April/May 2008 | Fresno Chapter Bulletin

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SAVE THE DATES

Student Night

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 16
Location: TorNino’s; 5080 N. Blackstone Ave.; Fresno

Golf Tournament

Date: Monday, Oct. 27
Location: Fort Washington Golf & Country Club; 10272 N. Millbrook Ave.; Fresno

Young and Emerging Professionals Awards Night

Date: Wednesday, Nov. 12
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CHAPTER NEWS

Awesome Leadership Program

By Laura Cullen, CPA

I don’t think most members are aware of a fantastic program that CalCPA offers to its members. It is a five-day leadership training program underwritten by CalCPA and qualifies for CPE. It is the best five days of class I have ever had.
   My application being accepted, I attended the third annual Leadership Program that ended in January, and I can’t tell you how much I learned and how enjoyable it was to learn. I met interesting CPAs from all over the state, including the 20 students in the class. We heard about cutting-edge management skills, succession planning, how to listen and most importantly for me, how to not throw your teammates under the bus—even if you are sure they deserve it!
   Another lesson for a CPA to learn: that accuracy isn’t always the most important thing! Can you imagine?
   I found these classes enlightening and we had a fantastic facilitator in Bill Reeb. Rather than simple lecture, he prodded us to foster discussion. Being a CPA, when he did speak, he spoke to our point of view, which made it easy to soak up the knowledge. It was the ultimate in education!
   I hope I can entice you, my fellow CPAs, to apply and take advantage of this excellent program. You will never be the same afterward and will come away with the leadership skills you need to take your career to the next level and to increase your participation in CalCPA.
   —Laura Cullen, CPA (reformed thrower of teammates under the bus)

Past President’s Message: My Journey with CalCPA

By Doyle Daniel, CPA

After passing the CPA Exam and acquiring the requisite experience, I received my CPA license from the state of California 27 years ago and began my career journey as a CPA. One of the first things I did after receiving my license was to join CalCPA. I am not sure why I joined, except that this was the expectation in my firm. Of course, the fact that my father, the founder of our firm, encouraged my participation probably had a major influence on this decision.
   Over the years the wisdom of my initial decision to join CalCPA has been confirmed again and again. My involvement began by attending several Fresno Chapter meetings. Back in the 1980s, I remember these meetings being an almost monthly occurrence. From my early attendance at chapter meetings things sort of snowballed. I attended a MAP Committee meeting, and surprise, I was asked to chair this committee and I said yes.
   Later I found out that one of the “blessings” of chairing the local MAP Committee was a seat on the CalCPA MAP Committee. I started attending the CalCPA MAP Committee meetings more than 20 years ago and still have not been able to develop an exit strategy.
   Three times a year I look forward to meeting with professionals from all over our state to discuss ways to assist our members to efficiently and effectively manage their accounting practices, and to assist the membership to apply knowledge, skills and resources to enhance their businesses.
   During the early 1990s, I was asked to serve on the chapter board. “Why not?,” I said, and began my participation in chapter leadership. This culminated in 1996–97 with my term as Fresno Chapter president. As part of the responsibility as president, and later as a chair of the CalCPA MAP Committee, came a position on the CalCPA Board (now the CalCPA Council). It was fascinating to see how a volunteer organization of 31,000 members functions at the higher leadership levels.
   After 27 years of CalCPA membership, I can truly say that I have received much more than I have given in volunteer time or paid in dues. I’ve developed lifelong friendships in my community and throughout the state. I have taken back to my practice a wealth of knowledge to make me and other members of my firm much better CPAs. And I also have the satisfaction of saying that I have contributed just a little bit to the furthering of my profession.
   —Doyle Daniel, CPA

New Members

On behalf of the Fresno Chapter’s officers, directors and members, we extend our warmest of welcomes to our new members: Yasuyo Magoon, Sam Babcock, Roken Bhatt... [see all new members]
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CalCPA NEWS

We Value Your Membership—Renew Today

Renew your 2008-09 CalCPA membership and you will be entered into a drawing for a FREE VP membership good through April 2009 courtesy of the California CPA Education Foundation. Learn more.
   Renew Today!

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Fresno Chapter Leadership