Reflections on the 2024 AICPA Leadership Academy: Chance Locklear, CPA, A Journey of Growth and Inspiration
Chance Locklear, CPA and Tax Manager at Mowery & Schoenfeld, recently participated in the 2024 AICPA Leadership Academy. This exclusive experience invited 30 CPAs from across the country to participate in leadership discussions in Durham, North Carolina.
The AICPA Leadership Academy is a competitive program for emerging accounting and finance professionals geared at self-examination of what it means to be a leader and the impacts to their career path, their personal life, and the entire accounting profession. According to Chance, the program was a powerful blend of learning, collaboration, and inspiration, leaving participants with renewed energy for their work and a deeper commitment to driving progress in their field.
“I want to express my gratitude to the AICPA for having exceptional leadership development initiatives,” Chance said. “The program’s execution, along with excellent content and empowering speakers, enhanced my viewpoint of what it means to be a leader in the accounting industry.”
He is especially thankful to Crystal Cooke and Lexi Weber, CPA, for their extraordinary coordination and preparation, which ensured every aspect of the program was impactful. Chance also highlighted the insights shared by Carla McCall, CPA, CGMA, and Barry Melancon, CPA, CGMA, whose leadership journeys offered invaluable lessons on resilience, adaptability, and vision.
A key moment for Chance was hearing from Sarah Elliott, PCC, CPA, whose passion for the accounting profession and thoughtful guidance left a lasting impression. The tools and wisdom Sarah shared have inspired Chance to approach both his career and personal growth with renewed purpose.
Chance credits much of his participation to the unwavering support of Mowery & Schoenfeld. He is especially grateful to Brandon Potocki, CPA, MST, and Brian Figenholtz for their encouragement and belief in him.
“Chance naturally stepped into a leadership role during his first year here at Mowery & Schoenfeld,” one of his mentors, Brandon Potocki, a Mowery & Schoenfeld Partner, said. “His positive attitude and willingness to help the team motivates others around him to succeed. He genuinely cares about the team and those he works with, which are perfect qualities in a leader.”
About Chance
Chance Locklear joined Mowery & Schoenfeld’s Tax team in 2022, bringing with him eight years of experience in various accounting and tax roles at public accounting firms. His expertise lies in managing tax planning and compliance engagements for clients across a wide range of industries.
Chance is passionate about building strong relationships, both with his clients and his team, and takes pride in driving value and finding innovative solutions through those connections.
Outside of work, Chance enjoys traveling with his daughter and wife to compete in barrel racing competitions. He enjoys daily workouts with a dream of one day becoming a pilot, he brings the same dedication and determination to his personal passions as he does to his professional endeavors.
About Mowery & Schoenfeld
Mowery & Schoenfeld, LLC is an accounting, advisory, tax, and IT services firm headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois, with satellite offices in the Chicago Loop, Downtown Miami, and the Philippines. Made up of over 20 partners and almost 200 total employees, Mowery & Schoenfeld ranks among the top ten firms in Illinois and is consistently named one of the 25 Largest Accounting Firms in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business. Our organization is focused on providing personalized service to each client and building a lasting and trusted relationship.
We take culture seriously by offering a supportive environment focused on growth. Through our M&S Cares program, we prioritize giving back and provide opportunities for our team to support our larger community. Mowery & Schoenfeld offers comprehensive tax, assurance, transaction advisory, outsourced accounting, wealth management, international, business advisory, and technology services through our subsidiary, Xamin, Inc.