November 2007 | Inland Empire Chapter Bulletin

TOOLS

 

DISASTER RESOURCES

What to Do in an Emergency

Whether you or a client has been affected by the Southern California fires, CalCPA has resources to help you through the crisis, including comprehensive tax resources and other important disaster recovery information.
   CalCPA also is coordinating volunteer efforts to assist victims of the Southern California wildfires—and we need your help.
   There are opportunities for CPAs statewide to provide pro bono financial and tax assistance to fire victims who are in need. Even if you are not in Southern California, you can sign up to offer assistance by phone.
   Each volunteer receives a comprehensive Volunteer Handbook that contains virtually everything you’ll need—especially when combined with your professional expertise—to assist fire victims.
   To volunteer, update the volunteer portion of your personal profile.
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SAVE THE DATES

Board of Directors Meetings

Date: Monday, Nov. 5
Time: 7:30–9:30 a.m.
Location: Mission Inn; Riverside
RSVP: Online

Date: Monday, Dec. 3
Time: 7:30–9:30 a.m.
Location: Coco’s Restaurant; Ontario
RSVP: Online

Date: Monday, Jan. 7
Time: 7:30–9:30 a.m.
Location: Mission Inn; Riverside
RSVP: Online

Past Presidents Council Breakfast

Date: Tuesday, Jan. 29
Time: 8–10 a.m.
Location: Mission Inn; Riverside
RSVP: Online
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Growing Strong!

By Renee H. Miller, CPA

What a great turnout at the member guest social at Dave & Buster’s Sept. 28! Almost 40 people attended, with a good mix of folks at different stages in their lives and careers. I hate to say "young and old," since I am a member of the latter; however, it was a very diverse group and everyone seemed to enjoy the interaction. There was lots of talking, laughing, playing pool and raffling off discounted student memberships. It was a real great way to spend a Friday evening! The students came from various academic institutions such as Cal State San Bernardino, Cal Poly Pomona and University of La Verne.
   Many thanks are in order for the event’s huge success. Chapter board member Patrick Cabildo, of Smith Marion & Co. Certified Public Accountants, and chapter program associate Monica Thompson organized the event. For those of you who do not know Monica, she always works diligently to make sure that things go right before, during and after the event! Miel Rey is our student representative on the chapter board and did a great job connecting students with CalCPA. Current chapter leadership in attendance included Clifford Baugh, first vice president; Mark Erickson, second vice president; and board members Lynette Atchley, Patrick Cabildo and Johanna Sweaney Salt. Past chapter presidents David Marion, Chad Porter and Bruce Gray added much to the evening. If you missed this event, be sure to sign up for the next one. Watch the Bulletin and our website for details.
   Did anyone catch the radio show, “Voice of the Inland Empire,” Saturday, Oct. 13 on Smart Talk 1490 AM KMET, hosted by Ron Stark? Our very own Clifford Baugh and Lynette Atchley were guest speakers and talked about CalCPA. They are scheduled to be on again Saturday, Nov. 10. Great job, Cliff and Lynette! Kathy Johnson, finance director with the San Bernardino Sun and chair of the Inland Empire Business and Industry Committee, made all this possible. Thanks, Kathy!
   The Student Scholarship and Recruiting Event will take place Friday, Nov. 2. This is a very important event honoring our outstanding accounting students from Inland Empire’s colleges and universities. CalCPA Chair Teresa Mason will speak, followed by an impressive panel of CPAs, who will answer questions about the accounting profession. The panel includes (in alphabetical order):

• Lynnette Atchley, sole practitioner and Inland Empire board member
• Barbara Bowlby, branch manager, Ontario office of Robert Half International Inc., and chapter board member
• Ernie Cooper, formerly with the FBI and now with Vincenti, Lloyd & Stutzman, CPAs
• Scott Hofferber, controller, Farmdale Creamery, business and industry representative, CalCPA vice chair and chapter past president
• Carolyn Payne an attorney and CPA from the IRS and part-time instructor for the University of La Verne
• Rick Rayson, managing partner, Orange County, Deloitte & Touche LLP and CalCPA Council member from the Orange County/Long Beach Chapter

At this event, scholarships will be handed out to many deserving students, who will be accompanied by family, friends and faculty. Then the recruiting portion of the event will run from 4–6 p.m., offering students and representatives from various firms a good opportunity to get to know each other.
   In addition to the Student Scholarship Event, there are two other important events in November. Tuesday, Nov. 13 is a chapter dinner meeting. Kathy Johnson, chair of the Business and Industry Committee, has arranged for speakers on the SBA 504 loan program and the use of Excel as a budgeting tool.
   The other event will take place Tuesday, Nov. 27. This event has been arranged by Johanna Sweaney Salt, chair of the Management of an Accounting Practice Committee, and will focus on exit strategies.
   For the CalCPA leadership, which includes chapter presidents, first vice presidents, state committee chairs and others, there will be a Council meeting in Oakland Wednesday, Nov. 7. I will update you on these proceedings in next month’s Bulletin. The focus of the meeting will be strategic planning issues for CalCPA and a featured speaker will be Tom Campbell, dean of the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. He was also member of the California State Senate and United States House of Representatives, as well as California Director of Finance.
   All these events play an important role in helping to grow CalCPA and improve the accounting profession. The Inland Empire Chapter, which is one of 14 chapters statewide, has more than 1,000 members, of which about 85 percent are licensed members, and the remaining are largely candidate members. Included in this count are 46 students and three associate members. CalCPA membership totals about 30,000.
   I look forward to seeing you in November and at other future CalCPA events!
   Respectfully,
—Renee H. Miller, CPA
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CHAPTER EVENTS

Student Scholarship and Recruiting Event [PDF]

Meet CalCPA Chair Teresa Mason. Free recruiting and marketing. Reserve your table now!
Date: Friday, Nov. 2
Time: 2–6 p.m.
Location: Ontario Convention Center; 2000 E. Convention Center Way; Ontario
Cost: $6 (Please note that there is a $6 parking fee. Your paid parking stub can be exchanged for entrance into the event.)
Info: Chapter program associate Monica Thompson or (951) 242-7558.
RSVP: Online

November Monthly Chapter Meeting

The November meeting’s afternoon session will begin with a presentation by Sasha Alexander Globa, director of business development at California Statewide Certified Development Corporation. This workshop will provide an introduction and key insights into the SBA 504 loan program. Some of the topics to be covered include:

• SBA 504 loan program objectives and history
• Key eligibility requirements
• Transactions that are candidates for SBA 504 financing
• Underwriting and funding processes
• Role of the Certified Development Company/SBA, participating private lender and the CPA
• Information and documentation needed
• Common misconceptions and FAQs

Eric Augusta, an expert in Excel productivity, modeling and training, will present the event’s evening portion. In this session you will explore whether to use Excel as a primary budgeting tool and receive tips on summing, selections, logical functions, sheet naming, filtering, grouping, subtotaling, various shortcuts and more.
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 13
Time: 3–3:30 p.m./registration; 3:30–7:30 p.m./program and dinner
Location: Magic Lamp Inn; Rancho Cucamonga
Cost: $45/members; $60/nonmembers (includes dinner)
CPE: 3 hours
RSVP: Online

December Monthly Chapter Meeting: Tax

Be sure to join us as we’ll be discussing local taxes, particularly the business property tax and some of the lesser-known issues in completing the 571-L for our clients, as well as the increased responsibilities of tax preparers and the tightening of Circular 230 standards for disclosure.
Speakers: Jim Bone, western region state and local tax partner, PriceWaterhouse Coopers, and Kip Dellinger, Kallman & Co. and member, CalCPA Committee on Taxation and AICPA Tax Practice Responsibility Committee
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 4
Time: Noon/registration; 12:30–4:30 p.m./program
Location: Mission Inn; Riverside
Cost: $45/member; $60/nonmember (includes lunch)
CPE: 3 hours
RSVP: Online

MAP Committee Meeting: Exit Strategies

Exiting a closely held business requires thoughtful planning and, given enough time, can yield many positive results for the owner. In this presentation, Ted Collins will give an overview of exit planning and the role CPAs serve in helping their clients through the process. A portion of the presentation will be dedicated to exiting a CPA practice.
Speaker: Ted Collins, CPA, Exit Transition Strategies LLC
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 27
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Village Grill; Claremont
Cost: $12/members; $15/guests (includes lunch)
CPE: 1 hour
RSVP: Online

Finding and Evaluating Frauds: A Case Study Approach

Gain an understanding of how frauds are perpetrated; understand the economic impact of fraud on American businesses; develop procedures to reduce the risk of fraud; increase your sensitivity to situations that are susceptible to fraud; and find out what to do if you uncover a fraud.
Speaker: Stephen N. Getzoff, CPA, CFE, president, Business Fraud Detection Services and partner in Clumeck, Stern, Schenkelberg, and Getzoff
Date: Friday, Jan. 18
Time: 8 a.m./registration; 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m./program
Location: Canyon Crest Country Club; Riverside
Cost: $125/members; $180/nonmembers
CPE: 8 hours
RSVP: Online

Golf Tournament

By Dick Savich, Golf Committee Chair

Mark you calendars now for the next Golf Tournament for the Inland Empire Chapter: Monday, May 19, 2008, at the Greg Norman Course at PGA West in La Quinta.
   We have the opportunity to play a premier course during prime season at a great price—$175 per person, which includes lunch, dinner, carts, practice range, special contests, prizes, drinks, refreshments and more. Be prepared to take advantage of this great deal and get your foursome together now. Look for more details in future Bulletins.
   For sponsorship information, e-mail Monica Thompson or call (951) 242-7558.

YEP Meeting

Young and emerging professionals play a vital role in the accounting profession and will influence the future direction in years to come. The chapter will hold a roundtable meeting with young and emerging professionals to discuss their viewpoints on the profession, career growth and leadership development.
   As a follow-up to the successful YEP Conference held earlier this year, we are hosting this event for individuals with up to five years’ experience, including upper level students.
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 27
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Round Table Pizza; 15002 Summit Ave.; North Fontana
RSVP: Chapter program associate Monica Thompson or call (951) 242-7558.

LA Run/Walk 2007: Power by Numbers

On your mark … get set … run! We are pleased to announce the Third Annual Power by Numbers Run/Walk. Last year’s run/walk was a smashing success as more than 900 runners/walkers basked in the sun and raised more than $40,000!
   This year we want to attract more runners/walkers to this 5K/10K event and raise even more money for local nonprofits, so we need your help!
   Our goal this year is for 1,000 runners/walkers to raise $45,000 for scholarships to local college/university students. The Venice Boys & Girls Club will also benefit and CalCPA will collaborate with “Reading is Fundamental” of Southern California, as well as host a non-perishable food donation for the Westside Food Bank.
   Enjoy well-earned prizes, as medals will be awarded to the top three:

• 5K and 10K teams
• Individuals (within each division)
• Fund-raisers

All registered runners/walkers will receive a pancake breakfast, T-shirt and a goodie bag. Date: Sunday, Nov. 18
Time: 8 a.m./registration; 8:30 a.m./event begins
Location: San Vicente & Darlington; Brentwood
Register: Online
Download a run brochure and poster.
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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: Beth Bockenhauer, David Winings, Wendy Basulto... [see all new members]

Nominations Committee Formed

The Nominations Committee is charged with selecting the 2008–09 slate of candidates for officer positions and board members and is in the process of submitting its nominations. Committee members are Scott Hofferber (chair), Renee Miller and Clifford Baugh.
   If you have a suggested nomination, e-mail chapter program associate Monica Thompson or call (951) 242-7558.

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

December issue: Nov. 9
January issue: Dec. 5
February issue: Jan. 9

MAP/MCS Meeting

By Johanna Sweaney Salt, MAP Chair

The first official meeting of the Management of an Accounting Practice/Management Consulting Services (MAP/MCS) Committee since the committees merged in May took place in September and it was a productive session.
   We began with an update from John Larkin regarding the recently renovated CalCPA webpage. If you have not had a chance to visit the webpage, please do so. It has a new look and feel and is much more intuitive. There are many resources that offer very practical value, such as the MCS Resource Guide, developed by the MCS Committee. John also discussed some exciting ideas for improving the website even more in the future.
   The committee also discussed the possibility of presenting a management consulting conference. It has been years since something like this was done, and some great ideas were suggested. If you have any interest in being on the planning committee for this conference, or if you have a specific topic you’d like to see covered, please let me know.
   We were able to come up with a new mission statement that more appropriately reflects the efforts and intentions of our newly merged committee. Also very exciting was the report from the Chapter Programming Task Force, as they presented a chapter survey and offered lots of great material that can be used at the chapter level. We anticipate that this task force will turn into a subcommittee, as it is the MAP/MCS Committee’s intention to increase the MAP/MCS activity at the chapter level. This is yet another way that CalCPA is giving real value to its members on many levels.
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CalCPA NEWS

Leaders Wanted: Become a CalCPA Officer or AICPA Council Member

You are the driving force behind one of the world’s largest economies. Isn’t it time you put your leadership skills to use for the betterment of the CPA profession?
   The CalCPA Nominations Committee is accepting nominations until Dec. 1 for 2008–09 CalCPA officers and council members at large. Officer positions include chair, first vice chair, treasurer and two vice chairs. Three council members at-large also will be elected.
   Members can apply for more than one office and will be considered only for the positions to which they apply. Download a nomination form, review job descriptions and ideal leadership characteristics.
   For more information, contact John Angelo or Nominations Committee Chair D. Paul Regan.

Another Way to Serve—AICPA Council

If you’re an AICPA member and interested in representing your peers on AICPA Council, let us know. The Nominations Committee will recommend candidates to AICPA Council, which establishes AICPA policies and procedures, and enacts resolutions that are binding on the board of directors, officers, committees and staff.
   If you’re interested, send a letter of intent and your professional and volunteer history to: Nominations Committee; c/o D. Paul Regan, chair; 330 N. Brand Blvd., Suite 710; Glendale, CA 91203.
   All letters must be received by 5 p.m. Dec. 1. The AICPA makes the final selections.

CalCPA Member Discounts on CCH Tax Guidebooks

CalCPA members can order CCH’s U.S. Master Tax Guide 2008 and the Guidebook to California Taxes 2008 at significantly discounted rates:

2008 U.S. Master Tax Guide (Expected ship date, late-December 2007): $41/members; $61/nonmembers.

2008 Guidebook to California Taxes (Expected ship date, late-January 2008): $39/members; $59/nonmembers.

Order today.
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RESOURCES:

Inland Empire Chapter Leadership