Ten years after graduating from the School of Accountancy (SOA) at the BYU Marriott School of Business, Penny Lundgren waited, exhausted but exhilarated, to receive her first-place medal for the 1993 Jeep National Championship for mountain biking. Despite several literal bumps on the road, Lundgren pushed through to the finish line. Since that experience, Lundgren firmly believes that she can accomplish anything with enough practice and determination.
As one of her most impactful memories, this athletic triumph inspires Lundgren to be diligent and work hard to reach her goals. “I’ve won several races and even received a bronze medal at the first Union Cycliste Internationale world championship, but my 1993 win was one of the most memorable,” she says. “When we got to the last event, I was set up to win the whole thing. Two-thirds of the way down the course, I hit a mound of dirt hard. I didn't crash, but it twisted my handlebars to a 45-degree angle, away from where the tire was pointing, making it hard to keep racing.”
Lundgren refused to let this problem deter her from her course. “I had an intense desire to win,” she says. “I remember feeling resolved and almost powerful. I said to myself, ‘I’ve worked too hard to let this get in my way. I'm going to win.’ I kept pedaling and won the race. The competition taught me about the power of determination, preparation, and faith. During difficult situations in my career, I remember that experience and renew my resolve to push through.”
Given her success in the sport, Lundgren surprisingly wasn’t always interested in competitive mountain biking. “After graduating from BYU Marriott in 1983, I got a job in Mammoth, California, as an accountant, where I taught ski lessons in the morning and did accounting at night,” she says. “One day I decided to enter a mountain biking contest for fun, and I won. My friends told me, ‘You should pursue this talent.’ I decided to take a leap and secured some sponsorships that allowed me to start competing. Mountain biking met my physical and emotional needs, and I loved the rush of adrenaline that accompanied it.”
Now a CPA with her own practice in Yucaipa, California, Lundgren has learned how to balance her career, hobbies, and family life. “I try to get up early in the morning and have a plan for what I will accomplish,” she says. “The most important things in my life are my faith, family, and fitness; I always put those before my other obligations.”
Lundgren’s time at the SOA taught her to strive for excellence in all facets of her life. “The rigor of the accounting program gave me confidence and pushed me to do my best,” she says. “I attended a business writing course where we used IBM typewriters, and to receive an A in the class, I couldn’t have a single typo. I wanted to be excellent, so I worked hard and got an A in the class. The standard of excellence that I set for myself transferred into my career.”
However, the most important thing Lundgren learned at BYU Marriott was the value of integrity. “In my career and life, my integrity has been challenged many times,” she says. “Integrity is the greatest career and personal attribute for anyone to cultivate. Even during hard times, I find it comforting that I will always have my integrity as long as I remain true to my values and my beliefs.”
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Writer: Sarah Calvert
