Business Profile: Susan Lenz with Iacoppi & Lenz Accounting Firm: For the Love of People & N

Long time Stocktonian, Susan Lenz has strong Stockton roots. She was born and raised in Stockton, California. Her father worked full time for a magazine and her mother was a home-maker. Upon graduating from Amos Alonzo Staff High School, she enrolled at San Joaquin Delta College. During that time she earned her Associates of Arts Degree and realized that she wanted to combine her love for people and numbers. So, she turned to Humphrey's College and began working on attaining her dream of a career in accounting.

Susan Lenz is no stranger to hard work. During her college years, she managed to juggle school and a full time job. Lenz would start her days by going to work at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, where she would work as an accounting clerk for the state of California. After she finished up at her job she would head straight over to her classes. When asked what kept her going she replied, "I watched my father work. He was a great role model for me. He was always on the go and I got my work ethic from him."

In 1978 she completed her required coursework and received her Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting from Humphrey's College. She must have left a great impression upon her college professor, John Iacoppi; because as soon as she graduated, he offered her a position at his own accounting firm in Stockton. She accepted and needless to say, in 1982 Susan and her former business professor, Dr. Iacoppi became business partners forming what is now known today as Iacoppi and Lenz Accountancy Corporation.

While it's obvious that Susan could have taken her talents to a larger city, she told us, "I stayed in Stockton, because I love Stockton. I have life long friends here from high school. Stockton is where I met my husband, eventually got married, and had our kids. We both feel strongly about our city." Susan feels so strong in fact that she has decided to offer her business expertise to the city of Stockton by running for a seat on Stockton's City Council.

When asked what her motivation was she said, "I would like to help the City of Stockton with it's finances. There is no one, who is currently running or currently on council that has a strong financial background like mine. I have over 30 years of professional accounting experience plus another 10 years on the Lincoln Unified School Board. I want to help make Stockton the city I know it can be. I want Stockton to be the city, where young talent flocks to for jobs and settles down with their families. I would like to see my own two children eventually come back. I want them to have something great to come back to and that's why I am running for City Council."

And it does make sense. Susan's two adult children have graduated from college and are both working in San Francisco. Her son, John works at well known accounting firm and her daughter also works for a well known company. It would be great if her two kids as well as countless others (after getting great experience) could bring it back to Stockton. So, with that in mind-however her bid for City Council turns out, one thing is for sure. Susan Lenz has both the drive and the expertise to help the City of Stockton become great again and Stockton is lucky to have women of her caliber reside within it's land. Good luck Susan and thank you, Iacoppi and Lenz for your excellent service.

Suan Lenz is a 2007 Athena Award recipient for her great acts of community service and involvement with young women in the community. She is also a current member of Stockton's Mary Graham Children's Foundation, where she helps raise college scholarship funding for former foster children, a member of Lincoln Unified School Board for 10 years, and a current member of the John McCandless Stem Charter School Board.