“Men and Women are different. We just communicate differently, We approach things differently. However, this brings great strength to an organization.”
ABOUT JEAN M. STEPHENS
Jean M. Stephens is CEO of RSM International. She is passionate about encouraging the use of cultural differences for the benefit of international development. Jean has received the Athena Award for Outstanding Business Woman – San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce and the California State University Alumni of the Year Award. In recognition of her international career with RSM, she received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from her Alma Mater, University of Redlands. Jean has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Master’s degree in Finance. She qualified as a Certified Public Accountant in 1984.
What brought you to this industry?
When I was in university, my mother suggested that accounting is a good field as I was always good in math. Thus, I graduated with an accounting degree and started to work in this field ever since. I am from California, I grew up and studied there. However, my dream was to live abroad. Thus, I applied for a position in London and moved there. My plan was to live there for two years and work with the CEO of RSM and then go back to the US and continue my audit practice. But then, RSM grew and developed and I grew up and developed and the world expanded and I was asked to take over the CEO. I have been there for 18 years now.
