Zinner & Co. partner Susan Krantz, CPA, CGMA, has been named a 2026 Power of Change honoree by The Ohio Society of CPAs (OSCPA).
The recognition reflects more than 30 years of combining audit expertise with volunteer leadership on nonprofit boards across Greater Cleveland.
Sue was nominated by Tiffany Crosby, OSCPA Senior Vice President. She will be honored alongside 10 other recipients at OSCPA’s annual Power of Change Luncheon on Nov. 17.
About the OSCPA Power of Change Award
The Power of Change Award is part of OSCPA’s Women’s Initiatives program. It recognizes women who lift others up, serve as role models and drive meaningful change in the accounting and finance professions and in their communities. Honorees are often recognized for mentoring young professionals, creating opportunities for others and advancing women in the workplace.
Three Decades of Audit and Nonprofit Expertise
Sue joined Zinner & Co. in 1990 after beginning her career at a Big 4 firm. She was named partner in 1999. She specializes in audit and assurance services, with an emphasis on not-for-profit organizations and employee benefit plans. Her client base also includes manufacturers, distributors, service businesses, labor unions and HUD-assisted multifamily housing projects.
Within the firm, Sue leads the technical review of client financial statements, oversees quality control and peer review, and serves as the Human Resources partner. She graduated summa cum laude from The Ohio State University, and her previous honors include Nonprofit CPAs Member of the Year and the Cleveland Jewish News 18 Difference Makers.
How Her Board Service Began
Her path to nonprofit board service started with an invitation. An attorney friend asked her to join the board of the Epilepsy Association, which needed someone with financial expertise. She had no personal connection to the cause, but she quickly saw how much a CPA could contribute and how much she could learn in return.
Since then, she has served a long list of organizations, often as treasurer or as a member of the executive committee. They include United Way of Greater Cleveland, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, the Maltz Museum, Bellefaire JCB, Wingspan Care Group and the Western Reserve Historical Society.
Her experience with these organizations also benefits her clients. Sue believes that lessons from the boardroom strengthen her nonprofit audit work, and what she learns from her audit clients makes her a better board member.
Protecting Donor Trust
When she joins a nonprofit board, Sue sees herself as a steward of the community’s money.
“Donors deserve to know their contributions are being used properly,” she said.
That also means honoring donors’ wishes and making sure someone is asking difficult questions, she added.
This includes making financial information accessible. She teaches nonprofit leaders how to read and understand financial statements because oversight belongs to the full board, not just the members with finance backgrounds. In her experience, board members outside of finance often raise the most valuable questions because they are willing to say when something does not make sense.
The People Behind the Numbers
For Sue, the numbers always come back to people and relationships. When her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend lost everything in an apartment fire, the CFO of one of Sue’s nonprofit clients, which runs a thrift store supporting people facing cancer, met them at the store on a Sunday so they could find items for their new home. Their purchases, in turn, helped provide a wig for someone who lost their hair during cancer treatment.
“You all just come together and help each other out,” Sue said of the experience.
A Collaborative Approach to Leadership
She brings the same mindset to her work at Zinner & Co. Sue regularly invites colleagues to talk through problems with her, believing that different perspectives lead to better decisions and provide everyone with a stake in the outcome.
“None of us knows the right answer all on our own,” she said.
Her goal is to leave the accounting profession stronger than she found it, by making it a place where people at every level feel heard, feel valued and want to build a career.
Join Us in Celebrating Sue
OSCPA will honor Sue and the other 2026 Power of Change honorees at its annual Power of Change Luncheon on Nov. 17, at WatersEdge Event & Conference Center in Hilliard, just outside Columbus.
Congratulations, Sue, from all of us at Zinner & Co.
Work With Zinner’s Nonprofit Audit Team
If your organization needs an audit partner who understands both the numbers and the mission behind them, Zinner & Co. can help. Learn more about our not-for-profit services or contact us at 216-831-0733 to start a conversation.
