Geralyn A. Jover-Ledesma 2018 President, UPAAGC

By: Ryan Tejero

 

The University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Chicago (UPAAGC) recently held its annual fundraising event, and was highlighted by a general membership meeting, election of officers and members of the board of directors, silent auction, general and 50/50 raffles, entertainment, and all-night dancing. This event was held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Des Plaines, IL. The event was graced by UP’s pride, Dr. Gabriel Esteban as this year’s guest speaker. Dr. Esteban is currently the president of De Paul University. He graduated his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Master in Business Administration from the University of the Philippines. Dr. Esteban inducted the new UPAAGC officers and the newly elected members of the board of directors. The proceeds of this year’s fundraising benefits the UP College of Arts and Letters.

Starting her year in 2018 as UPAAGC president is Geralyn A. Jover-Ledesma is a tax practitioner in federal, estate and international taxation. Geralyn is a principal at CPATAX SERVICES, INC., a full-service tax, accounting and consulting firm. She is a licensed CPA in Illinois and has served the community of Hoffman Estates and the northwest suburbs. She has actively served her clientele in all areas of financial services, including wealth management, retirement planning and tax-advantaged investing. Her practice also includes audit, accounting and wealth planning. Geralyn also authors tax and accounting books and college textbooks published by Wolters Kluwer. She worked at CCH, Wolters Kluwer from 2005 to 2009 as one of the editors of Standard Federal Tax Reporter and Tax Research Consultant, the banner products of CCH, which are widely used by accountants and attorneys alike.

She earned her degrees in law and accounting from the University of the Philippines and her Master of Laws in Taxation from Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology. Geralyn started her career in accounting at Sycip, Gorres, Velayo and Co. (SGV) in their head office in Makati, Philippines. Two years later she went to law school while still working as a consultant for several companies. After passing the bar, she started her law and accounting practice in the Iloilo City where she also taught business law at the University of the Philippines in the Visayas College of Management. Geralyn is married to Alan Ledesma who works at Methode Electronics, Inc. in Rolling Meadows. They have a son who is now a junior at Saint Viator High School in Arlington Heights.

Geralyn migrated to the U.S. in 2001. She is originally from Iloilo City but born in Roxas City.

To stay fit, Geralyn has been running marathons, riding centuries (100-mile bike ride) and doing triathlons. So far, she had run 15 marathons and several half marathons, 10k, 5k, 10-miler and 8k distances. Her greatest accomplishment as an athlete is finishing the IRONMAN Louisville Kentucky in 2012. She did IRONMAN Wisconsin in 2015 and 3 in 2017 – IRONMAN Texas, IRONMAN Lake Placid and IRONMAN Chattanoga. She has done 10 Bank of America Chicago Marathons. She plans to do more marathons and IRONMAN races in the near future.

Geralyn feels strongly for the underprivileged in the Philippines and believes that education is still the greatest weapon against poverty. Since 2007, Geralyn, together with other like-minded individuals, has been instrumental in providing scholarship grants to deserving college students of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas. She is one of the founders of the University of the Philippines Silak-Silab Foundation (UPSSF), a 501(c)(3) public charity, which had helped underprivileged college kids pay their non-tuition expenses.

Please contact UPAAGC for membership or support through facebook or website: www.upaacg. com.

2018 UPAAGC President Geralyn Jover-Ledesma, LLM, CPA

Dr. Gabriel Esteban spoke about his UP experiences, and his call to all UP alumni to give back to the Alma Mater and to the community.

Geralyn, VT Columnist Ryan Tejero, with Teen Singer Kayla Tejero, who shared her talent at the UPAAGC event.

VT Ryan Tejero joined by other UP alumni from Iloilo City who came to support Geralyn’s induction ceremony.

Fil-Am teen singer Kayla Tejero performed back to back singing her own rendition of Whitney Houston’s big hits. On the left is a performance at the Annual Christmas Party of UP Alumni Association of Greater Chicago held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Des Plaines on December 9th, with the song “I Have Nothing.” On the right is a performance at the Annual Paskong Pinoy of PAMANA Fil-Am Association in Madison, WI held at the Turner’s Hall on December 16th, with the song “One Moment in Time.” Kayla is currently working on her repertoire for a Gospel Concert that would launch her as headline artist, and this is scheduled in February 2018. She is also working for a performance in Toronto, Canada in April 2018.