National accounting firm Grant Thornton LLP promoted Jacqueline Akerblom to managing partner of its Western U.S. region.
Akerblom will remain in the Chicago-based firm’s Irvine office, where she will continue to lead its Southern California operations.
She succeeds Joel Anik, who retired after serving in the role for five years. She now oversees 11 offices in the Western U.S., including locations in San Jose, Seattle and Phoenix.
Akerblom joined Grant Thornton in 1989 as an audit manager in the firm’s Los Angeles office. She moved to London in 1995 to lead its U.S. transaction services team and to serve as adviser to U.S. and European companies involved in transactions. She returned to the U.S. in 1999 and worked as a technology audit partner in Grant Thornton’s San Jose office.
Akerblom also helped develop Women at Grant Thornton, a committee established in 2004 to increase opportunities for female employees.
She serves as an advisory council member at the Paul Merage School of Business at University of California, Irvine.
