Member Moment: The Lasting Impact of Mentorship with Harley Pennington, CPA

Throughout his career, Harley Pennington, CPA, has been fortunate to have people who believed in him, offered guidance, and took the time to invest in his future. Those relationships helped shape not only his career, but many of the decisions he made along the way.

Eventually, he realized it was his turn to make that same investment into someone else.

“I have a belief that during a person’s career, there comes a time to give back, and I’ve reached that point,” Pennington said.

That belief led him to participate in OSCPA’s Mentor Match Program, where he was paired with a student member, Omari Smith. His hope was to share what he had learned with next generation of accountants and help someone else find their own path in the profession.

What Harley didn’t expect was just how meaningful the relationship would become.

More Than Career Advice

There isn’t one particular conversation that stands out as his favorite. Instead, what has stayed with him is something much more meaningful: trust.

Over time, Omari began coming to Harley for career advice, turning to him when she needed perspective or guidance. Knowing that someone trusted him enough to seek out his advice became one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.

“It feels good to know that I’m trusted enough that someone would seek out my advice,” he said.

That trust also changed the way Harley viewed himself. Through mentoring, he became more confident in talking about his own career and realized that others were looking to him as a source of professional guidance, and even as a role model.

The experience gave Harley a new perspective on the profession as well. Being a mentor encouraged him to look at accounting through someone else’s eyes and think more intentionally about the future of the profession.

When a Mentorship Becomes a Friendship

Perhaps the biggest surprise was how quickly the formality of the mentor-mentee relationship began to fade.

“Our relationship developed from mentor-mentee into a friendship that has outlasted the program itself.”

Sometimes, the impact of simply being willing to show up for someone can extend far beyond the original purpose. For Harley, mentoring has been about more than helping someone navigate a career. It has been about having a hand in someone else’s growth and watching a professional relationship turn into a genuine connection.

Your Turn to Give Back

For anyone considering becoming a mentor, Harley’s advice is straightforward: do it.

“It’s more rewarding than you’d assume.”

Mentoring has strengthened Harley’s confidence, expanded his perspective, and allowed him to build a relationship that has lasted beyond the program. Most importantly, it has allowed him the opportunity to pass along the same kind of investment that once made a difference in his own life.

Every accountant reaches a point where they have knowledge worth sharing, lessons worth passing down, and experiences that could help someone else find their way.

Sometimes, the best way to strengthen the future of the profession is by bringing someone along with you.