Adrian, MI - When Hudson Area High School graduate Anna Loar (Class of 2020) first toured the LISD TECH Center as a sophomore, she wasn’t sure exactly where her future would lead, but she knew she wanted to explore business. Drawn to the professional possibilities and hands-on learning environment, Anna enrolled in Marketing and Entrepreneurship her junior year. A year later, when the Accounting program was newly introduced, she decided to give it a try. That decision would change everything.
“I enrolled knowing only that accounting is essential to every business,” Anna recalls. “I entered the class eager to learn — and little did I know, it would ultimately lead me to choose accounting as my career path.”
The Accounting class was small that first year, offering Anna a rare opportunity for one-on-one instruction and hands-on experience with the entire accounting cycle. In an age when everything is digital, she found herself completing calculations on paper, recording journal entries, and closing the books manually. “It was a unique experience,” she said. “It reinforced the fundamentals, how to record transactions, treat each account, and understand how it all fits together.”
Beyond balancing books, the class emphasized employability skills through the TRADES Core Competency system, a 0–4 scale that measured not just knowledge but the ability to teach and support others. That mindset shift, from memorizing to mastering, became one of Anna’s greatest takeaways. “It taught me to communicate complex ideas clearly,” she said. “That skill still serves me every day when working with clients and explaining tax laws.”
Anna credits much of her inspiration to her instructors in both Marketing and Entrepreneurship, and Accounting, stating both left lasting impressions. “Mrs. Neeley made learning accounting enjoyable through creative methods like songs, games, and a classroom structure that just made sense. Her passion for teaching truly shone through and continues to inspire me.”
That early passion carried Anna through an impressive academic and professional journey. After earning her Associate of Science from Owens Community College (2022) and her Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a specialization in Accounting from Bowling Green State University (2024), Anna went on to complete her Master of Accountancy at BGSU in August 2025.
Today, Anna is a Tax Staff member at Plante Moran in Toledo, one of the nation’s leading public accounting firms. She also gives back to the program that started it all, serving on the Accounting Advisory Board for the LISD TECH Center. “It’s incredibly rewarding to return as a professional and share insights with current students,” she said. “The accounting industry offers so many opportunities, and helping students see those possibilities makes me proud.”
Throughout high school and college, Anna pursued every opportunity to gain experience, from balancing checkbooks at Hudson’s Board Office to working in local offices like Community Psychiatry, Nutrien Ag Solutions, and Donna Baker & Associates during tax season. Each role built her confidence and skillset. “No job is too small when you’re building expertise,” Anna said. “Every opportunity taught me something and prepared me for the next step.”
Looking back, she credits the TECH Center as the foundation of her success. “My time there gave me a head start,” Anna said. “When I got to college, I already knew the material from Accounting 101. I was even helping my classmates.”
Her advice to current students is simple: “Any experience is good experience, whether it helps you find what you love or what you don’t. Having two years to explore career opportunities at the TECH Center is invaluable.”
And while she loves numbers, Anna is quick to remind others that accountants aren’t all hidden away in cubicles. “I’m an extrovert who loves working with people,” she laughs. “Not all accountants fit the stereotype!”
Guided by her favorite motto, the Golden Rule: “Treat others how you’d want to be treated”, Anna continues to grow as a professional who values connection just as much as precision.
“I’m grateful for every step of the journey,” she reflected. “The LISD TECH Center gave me the tools, confidence, and experiences that started it all, and I’m proud to now give back to the next generation.”