Smiling female manager listening to colleagues at a meeting
In honour of Women’s History Month, we’d like to celebrate some of the incredible ladies who have paved the way towards progress. We’ve come incredibly far, even though we still have a long way to go. Below are three incredible female accountants who continue to bring inspiration to all women out there.
In a display of incredible courage, Christine Ross found a way to obtain CPA licensure in the United States of America during a time when she literally was not allowed to according to the law. She passed the exam in June of 1898 and then proceeded to wait 18 long months before the New York Board of Regents finally decided that ladies ought to be granted certificates too and provided her with one.
She became the first female Certified Public Accountant in the United States.
“Well-behaved women rarely make history,” as professor Laurel Thatcher Ulrich once said: Sometimes, you have to make your own rules.
It worked for Christine: She was quite successful, catering to wealthy fashionistas and businesspeople.
Mary E. Murphy was a phenomenal woman and accountant. She was the second lady in history who earned her doctorate in accountancy. She dared to dream big when women faced severe societal limitations. Additionally, she collaborated on numerous books and penned 100 articles pertaining to the subject.
It just goes to show that any woman can do whatever she sets her mind to if she has enough fortitude and persists despite the obstacles.
Cathy Engelbert is a shining example of hard work, persistence, and determination. She has just been appointed as the CEO of Deloitte LLP, making history.
Traditionally, men have been the only ones who were CEOs of the accounting companies known in the industry as “The Big 4“: Deloitte, Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler.
For the first time in history, a woman has earned this coveted position. Thus, proving that anything is possible if you hone your skills enough and continue to persevere despite the obstacles.
These are only a few of the incredible female accountants who have challenged the system. They made a name for themselves despite society’s attempt to limit their potential.
There are many, many more.
Today, over 50% of graduates from accounting programs over the last twenty years have been women, and 57% of accountants are ladies.
Clearly, we’ve come a long way.
That being said, we still need progress to be when it comes to power imbalances. Only 19% of the partners in accounting firms across the nation are women. This means that men usually obtain the most high-level positions in the industry.
Hopefully, this percentage will change in the near future.
All in all, accounting is a highly lucrative career path where women are making strides every day. Many financial firms are exerting efforts to celebrate the ladies in their organizations and at large, so it’s a great time to make a name for yourself in this field if crunching numbers is your passion!
If you are a businesswoman, we can help you handle your accounting needs so you don’t have to!
You can contact us or visit our website for more information.
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