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What it was like to work for a legendary CPA

Hosted by Chris Baysden

Please note: This item is from our archives and was published in 2018. It is provided for historical reference. The content may be out of date and links may no longer function.

Lester McKeever Jr., CPA, J.D., is a partner with Mitchell Titus in Chicago and is a former chairman of the Chicago Federal Reserve. He was presented with the AICPA Gold Medal Award of Distinction in October.
Lester McKeever Jr., CPA, J.D., is a partner with Mitchell Titus in Chicago and is a former chairman of the Chicago Federal Reserve. He was presented with the AICPA Gold Medal Award of Distinction in October. (Photo by Alyssa Schukar/AP Images)

Lester McKeever is one of the most accomplished CPAs in the United States. He is a former Chicago Federal Reserve chairman who in October was presented with the AICPA’s Gold Medal Award of Distinction. But McKeever, who recently sold his firm, Washington Pittman & McKeever, also has another notable professional distinction: He was a protégé of Mary T. Washington, a legendary accountant who became the first female African-American CPA in 1943. In this podcast episode, McKeever talks about what it was like to work for Washington and also offers advice on succession planning at smaller firms.   

What you’ll learn in this episode:

  • What it was like to work for Mary T. Washington.
  • His thought process behind selling his firm.
  • The keys to a smooth transition to new ownership.
  • His advice for minority-owned firms.

Play the episode below:


To comment on this podcast or to suggest an idea for another podcast, contact Chris Baysden, associate director, content development, at chris.baysden@aicpa-cima.com.