Giving Back
California CPA magazine: August 2008
CalCPA member Gertrude Lamden recently donated $10 million to San Diego State University, and the school will be considering naming the School of Accountancy the Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy—in memory of her husband. Inspired, California CPA spoke to Mrs. Lamden about her generosity and the profession.
How is it that your husband became so dedicated to proliferating and promoting accounting in academia?
Charles enjoyed the academic atmosphere from the time he received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. When he was asked to teach by San Diego State College (not then a university), he realized the deficiency of the school not being accredited and he became motivated to seek accreditation to help meet students’ needs.
He ended up really loving the academic environment and, since he had a great deal of real-world experience with his accounting firm, he was motivated to share that practical knowledge with both students and faculty.
What is the first thing that comes to mind about your first day on the job as first female CPA hired by Everts and Esenhoff (now KPMG)?
I was impressed with the financial acumen of some of my early female clients (mostly widows of deceased, successful businessmen), and was able to observe first-hand how their wealth was managed. Through those observations I developed my own personal concept of how to accumulate and manage wealth.
In your opinion, what are the two biggest changes that have taken place within the profession?
One of the biggest changes is that the opportunities for women has increased. For example, when I started working at Everts and Esenhoff I could not be considered for partnership because there were too many restrictions. The highest position I could hold was manager. This is one of the reasons why I branched off into personal investing—so I could control my own destiny.
Another big change is technology. When I started, I produced hand-written spreadsheets using a mechanical calculator and today’s CPA is able to manage accounts using sophisticated computer programs.
Did you enjoy your schooling?
My schooling was simply a means to a further end, although, while in school, I did meet my future husband, Charles. We got married Dec. 24, 1941, two weeks after the United States was attacked at Pearl Harbor, and we immediately moved to Washington D.C., where I finished school through correspondence classes.
What advice do you have for young students studying to be accountants?
Keep in mind the practical application of your profession and how it can apply to your own personal success. The proper management of one’s personal resources is the best tool to the accumulation of wealth and security.
