you meet, the conversations you have. It’s seeing the look on a client’s face when you’ve helped them through a problem they thought nobody could ever help them through,” she said. Her enthusiasm doesn’t stop there. It goes beyond the clients to the young professionals she works with and mentors at Baker Tilly. “Helping mold them into something that is so much better than just ‘OK.’ Developing them, educating them, seeing the aha moment when they say ‘Oh! That’s what that means!’ It’s tremendously gratifying,” she said.

A supportive family — with Bavarian roots

When she isn’t working with the WICPA or her clients or mentoring young professionals, you might find Unger spinning around on a stage or a dance floor with husband Joe at a Bavarian schuhplattlering (pronounced “shoe-plotteling”) event. The Unger family belongs to B.G.T.E.V. D’Holzhacker Buam, a Bavarian dance club established in 1935 to preserve the Bavarian culture. Both Wendi and Joe have Bavarian roots. Their group performs at several local Milwaukee functions, including German Fest and Holiday Folk Fair. The organization also holds its own anniversary festival and dance each spring. The traditional Bavarian dance consists of men dressed in lederhosen stomping, clapping and striking their thighs, knees

and the soles of their shoes (schuhe) with their hands held flat (platt) while the women spin across the stage, dressed in colorful dirndls. For the Ungers, schuhplattlering is a family activity that stretches back to the previous generation on both sides. In fact, Wendi and Joe first met while attending a schuhplattlering event with their families and schools. “That was 36 or 37 years ago, and we’ve been together ever since,” she said. “Both of our daughters dance and have been involved since birth. Like any organization, it’s a lot of work, a lot of time and a lot of effort. But it’s something we enjoy.” Joe Unger is self-employed. Early in their marriage, the couple had discussions about what Wendi wanted to do with her career and what her goals were. When the time came to make a decision about whether Wendi should move forward with her career, Joe encouraged her aspirations. “He became Mr. Mom. He’s the one who did the pick-ups and the drop-offs and really took care of things on the home front. My daughters haven’t known anything different. They’ve gotten very used to the fact that Mom can’t be at some of their events, and they accept that. They understand the importance of my career to me, and they have been very supportive.”

Back to the future

Will either of her daughters (Leslie, 21, and Elizabeth, 16) follow in Mom’s footsteps? Well, that remains to be seen, at least for one of them. “My children watch what I do every day, and the older one says, ‘There is not a chance that I would ever do what you do!’ And my younger one says, ‘You know, I want to be an accountant.’ But she’s still young,” Unger said. “Remember, at her age I was going to be a veterinarian!” Unger sees apprehension and lack of enthusiasm for accounting among high school students in general. It’s what keeps her thinking that something has to change. “What do we need to do differently? You can’t do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result,” she said. “So what do we need to do? Again, I don’t know what that is right now, but I believe we’ll figure it out.” As Unger leads the board this year, it will be no surprise to see her make some positive changes that lead to fulfilling her vision of leaving the profession and the WICPA a little better than she found them. “It’s her passion, ambition and charisma that will make that happen,” said Frantz.

Marcia Tillett-Zinzow is a Wisconsin freelance writer and editor. Contact her at mtzinzow@icloud.com.

The Unger family in Bavarian dance costume at last year’s Holiday Folk Fair.

Spinning is 90% of the woman’s part in Bavarian dance. The secret to not toppling over, Wendi said, is to keep your eyes from focusing.

Lacey Bell, CPA, has been named director of finance and accounting at Security Health Plan of Wisconsin, Marshfield.

Rachel Blumenshine

Rachel Blumenshine, CPA, an associate with Hawkins Ash CPAs, recently received her CPA license from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. She joined the firm in 2018.

Thomas Grimm, CPA, who retired from CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA) in December 2019, was appointed to the board of directors of Marathon Bank, Wausau. He is also active in the Woodson YMCA of Marathon County and the Entrepreneurial Education Center.

Tim Hanley, CPA, a former Deloitte senior partner, has been named interim dean of business administration at Marquette University. He also is a member of the President’s Advisory Council and Campaign Executive Committee at the university.

Randy Juedes

Randy Juedes, CPA, will serve as the chairperson for the executive committee of Hawkins Ash CPAs, succeeding Randall Miller, CPA, who served in that role for 16 years. Juedes is a partner in the firm’s Medford office.

Jake Kneusel, CPA, has joined Porter & Sack CPAs, Madison. He is a UW–Whitewater graduate who interned with the firm while in college.

Bryan Kronberger, CPA, has joined Northland CPAs. He was formerly an audit associate with a Minnesota CPA firm.

Rick Krueger, CPA, was promoted by CLA, Milwaukee, to principal in the firm's National Assurance group. His role focuses on strategic assurance initiatives. Bryan Kronberger

Arthur Lee, CPA, founder of Alliance Tax & Accounting Service, Brookfield, was interviewed by CBS-58 (Milwaukee) for a Wednesday, Feb. 5, report on tax-season fraud.

Wayne Link, CPA, was recognized by the Forest County Chamber of Commerce with the 2019 Legacy Award for providing 40 years of business service to Forest County.

Bradley A. Quade, CPA, has been appointed chief credit officer of First Business Financial Services Inc.

Eric Trautman

Shane Weiske

Laurie Winger

Eric Trautman, CPA, a senior tax associate at Hawkins Ash CPAs, La Crosse, recently achieved his CPA license from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. He has been with the firm since joining as an intern in 2016.

Shane Weiske, CPA, MSA, was promoted to senior manager of Wipfli’s commercial audit group, where he manages and executes financial statement audits, reviews and compilations.

Laurie Winger, CPA, was promoted to CEO by CUNA Mutual, Madison. She is the company’s first female CEO, a role she combines with the position of chief product officer.

ORGANIZATION NEWS

Hawkins Ash CPAs, with offices in Wisconsin and Minnesota, has been selected by Forbes magazine to be included in its 2020 list of recommended tax firms in the U.S. Of more than 18,000 tax firms in the U.S. that were considered for the award, only 202 firms were recognized. Selections were based on an independent survey of 1,800 CPAs, enrolled agents, tax lawyers, accountants and CFOs.

Wegner CPAs, headquartered in Madison, has been named to INSIDE Public Accounting’s 2019 All-Stars List in Niche Specialization as one of the top five firms for not-forprofit services. Based on a survey of approximately 550 of the largest CPA firms in the U.S. (excluding the Big 4 and national firms), the firms that made the list derive a higher percentage of their revenue from specialty practices than all other participating organizations. For Wegner CPAs, the nonprofit revenues as a percentage of total firm revenue are in the top five firms of all that took part in the survey.

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