Helping women define their future

by Marie Brilmyer
Women’s Initiatives Committee 

I am fortunate to be a junior partner at a large, progressive public accounting firm, and as the firm has grown it has maintained a friendly and flexible atmosphere. We pride ourselves on the firm culture, and have made changes when necessary to fit the needs of our employees.  As a result, we have very low turnover rates compared to the industry average. A great feat, especially for public accounting!

I believe that one of the secrets to our success as a firm has been not only responding to our employees’ needs, but anticipating them. Mentoring, wellness, leadership training – it’s all available and easily accessible. Most recently the discussion on employee needs has centered on women’s initiatives.

From mom-and-pop shops to Fortune 500 companies, work/life balance, or integration, has long been recognized for its importance. As our society has evolved to include people with unique situations, wants, and needs, employers have in turn responded by providing more flexibility.

Enter the AICPA and state CPA societies.

A professional society plays a much different role in helping its members achieve their goals. While it is up to each employer to meet the needs of employees, organizations like the OSCPA have an integral role in providing ancillary services. What does that mean? Societies, like ours, can serve to:

1. Support organizations in their own unique efforts.
2. Support those in the workforce to achieve their own unique goals.
3. Provide resources for everyone in the profession.

Why women’s initiatives? The goal of achieving work/life balance is not, by any means, specific to women. But let’s face it, as the AICPA notes, “For the past 20 years, women have represented about 50% (1) of new CPAs in the accounting profession. Yet today, women account for less than 9% (2) of all CFOs in business and industry and 21% (1) of partners in CPA firms nationwide.”

The numbers just don’t add up.

While people can blame the statistics on different things, work/life balance or lack thereof being one of them, regardless of the cause, the goal is to support the advancement of women to higher positions within the industry and help them overcome the obstacles standing in their way. In the process, why not capitalize on some of those woman-to-woman relationships to build your network, find your next mentor, or gain a new friend? The possibilities are endless, and the OSCPA agrees.

We formed a task force to discuss if women’s initiatives are something the society wants. We polled our membership to determine what Ohio CPAs want out of a women’s initiatives program. We solidified our formal committee, held our first meetings and conference calls, and have just launched this initiative in full-force.

To learn more, join us at one of the spring networking receptions, which will be held at the Dayton Accounting Show, and after several of the Professional Issues Updates.

You can also join us on LinkedIn or email any one of your friendly committee members or OSCPA staff liaisons. Give us your ideas, your input, your suggestions and join us on our journey!

A new era begins at OSCPA

By Brendan Fitzgerald, CPA
2012-2013 Chair of the Executive Board

At the end of December, we closed the books on a career that spanned 40 years with the retirement of OSCPA President and CEO Clarke Price, CAE.

On Jan. 31, we welcomed Scott Wiley, CAE to lead us into the future.

I have the unique experience of serving as Chair of the Executive Board at the end of one era and the beginning of a new one. I am tremendously excited about the future of OSCPA under Scott’s direction. The Ohio Society is positioned as a nationally recognized and influential organization. With Scott’s hiring, we expect to continue being out in front of important issues and forge new paths under his leadership.

Scott’s many positive attributes made this a logical decision for the Executive Search Committee. He is a proven association executive coming to us from the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, where he served as their Executive Director for the past 10 years. His broad experience in many areas of association management will be vital in retaining OSCPA’s position as a top association and driving development of even more innovative programs that serve CPAs and the public interest. He has a strong intellect, a passion for work and a track record of program and staff development. I believe you will find Scott to be a compelling public speaker and a creative, thoughtful leader. Scott will also undoubtedly be called upon to use his significant advocacy experience.

When comparing Scott’s qualities to the list of attributes we desired in a candidate, we found significant similarities and strengths in the right areas. When we also established that Scott was a cultural fit for OSCPA, we knew we had found the right candidate. While his past experience is not in the accounting profession, he impressed us as highly intelligent and a quick study. As a profession, we strive to attract the “best and the brightest.” Scott just happens to be our latest recruit.

Last month’s CPA Voice featured an in-depth story on Scott, his background, family and vision, providing insight into the formative influences on his leadership skills development. He describes the opportunities ahead and the challenges to be addressed with equal enthusiasm. While there are highly visible issues where Scott will be the “face” of OSCPA, he also understands that there is the business of OSCPA that will benefit from his leadership. Since Scott was announced as our new President and CEO in early November, he worked tirelessly to become familiar with our organization and the issues we face. Before he ever had an ohio-cpa.com email address, he was listening and learning about our values, staff, continuing education, advocacy, dues, budgets, Professional Issues Updates, member needs and Society relationships with outside stakeholders. The good news is that he was not scared away.

In Scott’s first week on the job, the Ohio Jobs 2.0 budget was introduced, which includes – among other things – taxes on certain services that previously were exempted.

While Scott and I were talking about OSCPA’s need to poll our members to assist with strategy development, I said, “Welcome to OSCPA.” He immediately commented how excited he was to be involved in an issue that affects both our members and the public. He is also keenly aware of our highly visible efforts to reform the municipal income tax system in Ohio. His advocacy experience will certainly be valuable in that initiative.

It is incumbent upon the Executive Board to set priorities for Scott and staff to carry out. At the same time, the Board’s relationship with Scott will be one of symbiosis. As he engages our members in the coming weeks and months, he will be gathering valuable information about their wants and needs to share with the Board for thoughtful consideration.

There will be instances in the future, as in the past, where OSCPA’s position will be controversial to some members. That is unavoidable. As chairs come and go, Scott will be the one constant. I am convinced we have the right leader to move OSCPA forward. One piece of advice I gave to Scott early on was not to feel compelled to just build upon what he inherited, but to help us forge new paths into the future.

A surplus of debt

By Brendan Fitzgerald, CPA
2012-2013 Chair of the Executive Board

Congratulations! We survived the end of the Mayan calendar on Dec. 21. It was entertaining, but few were really preparing for rapture. Amid the speculation that the end was near, we were treated to a 24-hour-a-day news frenzy on the fiscal cliff debate. But the greater threat continues to be the mounting federal debt, which has been increasing steadily by the annual deficits. We are sacrificing the long-term economic well-being of our nation through fiscal and monetary policies that are not sustainable.

The public debt is over $16 trillion and rising. In the coming months, we will be treated to yet another frustrating round of political gamesmanship as the battle over raising the debt ceiling is debated in Congress. The president has vowed that he will not negotiate with Congress over raising the debt ceiling, publicly stating that Congress must provide the funds to pay for the bills they incurred.

Some pundits have mistakenly used the analogy that the debt ceiling is similar to the credit limit set on a credit card, and therefore cannot be exceeded. That’s not the case. It more akin to a business reaching the maximum borrowing limit on its line of credit, and still adding to its trade accounts payable. Debt continues to be incurred as long as the expenditures are greater than the cash receipts. Add to the public debt the amount the government has borrowed from social security that must one day be repaid and we are facing an economic disaster.

Some contend that we need not worry about the government paying off its debts because it has the power to levy taxes, or simply print more of the dollars we have promised. In the short run, we can solve our problems with monetary policy to provide liquidity in the economy until the unemployed can become employed; or use fiscal policy, such as increased taxes for high income taxpayers; or focus on lower discretionary spending, but not entitlements. What is most concerning is, the threat to our national security and stability is real. What is lacking is a clear plan for addressing the long-term implications of continued deficit spending. “I’d gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today” was a saying made famous by J. Wellington Wimpy in the cartoon Popeye. Wimpy was a soft-spoken, lazy and uncharitable man who unabashedly had his hand out, but when Tuesday came and went, the debt was never repaid. That has a ring of familiarity to it.

As the lender of last resort, the Federal Reserve has stepped in to provide the liquidity to the economy by buying bonds to keep long-term interest rates at historical lows. The rollover of old debt to new debt in the future will undoubtedly cost more when buyers demand a higher rate on their investment because the value of the dollar is undermined. We will have more debt at higher interest rates.

We have to separate ideology from economic sensibility. With the economy on precarious footing, a sudden decrease in government stimulus spending combined with low growth in job creation would undoubtedly send the economy into a downward spiral. We need a reasoned plan we can begin to follow with checkups along the way to make sure we do not stray. Continued deficits adding to an ever increasing total debt will have devastating consequences. Fiscal policies such as tax cuts and spending increases that stimulate growth are normally expected to work in the short run, while tax increases and spending cuts tend to slow the rate of future economic expansion. A restrictive monetary policy will eventually be needed to slow the economy to offset inflationary pressures brought about by current policies. Those of us old enough to remember the 1970’s recall the “perfect storm” of economic bad news: high unemployment, slow economic growth and high inflation.

Our nation’s economic future is more at risk every day we add to the national debt. At $16 trillion dollars and rising, we will one day have to pay the long-term price for short-sighted political posturing. The reality is we must earn our way out of this mess, not borrow our way out. The debt crisis was not created overnight and it will not be resolved quickly or easily. One day it will be Tuesday for our nation and we better be prepared to make good on our promise to pay.

Getting the most out of your OSCPA LinkedIn groups

OSCPA’s presence on social media has steadily grown over the past four to five years, but none as much as our communities on LinkedIn. What originally started out as one main group for OSCPA members has since turned into a total of 19 groups consisting of the main group, one young CPAs group and 17 special interest section groups.

To most members, making the switch over to LinkedIn groups for our special interest section discussions presented some learning curves as many were signing up for and using the professional networking site for the first time. Now several months later, most of the bumps have been worked out, but members still have questions on the best way to use the many features offered in this community.

For your reference, we’ve created several short video tutorials showing you how to create a discussion, add comments, links and polls, and how to change your groups settings and make sure you have a secure connection.

Access the tutorials below, or for your convenience we’ve also created an OSCPA LinkedIn Groups playlist on our YouTube channel.

• Finding and joining OSCPA’s LinkedIn groups
• How to start discussions on LinkedIn groups
• Adding comments to active discussions
• Sharing links to other members of your group
• Creating and sharing polls
• How to adjust your group settings to personalize your experience
• Access LinkedIn using a secure connection

Find these helpful or think that we should add to this list? Let us know in the comments!

Note: OSCPA’s special interest sections are a member-only benefit. To learn more about joining one of our 17 sections, please visit our website.

Farewell, Clarke

By Brendan Fitzgerald, CPA
2012-2013 Chair of the Executive Board

It is not easy to craft a column that is worthy of saying farewell to Clarke Price. At the end of this month, Clarke will retire after 40 years with The Ohio Society of CPAs, the last 22 of which serving as president and CEO. While the number of years alone is impressive, it is really not what bears recognition. It is the legacy he created and leaves behind. He guided OSCPA to be nationally recognized and respected while advocating on behalf of our members. We all reaped the benefits of his dedicated service, his leadership and his integrity. He loyally served with distinction, selflessly promoting our profession with creativity and commitment.

I tried to imagine what past presidents and chairs of The Ohio Society of CPAs would say about Clarke if they were in my place. The stories that each could tell (or not tell). While the issues of their day might have been different, the character traits they would use to describe Clarke would likely be similar. Clarke was the one constant: a true leader and a better man. During his tenure as CEO, he answered to a different boss each year. He survived not by adapting to the annually changing styles and personalities of each individual, but by acting consistently with the best interest of OSCPA in mind. He turned ideas to action and action became habit. That habitual behavior allowed for continuity of focus each year. He led with wisdom and vision and the virtue to follow both. He did not dwell on what he had already accomplished, and instead set his sights on what remained unfinished.

If you were to ask Clarke to describe successes or setbacks under his leadership, he would describe them each with the same passion. In times of adversity and controversy he stood strong, as leaders should. He deftly allowed deliberation to evolve, all the while absorbing, percolating and even reformulating his advice. He had plenty of opportunities to shed opinions that were inconsistent with his own, but his conscience would not allow it. By the time an issue had been decided, it had been thoroughly analyzed and challenged. Clarke accepted that he served the Board and our members, and that never stopped him from offering sage advice. He participated in discussions and his opinion was always solicited. We knew we could count on him to advise us with conviction and execute dutifully on our directives.

Clarke would readily offer that not all success should be solely attributed to him. Along the way, he assembled a staff unparalleled in skill and professionalism. He was a demanding boss who held others to the same standards to which he held himself. It was not merely acceptable that his team fulfilled the directives put forth by the Board, but to do so with an expectation of adding value along the way. A true leader and teacher, he took interest in staff development and provided them with opportunities to achieve beyond what they might have thought attainable. He worked with volunteer leaders to enhance OSCPA in ways that were not just relevant to members, but relevant to our profession.

It would be selfish of us to be saddened by his retirement. We can remember him and smile that he led us for so long. Few men of action are able to make a graceful exit at the appropriate time. During this, his final year, he vowed to not slow down and he was true to his word. Clarke’s dedication to our organization throughout the years came with personal sacrifices we accepted without acknowledgement. He has given so much to us and we owe him a debt we can never repay. The best we can do is move forward without constraint.

In 1983 the final episode of the television show M*A*S*H aired, which at the time was the most watched show in television history. The final scene had Alan Alda’s character, Capt. Hawkeye Pierce, flying away from the camp in a helicopter. Once airborne, the message, spelled out in stones, became clear and brought a smile to Captain Pierce. I hope that message brings a smile to Clarke as well… GOODBYE.

CPAs can give peace of mind around the Fiscal Cliff

Nicole Cassidy, CPA of Zapitelli CPAs Inc. & Andy Nentwich, CPA of GBQ Partners, LLC answer viewer calls during the NBC4 fiscal cliff call in Dec. 11.

Even if we manage to avoid the fiscal cliff as a nation, it is pretty much impossible to avoid the fiscal cliff news cycle. 24-7 updates on the web, TV and social media have bombarded Americans with pundit opinions, what-if scenarios and the specter of uncompromising politicians.

What does it all mean? Unfortunately, many Americans don’t seem to understand the potential implications to their own financial situation. That was abundantly clear during a fiscal cliff call in show airing this month on NBC4 evening news in Columbus. During the news hour, a group of Ohio CPAs fielded hundreds of calls from central Ohio viewers.

One remarked he was really surprised at the number of callers who really had no clue about what could be coming. But they took the first step to getting advice by making the call.

Now is really the time to map out a “what-if” scenario and CPAs are uniquely positioned to offer sound tax and financial advice to not only clients, but the public as well.

CPAs can help educate the public in several ways:

• Consider authoring a blog post for your firm’s website, offering a free webinar or serving as a content curator of external articles.
• Talk to your friends and family to make sure they understand the basics.
• Call your local civic organization (Kiwanis, VFW Post) and ask if they would be interested in a half hour presentation on the fiscal cliff.
• Become an OSCPA volunteer and serve as a media spokesperson for tax call ins and related interviews.

Not only will your efforts generate positive publicity for your firm, but you may also bring in new clients. Most importantly, you can use your skill set to help those less informed get ready, even if no one knows quite what to expect come January 1.

For more fiscal cliff resources, visit Financial Fitness Ohio’s Tax Tips or visit the AICPA’s resource page.

As I see it: Looking back & looking forward

By Clarke Price, CAE, President and CEO

I never thought about what I’d want to say in my final commentary to the membership. In all that I’ve written over the years and in all the presentations I’ve made, I honestly never thought what would my final words be about, so the prospect of writing this commentary is proving to be more daunting than I ever expected it to be.

Looking back

Lately I’ve been asked variations on the question “did you accomplish what you wanted” or “what’s been your major accomplishment as CEO” and that’s a tough question to answer. There are a lot of “highs” as I look back, and I have to admit that there are several “lows” too.

What stands out for me on the list of specific things that we’ve accomplished at OSCPA can vary the more I think about what’s happened in the 22 years that I’ve been CEO.

Streamlining OSCPA’s governance stands out as something that makes us a better, more responsive organization. Collapsing the old 12-member Executive Committee and 43-member Board of Directors into a single 17-member Executive Board was a positive step. But more beneficial was the change in our committee structure that led to appointing narrowly focused, short-term task forces to deal with a single issue. Time is a precious commodity for most of us and the old model of lots of committees that would meet four or five times each year and accomplish little because the agenda was too long represented a major abuser of our members’ time. Moving to highly focused task forces allowed us to make better use of everyone’s time, deal with developing issues quickly and produce meaningful results. While many organizations point to a long list of committees to demonstrate high involvement, OSCPA chose to focus on results rather than appearances.

Significant expansion of our advocacy involvement is another accomplishment that has been very positive. While some members may say “OSCPA has no business being involved in politics,” I prefer to say “the reality is the CPA profession is one bill away from catastrophe and nobody but OSCPA is looking out for the welfare of CPAs.” We’ve come a long way in the scope of both our statehouse activities and the depth of our relationships with Ohio’s Congressional delegation. OSCPA has accomplished a lot, and though there have also been battles that we’ve lost, The Ohio Society of CPAs and the CPA profession are now legitimate players in the legislative process. The benefits for the CPA profession are significant. The next challenge, however, will come as the Society continues to expand its involvement in public policy issues. OSCPA’s Ohio Budget Advisory Task Force Report in 2009 provided a dramatic step forward for OSCPA in the public policy arena and will soon be followed with other forays beyond clearly defined legislative issues. Again, this will increase our visibility and our voice on the critical issues facing Ohio’s businesses and citizens.

Certainly, our entry into the digital age and electronic communications is one thing that stands out. While we all have dimensions of any website that we like and don’t like, and I don’t think there’s any web page that is 100% perfect, I’m pleased with what we’ve accomplished in our online presentations (and the new website that will be unveiled later in 2013 will be better than ever).

I’m also very pleased with what we’ve accomplished lately in our presentation of web-based professional development. OSCPA’s Online Library is a great addition and our simulcasting of courses is taking the inconvenience of travel out of CPE for many members. Both of those are recent changes that will only expand and become better resources for our members.

Finally, being profiled in the book 7 Measures of Success: What Remarkable Associations Do That Others Don’t provided significant recognition for OSCPA’s innovative culture. Working with Good to Great author Jim Collins and applying his research methodology to examining associations, the American Society of Association Executives identified nine associations that are “remarkable.” Having The Ohio Society of CPAs identified in that list, and be the only state-based organization, was certainly a high point as I reflect on what we’ve accomplished at OSCPA.

Looking forward

As I think about the issues that are developing over the horizon, there’s no question that the future will present new challenges and opportunities for the Society.

The legislative arena, both in Ohio and Congress, is going to be a continuing challenge. Tax issues will continue to be of paramount importance and will provide a platform for OSCPA to continue to be in the forefront of that dimension of the public policy debate. An advantage we have is that CPAs enjoy wide respect for their expertise and impartial views on tax issues. We need to leverage our bully pulpit to emphasize the need for common sense tax laws at both the state and federal levels.

The regulatory environment will continue to come under scrutiny. Will a state-based licensing scheme for the CPA profession continue to make sense in the future? Will a national or global CPA credential be a possibility for which we should be preparing? Those are questions that aren’t easily answered, but I think we’re going to face them sooner rather than later.

I’ve often said that as a profession we’re just one headline away from challenges to the respect we enjoy today. We experienced just how quickly public opinion can turn following the scandals associated with Enron, Worldcom, HealthSouth, etc. CPAs fell from the top of public opinion to the depths and while our image has recovered, we must always be prepared for that to happen again. The result can be more than challenges in the court of public opinion. It can open up legislative and regulatory challenges as well.

Will the pipeline into the CPA profession continue to be full? Today we enjoy a reality where college classrooms are overflowing with accounting majors. Will that continue to be the case? We need to continue to focus on why students choose accounting as their major and what we can be doing to drive graduates to the CPA exam and into the profession. A further challenge for all employers is to consider how generational attitudes and expectations are changing and how those who employee CPAs should be evolving what life is like for their associates. The historic status quo just won’t cut it for the future!

Finally, we need to constantly work to tell the CPA profession’s story in a manner that resonates with the public. We continue to work under stereotypes that don’t represent the realities of the CPA profession. Just as we are in the forefront of the debate surrounding major public policy issues, I’m confident that we can define a completely new – and more realistic – image of what being a CPA means and what the letters C-P-A represent.

One final observation I’ve been fortunate to work with a team of professionals who genuinely care about our members and their welfare. The OSCPA staff makes it possible for me to be out in front and often take the bows (some may say take the credit) for the work they do to serve our members. They make my job easy and they make it fun to come to work. I’ll miss working with them.

Wrapping up It’s been a great pleasure to work for The Ohio Society of CPAs. This isn’t the career I envisioned when I graduated from college in 1969, but it’s one that I have thoroughly enjoyed. It’s been a pleasure to work with CPAs and to be associated with this profession. We’ve come a very long way since I arrived on the doorstep 40 years ago and further since I became CEO in 1990.

I appreciate the opportunity to be part of the Society. THANK YOU.