Kimberly D. Scott, who resides in the Puget Sound area, has been named president and CEO of the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants, effective this June 1, the organization’s board announced recently.

“Kimberly Scott has the perfect blend of experience, having played an instrumental role in developing our newest generation of members while at the same time earning the respect of our leaders and at the AICPA (American Institute of Public Accountants),” said Dave Miniken, board chairman, in a press release about the appointment.

The Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants touts itself as the only organization in the state dedicated to serving the professional needs of CPAs, educating consumers about CPAs and the services they provide, and encouraging students to study accounting and enter the CPA profession.

The organization has more than 8,000 members, including more than 800 in the Spokane area. Bill Simer, a partner at the Spokane office of Eide Bailly LLP, is immediate past board chairman and chaired the board’s CEO search committee.

Scott, the board’s selection to take over that position, joined the WSCPA in 2000 and has served in various senior leadership roles in the organization. As the organization’s vice president of government and member relations since 2013, she has overseen advocacy, membership, college and student relationships, chapters, networking functions, financial education, and communications.

Scott has led the organizations advocacy efforts with the successful drafting and passage of three bills through the state legislature, including one that brought $3.3 million to the Washington CPA Foundation. Since 2009, she also has served as executive director of that foundation.

As director of member services from 2002 to 2013, she helped spearhead a growth of young professional members from 7 percent in 2006 to 26 percent in 2010. A holder of the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential, Scott currently chairs the city of Kirkland’s human services advisory committee and is on the board of Leadership Eastside.

She will succeed Richard E. Jones, who has served as the organization’s president and CEO for about 12 years and will retire on May 31.