CalCPA names new president and CEO

The California Society of CPAs announced that Denise LeDuc Froemming will be its next president and CEO, starting Oct. 18, 2021.

Froemming will take over from Rich Simitian, who has been acting CEO since March, when the society’s previous chief, Anthony Pugliese, left to head the Institute of Management Accountants. She will also serve as president and CEO of the CalCPA Education Foundation.

A CPA, Froemming was most recently CEO of the Institute of Real Estate Management, which had over 20,000 individual members and more than 550 member firms. CalCPA is one of the largest state CPA societies, with more than 45,000 members in 14 chapters.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to join CalCPA at such a momentous time for the profession, including the CPA Evolution project, the forthcoming development of sustainability standards and other trends that positively impact the value CPAs bring to the market,” said Froemming in a statement. “As a CPA myself, I can appreciate the changes our members are facing and will focus on delivering resources and programs that help CPAs take advantage of opportunities and overcome challenges.”

“Denise brings deep association leadership to CalCPA and a fresh perspective from the real estate and health care sectors. She will be instrumental in leading our organization as we innovate, grow and nurture the CPA profession in California,” said CalCPA chair Christie Simons in a statement.

Froemming has spent more than two decades working with membership and industry organizations; before working at IREM, she held executive positions at the American Health Information Management Association and the College of American Pathologists.

She holds a bachelor’s from Marquette University, and earned an MBA from Northern Illinois University. Besides being a CPA, she holds the Certified Association Executive credential.