As Chief Operating Officer, Mary Aldrich provides leadership and oversight to the firm’s operational and support departments, including finance, human resources, training, information technology, risk management, administrative support, facilities, marketing and business development. She is directly responsible to the Chief Executive Officer, helping to manage the financial and strategic direction of the firm, and indirectly responsible to the Board of Directors. In addition, she works with service line leaders on systems and processes for service delivery, strategic planning, goals and metrics.
Prior to her current role, Mary served as the firm’s Chief Practice Officer and Chief Specialty Practice Officer, where she developed and implemented the firm’s service model for each practice segment, including niche industry management, service line management, scheduling/database administration for the firm, risk management and management of factors that affect engagement performance. During her tenure with the firm, Mary also served as the Director of Practice Growth.
Mary is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), as well as holding a certification as a Public Accounting Firm Manager (PAFM). In addition, she holds six professional certificates in areas including trade financing, business studies and process management.
In 2021, Virginia Business magazine profiled Mary in their inaugural Women in Leadership issue. In 2016, Mary was named a Washington SmartCEO Brava Award winner in the C-Suite Executive category. In addition, she received the Women in Business Achievement Award in 2011. During her tenure as Director of Practice Growth, she received two Association of Accounting Marketing (AAM) national achievement awards for her work in marketing and branding.
Mary’s community involvement includes serving as a board member of the Christopher Newport University Luter School of Business and on the VA State Chamber of Commerce Business Climate Committee. Past involvement includes serving as a board member of the City of Newport News Economic Development Authority, board member and secretary of Sister Cities International Yorktown, treasurer of the Oyster Pearls Investment Club, board member and vice chair of the Newport News YMCA, board member of the Shoreline Homeowners Association and volunteering to teach English as a second language (ESL) for Peninsula Reads.
Past participation in professional organizations includes service as a member of the Virginia State Board of Accountancy Communications Committee and the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
- The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Major Firms COO Group
- The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) – PCPS RSM Alliance, COO Group
- CPA Firm Management Association
- Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants
- Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) – National
- Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) – Hampton Roads, VA Peninsula and Richmond Chapters
EDUCATION:
- Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in Monterey, California
- Master of Arts in International Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
- Certificate in French from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey