Sponsorships and Tickets are now available. This event will include cocktails, networking, fundraising for our scholarships, CPE, and more! Please join us.

Keynote Speaker: Melinda Stinnett CPA, CIA, former Managing Director of Stinnett & Associates

“From Consulting to Confections: My Journey as a Female Entrepreneur”

Summary and Objectives: According to data from the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are 33.3 million small businesses across the country, making up 99.9% of total U.S. firms. Women own approximately 26% of small businesses. This presentation will seek to encourage and empower others by sharing a journey of building and managing two diverse businesses. Learning objectives include:

• Highlight the challenges faced and lessons learned while building diverse business.
• The importance of culture and trust.
• Strategies for career growth and success.

Melinda Stinnett was the Managing Director of Stinnett & Associates, a certified Women’s Business Enterprise and certified Great Place to Work, which she founded in 2001. Melinda and her leadership team grew the firm from a “party of one” to over 120 team members and contractors in six cities spread across three states. During that time, they significantly expanded their service offerings beyond Sarbanes-Oxley and internal audit services to include cybersecurity, supply chain management, data analytics and ESG. 

In July of 2022, Stinnett & Associates was acquired by CBIZ, a public company offering accounting, tax, and advisory services. Melinda was a Senior Managing Director and co-led the Risk Advisory Services practice, one of the fastest growing divisions in the Advisory group from July 1,2022 until her retirement in March of 2024.

Melinda and her husband, Joel, acquired Goodytwos Toffee Company in September 2021 They moved production from Scottsdale to Tulsa in 2022.. Melinda currently serves as the CEO of Goodytwos. 

Melinda is also passionate about giving back to her community. Melinda is currently a Tulsa Community College Foundation Board member, is on the Tulsa Regional Chamber Board of Advisors and served as the Treasurer. She is also a member of the Board of Governors for the OSU Foundation, the OSU School of Accounting Advisory Board and Executive Committee and the OSU Eastin Career Center Readiness Board. Melinda has also served as a board member of the Philbrook Museum of Art and the Indian Nations Council of the Boys Scouts of America.
Melinda was named Oklahoma Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2017. 

Melinda will be inducted into Oklahoma State University’s Hall of Fame in February 2025. She was named the University of Tulsa Collins College of Business Hall of Fame – Outstanding Entrepreneur in the fall of 2023. In the fall of 2022, Melinda received the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumni Award. She received the Oklahoma Society of CPA's 2021 Outstanding Member in Business & Industry award and was selected as the 2021 inductee into OSU's Spears School of Business Hall of Fame. Melinda was also a recipient of the OSU Spears College of Business 100 for 100 in 2015.  She was also recognized as an OSU School of Accounting Distinguished Alumni and honored with the OSU Spears School of Business Orange Star Award in 2011. 

In her spare time, Melinda enjoys Marvel superhero movies, scuba diving and quality time with her family which includes her husband, Joel; their four children – Amanda, Josh, Nate and Sarah;  two daughters-in-law – Mallory and Shanyn; and three grandchildren – Amelia, Stetson and Sullivan.

Tickets

$80.00 Individual Ticket

$225.00 Ruby Sponsor

$450.00 Emerald Sponsor

$900.00 Diamond Sponsor

$1,200.00 Presenting Sponsor