June 2008 | Inland Empire Chapter Bulletin

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Chapter Events

Young & Emerging Professionals/Member Guest Social

Date: Wednesday, June 18
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Location: Dave & Buster’s, Ontario Mills
Cost: $10 (Includes $5 Starbucks card given to each registrant at event)
RSVP: Online

 

SAVE THE DATES

Annual Leadership Planning Conference

Date: Friday, June 6

Monthly Chapter Meeting - Accounting and Auditing at the Canyon Crest Country Club in Riverside

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 23
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Expanding the Value of Membership

By Mark Erickson, CPA

I am honored and humbled to be entrusted by you to serve as the Inland Empire Chapter president this year. So many talented and gifted colleagues have preceded me that I can only hope to continue the long heritage of superb leadership they have demonstrated. My confidence in being able to accomplish this is founded in the strength of this year’s leadership team. The supporting officers—Renee Miller, Evan Strano, Johanna Sweaney Salt, Andy Anderson and Lynette Atchley—along with the extended leadership team, come with years of experience in various leadership roles and have attained numerous accomplishments that have expanded the value of membership. Of course, none of this would be possible without the exceptional administrative support provided by CalCPA staff members Monica Thompson, our program associate, and Vince Chin, our program director,.
   My primary goal this year is to grow the value of membership. To do this, we must better understand the needs of chapter members and make tangible progress toward meeting those needs. I plan to establish open and ongoing communication between our local members and the leadership team. You have an open invitation to contact me or anyone on the leadership team to share your recommendations or concerns. In the meantime, we will implement some new features to our local programs that will bring additional value to chapter members.
   We recently have launched several new and exciting CalCPA initiatives that target previously underserved membership segments. The Young and Emerging Professionals initiative focuses on students, candidates and CPAs with 0 to 5 years’ experience and seeks to provide resources, training and networking opportunities for these members who are just beginning their CPA careers. The second annual Young and Emerging Professionals’ Conference just concluded and provided our organization’s young professionals with valuable tools to advance their careers. We hope to provide similar opportunities to the young and emerging professionals in the Inland Empire with a local conference targeted for September. Stay tuned for more on this valuable opportunity.
   CalCPA also has launched the Financial Leadership Forum, an initiative that focuses on business and finance professionals and their unique needs. At a local level, we will modify our chapter meeting structure and content to better accommodate the needs of business and finance professionals, while maintaining the same high-quality education opportunities for public accounting professionals.
   CalCPA also has been very active and effective in communicating and advocating for consumer protection and choice legislation that will have profound impact on our profession. Specifically, CalCPA has done a superb job in advocating for appropriate mobility legislation that would allow California CPAs to provide services to their clients who have interests in other states. I urge you to take advantage of the valuable resources found on the CalCPA website and get involved in voicing your opinion to legislators on the issues that impact our profession’s future. To assist our local members better understand current issues, we plan to offer a “State of the Profession” update this fall with representatives from CalCPA and the California Board of Accountancy. I urge you to stay alert for this coming opportunity.
   Last, but certainly not least, we want to take advantage of the technology CalCPA can deliver at the chapter level. We are targeting two events at which we will offer live webcast alternatives to the onsite chapter meetings. I also hope to make podcasts of our chapter events available to all CalCPA members who are not able to attend our chapter meetings.
   I truly look forward to working with the gifted Inland Empire Chapter leadership team to advance our goal of providing greater value to our local members.
   Respectfully,
—Mark Erickson, CPA
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CHAPTER NEWS

New Members

On behalf of the Inland Empire Chapter’s officers, directors and members, we extend our warmest of welcomes to our new members: Gordon McNamee, Kenneith Rose II, Steven Johnson... [see all new members]

Bulletin Deadlines

Keep these due dates in mind if there is something you’d like to publish in the Bulletin. Send information to program associate Monica Thompson.

July issue: Monday, June 9
August issue: Tuesday, July 8
September issue: Friday, August 8

CPA Day at the Capitol a Success

By Johanna Sweaney Salt, CPA

On May 13 CalCPA had its annual CPA Day at the Capitol in Sacramento, and it was quite an event.
   This was my first time attending CPA Day, and I was joined by fellow Inland Empire Chapter members Lynette Atchley and Scott Hofferber. Our own program associate extraordinaire, Monica Thompson, also was in attendance, as was Vince Chin, our program director.
   It was quite a sight to see literally hundreds of CPAs all over the halls of the Capitol, each wearing a bright blue button that read “CalCPA: Committed to Excellence.” It also was quite exciting to be in the Capitol at the very same time that Karen Bass was sworn in. Bass is the first African-American woman in the nation elected to be speaker of a state assembly.
   But the real highlight of the day was the opportunity to speak with assembly men and women, as well as senators, and tell them about the issues we face as CPAs. We focused on three areas: Our support of AB 2473 and mobility, our opposition to sales tax on professional services, and our promotion of financial literacy. These are important causes that affect us all, and it is so important that our elected representatives hear firsthand from their constituents. Make sure you let your representatives know about these important issues, and make plans now to attend CPA Day in 2009.
   For more information about these issues, and to see how you might get involved, go to http://calcpa.org/Content/legissues.aspx.

2008 California Summit on Financial Literacy

By Tracy T. Wirtes, CPA

The 2008 California Summit on Financial Literacy was held in Sacramento April 23. Many groups were represented, including the CalCPA and the California Jump$tart Coalition. Jack O’Connell, superintendent of public instruction, and Assemblyman Ted Lieu addressed the need for financial literacy. The California Jump$tart Coalition gave awards to Californians who have made significant contributions implementing programs.
   Speakers included Teresa Mason, Jim Greenwood, Don Blandin and Jean Chatzky. Don Blandin, CEO and president of the Investor Protection Trust, spoke about his experience building coalitions, and offered tips for those in attendance. Jean Chatzky, Money magazine editor-at-large and financial editor of NBC’s “Today Show,” related positive stories about efforts she has witnessed related to personal finance education and encouraged those in attendance to continue their efforts to increase financial literacy.
   Pam Krueger and Jack Gallagher, co-hosts of PBS “Money Track”, moderated three of the Summit’s breakout sessions, including the session on California’s housing crisis, in which Inland Empire Chapter’s Lynnette Atchley participated.

2008–09 Leadership Team

The ballots have been counted and the results are certified. Congratulations to the following 2008–09 chapter officers and directors:

Officers

Mark Erickson, President
Evan Strano, First Vice President
Johanna Sweaney Salt, Second Vice President
Andy Anderson, Secretary
Lynette Atchley, Treasurer
Renee Miller, Past President

Directors

In Memoriam

It is with deep sorrow that we inform you that Marvin D. Dudley passed away in January. Marvin was a CalCPA life member and served as chapter president in 1960–61. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends.

The Past 58

Take the Lead

The chapter is seeking leaders for some of its interest and discussion groups for terms beginning in June. As an interest or discussion group chair, you are invited to chapter board meetings. If you’re interested in participating in this role, contact chapter program associate, Monica Thompson, at (951) 242-7558 or monica.thompson@calcpa.org.

Personal Financial Planning State Committee

Members of the CalCPA Personal Financial Planning Committee met May 1–2 at beautiful Incline Village, Lake Tahoe. We revisited the state PFP Committee's vision, mission, core values and objectives. In addition to the productive work we did, we had the opportunity for excellent continuing education.
   The PFP Committee wants to enhance the reach and impact of CPA financial planners by promoting their integrity and supporting PFP members as they carry out their roles in society as the most trusted financial adviser. The PFP Committee recognizes CPA financial planners as being leaders in professional competency and integrity within the financial planning environment. The CalCPA PFP Committee is an essential resource for the development and implementation of a PFP practice. We will aid in the area of practice management and help California CPA firms with issues that arise when implementing a financial planning practice.
   If you are interested in reading the vision, mission, core values and objectives of the CalCPA PFP Committee, please let me know. I am happy to forward the documents to you. As always, please contact me with any questions you may have at Lynette Atchley; (909) 793-3233; lynette@atchleycpa.com.
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CalCPA NEWS

And the Winner Is ...

Congratulations to Jerry Butterfield of the San Joaquin Chapter, who won the free VP membership courtesy of the Education Foundation. And thank you to everyone who has renewed.
   If you haven’t already renewed—your dues were due May 1—now is the perfect time.
   It only takes a minute, www.calcpa.org/renew

2008 National MAP Survey: New and Improved

Find out how your firm stacks up against others by taking part in the PCPS/TSCPA National MAP Survey, which covers key practice management issues, from billing rates and salaries to services as a percentage of fees.
   Survey results will allow you to compare your firm’s management policies and financial results to other firms, gain strategic guidance to build a more profitable and rewarding practice; and help make core business decisions.
   Changes to this year’s survey include 40 percent fewer questions, targeted and “user-friendly” results, a free summary results report for all participants, and results made available months earlier than in previous years.
   The summary report will contain an extract of the survey’s key performance metrics, such as number of hours charged/compensated, major income statement statistics and more. The comprehensive report, available for purchase and free to PCPS members, will include all of the performance metrics crossed against many relevant comparison groups, as well as additional ratios and statistical analyses.
   The survey is open through July 11.
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RESOURCES:

Inland Empire Chapter Leadership