The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) recently announced winners of the 2016 Elijah Watt Sells Award, including Madeline Hartman of Grant Thornton LLP.

The Elijah Watt Sells Award program was established by the AICPA in 1923 to recognize outstanding performance on the CPA examination. The 2016 award was bestowed upon CPA candidates who have obtained a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination, passed all four sections of the examination on their first attempt and completed testing in 2016.

Hartman joined Grant Thornton’s audit practice as an associate in 2016. Prior to joining the firm, she spent several years abroad teaching English as a second language. She received a master’s degree in accounting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Washington. She is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society.

In addition to education and experience requirements, the CPA exam plays a crucial role ensuring that individuals who earn their CPA license have demonstrated the knowledge and skills necessary to protect the public interest in a constantly evolving business and financial environment. The AICPA recently launched an updated version of the CPA examination, which reflects the technical knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary for CPA licensure.