Leopold Center accountant Karen Jacobson recently received top honors at the Joint National Conference of the American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA) and the American Women’s Society of Certified Public Accountants (AWSCPA).

Jacobson received one of ASWA’s prestigious Balance Awards, which highlight the accomplishments of companies and individuals who successfully balance work and life. She was selected the Region 3 winner of the Balance Award for Individual Achievement recognizing leadership and accomplishments within the financial and accounting profession and commitment to work/life balance. Jacobson also was selected from the six regional winners as ASWA’s Woman of the Year.

The awards were presented by the ASWA Educational Foundation during the ASWA/AWSCPA annual conference October 27-29 in Orlando, Florida. The award is sponsored by Accountemps and Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

Jacobson joined the Leopold Center staff in July 2005. She had worked as controller at Bethany Life Communities in Story City, and as an independent consultant, auditor and corporate treasurer for an Ames savings bank.

She has a degree in accounting from Augustana College in Illinois and an MBA in accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is chartering president of the Ames ASWA chapter and is a member of the Iowa Society of CPAs, where she served as a mentor for 17 years. In addition to her volunteer work and employment at Iowa State University, Jacobson designs and produces greeting cards, and operates a small business in Story City with her husband.