Aug. 10, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by Eide Bailly LLP.

When Jonna Meehan came to Sioux Falls to attend Augustana University, the Minnesota native expected she’d eventually return home near the Twin Cities.

Instead, she fell in love with Sioux Falls and a career at Eide Bailly LLP, where she recently was named a partner.

“Jonna’s integrity and caring nature have made her a valued member of our tax department and are what will make her a great partner at Eide Bailly,” partner Mandy Sutton said. “She creates positive, meaningful relationships with her clients and our staff, which is evident by the way people speak about her. We are excited to have Jonna join the partnership and know her future is bright.”

We caught up with Meehan to learn more about her career path and life outside of work.

What drew you to the field of accounting?

I am very much a left-brained individual, and I’ve always liked math and numbers. I walked onto Augustana’s campus as an accounting major because that seemed like a logical, solid career. My husband makes fun of my terrible mental math skills, but that is what calculators are for, and luckily there is much more to public accounting than doing math. I have learned that I love the problem-solving and window into clients’ businesses a lot more than just the numbers themselves.

What connected you with Eide Bailly, and what do you like about the firm?

I interned at Eide Bailly at the recommendation of a professor while I was at Augie and have been here ever since. I love that Eide Bailly feels like a small, local firm with lots of ties to our community, but we have the resources of a large national firm with a national tax office full of individuals who can offer specialized knowledge. No one individual could keep up with all the complexities of tax law, and I appreciate that I have someone I can call no matter the issue that comes up. In addition, the flexibility is almost unmatched. I can work outside of the normal 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from home almost seamlessly, which is so helpful as a parent. And unlike many others’ situations where being a business owner would make taking a maternity leave really difficult, I have a large team behind me, allowing the work to keep getting done while I am out. I took a full 12-plus weeks paid leave and am so appreciative.

What’s the best part about your job?

“The people” is the cliche answer but is absolutely a large part of the reason I have worked at Eide Bailly my whole career. From the beginning, I was impressed with how intelligent and driven all of my co-workers were, and that’s something I still feel today and don’t take for granted. They care about each other and their clients. I have always felt supported both personally and professionally. In addition, I have met so many amazing, influential people in our community because of the diverse clients we work with at Eide Bailly. There are so many innovated, talented people in Sioux Falls, and I wouldn’t have met nearly as many of them if not for this career.

Is there any area of accounting you consider your specialty?

I work in tax with a lot of health care clients as well as a variety of other small, family-owned businesses, from consulting and planning for the companies’ needs all the way down to the individual owners. I also work on the tax side of employee benefit plans.

How do you connect to the Sioux Falls community? Are there organizations or causes you’re drawn to support?

I mentored a student for 10 years with Lutheran Social Services’ youth mentoring program. She recently graduated from high school and will stay a friend for life – we continue to get together even without the structure of the LSS program. With two young girls of my own, I haven’t pursued a new match yet, but I absolutely will in the future.

In addition, I love the Girls on the Run program through EmBe. I am a runner, but you certainly don’t need to be because running is a very small part of the puzzle. Instilling confidence in the girls and encouraging team-building are so much more critical. At the end, you can really see a difference in the girls, and you get to say you completed a 5K!

What can we find you doing for fun when you’re not working?

Lately, I don’t feel like I have a lot of free time outside of raising my toddler and 4-month-old. When I do take the time, I love to read, do yoga and attend concerts, any live music, with my husband.

What advice would you give to a young person pursuing a career in accounting?

Do as many internships as possible. We treat our interns just like new hires, so you can really see what your life at that company would be like and find your best fit. Also, plan from the beginning to get your CPA license. Even if you don’t stay in accounting long term, I think people in the business community value the designation, and it is something that can set you apart from your peers.