Mary Jo grew up in Praire du Chien, Wisconsin where she graduated as valedictorian from Praire du Chien High School in 1977. After graduation, Mary Jo attended Loras College where she majored in Accounting, Political Science, and Business Administration. She graduated in 1981 as the first person in Loras history to graduate with three majors in four years.

From there, Mary Jo went on to graduate school at Creighton University where she graduated with a law degree in 1984. While at Creighton, she served as a Law Review member and published an article on the Johnson and Johnson antitrust lawsuit.

Currently, Mary Jo is a partner in Wipfli LLP. She is a CPA and Attorney certified in financial forensics. She specializes in discovering theft in the workplace, reducing fraud and establishing best practices for businesses and employers. As an IRS Taxpayer Advocacy Panel member, she was awarded for her work on reducing identity theft and for streamlining the IRS audit procedures and practices.

Mary Jo’s family includes her four sisters Jean, Paula, Jill, and Barb, and parents Cyril and Shirley Murphy. She is very proud that at all five “Murphy girls” graduated from college. Her husband Shawn is also a college graduate currently getting his certification as a Patient Advocate. Shawn and Mary Jo have on daughter, Rachel, who currently works and resides in Chicago, IL.

Mary Jo is extremely involved in numerous community organizations, Boards and committees, including the Gundersen Medical Foundation, the Family and Children’s Center, the Kiwanis, the La Crosse Tribune Editorial Board, the La Crosse Bar Association, the UW-L Chancellor’s Advisory Committee, AICPA liaison to the U.S. Congress, the Golden Key Society Advisory Board, the Aquinas Schools Foundation Board and Finance Committee, past Chair and Board member of the Greater La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce, past member of the La Crosse County Economic Development Committee, member of the Viterbo University President’s Society, member of the Loras College Alumni Association, and a past Board member of the Boy Scouts.

Mary Jo has received numerous awards and recognitions. The Boy Scouts honored her with the Silver Beaver Award and the Girl Scouts awarded her with the Girl Scout of Distinction Award. The YWCA named Mary Jo as one of its Outstanding Women when they awarded her the Professional Woman in Business. In addition, she has received the Wisconsin Association of Homicide Investigator’s Public Service Award, President of the United States Award for Volunteer Service (Gold Level), the 2010 Executive of the Year representing Accounting Services Industry awarded by the Cambridge Who’s Who, and she was inducted into the Wisconsin Bar Association Law Foundation.



Mary Jo’s involvement in the Boys and Girls Club began when she lived in West Salem. Her father was very involved in the Boys and Girls Club in Bemidji, MN, so when the opportunity arose, Mary Jo pledged a gift to the capital campaign to open a new Boys and Girls Club branch in West Salem. Mary Jo and Shawn’s involvement has steadily grown because of their philosophy, “If we can help – time, talent, or treasure – we will!”