LCPA Announces 2023 Service Award Recipients
The Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants (LCPA) Annual Awards honor members for their remarkable contributions to the CPA profession and the communities they serve. Seth Norris, 2022-23 Chair, recognized the following individuals at our Annual Meeting on August 9.
The Outstanding CPA in Business and Industry Award recognizes the contributions of an individual who utilizes the comprehensive skills and competencies of a CPA for the effective performance of an employer. For the first time in the award’s history, LCPA presented two individuals with this honor.
Jodee Daroca, CPA, joined Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Louisiana in 2004 as CFO. Soon after operations came to a halt due to Katrina. Jodee was instrumental in restoring operations, and making sure employees and clients were cared for. Then, in 2020, shortly after she was appointed President and CEO, she faced another disaster…Covid…that shut down everything — and for a nonprofit that serves 23 parishes throughout Southeastern Louisiana, it was devastating. That’s when Jodee’s creativity kicked in, and she developed inventive ways to partner with other community organizations, such as Second Harvest Food Bank and the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, to continue providing to those in need. It’s Jodee’s dedication, leadership, and utilization of her CPA skills that’s led Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Louisiana to open new donation centers, remodel existing retail stores, launch a new DEI employee program, and support workforce development to individuals with disabilities and other barriers to reclaim their independence — that’s the power of work.