December 2007 | San Diego Chapter Bulletin

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CHAPTER EVENTS

SD Technology Committee: Security and Malware Protection Update

Speaker: Dave Peiser, Peiser Solutions; Byron Leonard, Software Blueprint IT Consulting
Date: Thursday, Nov. 29
Time: 12—2 p.m.
Location: Handlery Hotel; 950 Hotel Circle North
Cost: $30/members; $40/nonmembers 
CPE: 2 hours
RSVP: Online

Networking Event

Celebrate the crisp evening air of the fall season and get together with other CalCPA members at Cafe Merlot in the Rancho Bernardo Winery. This is a fun place to relax and wind down after a day at the office. 
Date: Thursday, Nov. 29
Time: 5:30–8 p.m.
Location: Café Merlot, Rancho Bernardo Winery; 13330 Paseo del Verano Norte
Cost: $10/members only 
RSVP: Online

New Tax Qualified Plan Design Opportunities

Speaker: Pamela C. Means and Ken Vollmer, Means & Associates LLC
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 4
Time: 12—2 p.m.
Location: Handlery Hotel; 950 Hotel Circle North
Cost: $25/members; $35/nonmembers (after Tuesday, Nov. 27, add $5)
CPE: 2 hours
RVSP: Online

Litigation Consulting Services Committee

Topic: How Are You Perceived by Jurors and Others?
Speaker: Jilien Rubin, San Diego Jury Consultant
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 4
Time: 12—1:30 p.m.
Location: Handlery Hotel; 950 Hotel Circle North
Cost: $25/members; $35/nonmembers 
CPE: 1 hour
RVSP: Online

Tax and Accounting Outsourcing: Last Look Before the Rush

Topic: Find out if outsourcing is right for your practice, what security issues need to be considered and what the appropriate systems are for outsourcing.
Speakers: Richard Muscio, Dev Purkayastha, Dru Brannen
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 11
Time: 12—1:30 p.m.
Location: Handlery Hotel; 950 Hotel Circle North
Cost: $20/members; $30/nonmembers (after Tuesday, Dec. 4, add $5)
CPE: 1 hour
RSVP: Online

SD AP&AS Committee: Independence – Rule and Application

Speaker: Dan Dangel, CPA
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 12
Time: Noon–2 p.m.
Location: Handlery Hotel; 950 Hotel Circle North
Cost: $25/members; $35/nonmembers (after Dec. 4: add $5)
CPE: 2 hours A&A
RSVP: Info/Register

San Diego Chapter Holiday Party

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 12
Time: 5:30—8 p.m.
Location: Blue Coral Seafood & Spirits, 8990 University Center Lane
Cost: $45 members/nonmembers (after Monday, Dec. 3, add $25)
RVSP: Online

Technology Committee

Topic: Office 2007 and Windows Vista: Is it Time to Upgrade?
Speaker: Bryan Whitfield, Systems Computer Training
Date: Friday, Dec. 14
Time: 12—2 p.m.
Location: Handlery Hotel; 950 Hotel Circle North
Cost: $25/members; $35/nonmembers (after Thursday, Dec. 6, add $5)
CPE: 2 hours
RVSP: Online

San Diego Tax Boot Camp

Cosponsored by CalCPA and the University of San Diego
Topic: Individual Tax With Introduction to Corporations
Instructors: Katherine Leonard, CPA and Frank Beiser, CPA
Dates: Monday through Thursday, Jan. 7–10
Times: Jan. 7–9: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; Jan. 10: 8 a.m.–noon
Cost: $795/members; $895/nonmembers
CPE: 28 hours
RSVP: Online

SD AP&AS Committee

Topic: Revenue Recognition: A Comprehensive Overview
Speakers: James W. Ledwith, CPA, and James C. Stewart, CPA, JH Cohn LLP
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 9
Time: Noon—2 p.m.
Location: Handlery Hotel; 950 Hotel Circle North
Cost: $25/members; $35/nonmembers (after Wednesday, Jan. 2, add $5)
CPE: 2 hours (A&A)
RSVP: Online

ABC Night

Topic: Demographics, Population Issues and Economics
Speaker: Stephen Happel, economics professor, Arizona State University
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 9
Time: 5:30–8 p.m.
Location: Sheraton La Jolla; 3299 Holiday Court; La Jolla
Cost: $40/members; $50/nonmembers (after Wednesday, Jan. 2, add $5)
CPE: 1 hour
RVSP: Online

Fraud: Exposures and Solutions in the Nonaudit Environment

Date: Wednesday, Jan. 16
Time: 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Location: Handlery Hotel; 950 Hotel Circle North
Cost: $100/members; $170/nonmembers (after Wednesday, Dec. 19, add $30)
CPE: 8 hours (A&A and fraud)
RSVP: Online

Sec. 1031 Replacement Option: Tenant in Common Investments

This meeting was rescheduled from Oct. 25 due to the San Diego wildfires.
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 23
Time: Noon–1:30 p.m.
Location: Handlery Hotel; 950 Hotel Circle North
Cost: $20/members; $30/nonmembers (after Tuesday, Jan. 15, add $5)
CPE: 1 hour
RSVP: Online
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Resources Available

By Narelle E. MacKenzie, CPA

I hope you and your clients made it through the San Diego wildfires unharmed. San Diego’s recent disaster made headlines around the world, and my family, clients and colleagues in the United States and elsewhere called to check in. I was fortunate. I did not have to evacuate or lose loved ones or property. If you suffered any losses in the fire, please accept my sympathies. I encourage you to reach out to CalCPA to find appropriate resources that can help you. We have geared up at the chapter and state level to assist impacted members.
   For those of you who provide financial services to people impacted by the fires, please reach out to CalCPA, as we can help you help your clients navigate through the issues. Please refer to other articles and information in this Bulletin and on the CalCPA website.
   Despite the tragedy of the fires, work still goes on. My colleague, Ron Wisniewski, and I provided a two-hour presentation on FIN 48 Oct. 31. There was an analogy made between brain surgery and FIN 48, but once again, it comes down to processes, documentation and standardization. Ron and I often work together. He is very clever and humorous, which makes for an entertaining presentation. This was a joint meeting of our local Business and Industry and the AP&AS committees. It is good to see various committees convene for networking. [photo]
   Please take a few moments to read updates on other programs from both the state and chapter levels of CalCPA, especially news related to CalCPA Council meetings. The CalCPA Council provides the direction for CalCPA to ensure the important issues that impact our members are identified and addressed.
   I hope to see many of you at our next networking event, the Dec. 12 holiday party at Blue Coral Seafood and Spirits in La Jolla. As well as a holiday celebration, this event is an opportunity to honor our past chapter presidents and 40-year members. I know some of you were not even born 40 years ago, but it is important to recognize those who shaped the profession and our CalCPA chapter.
   I wish each and every one of you safe and happy holidays and a prosperous new year. See you in 2008!
—Narelle E. MacKenzie, CPA
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CHAPTER NEWS

Update on CalCPA Leadership Institute

By Marleen Thudium, CPA

The CalCPA Leadership Institute is a five-day program designed to improve the leadership skills of CalCPA members. This year’s participants include 20 CalCPA members—some are new to CalCPA and some have been involved for years—and one staff member.
   The class received its first homework assignment Sept. 6: have seven people who worked for us, plus co-workers, supervisors and ourselves, complete a survey about our leadership style.
   Our next session, Oct. 18-19, included interactive activities, many questions, a lot of discussion and a few practical jokes on our instructor, Bill Reeb.
   We learned basic leadership and management concepts, and watched videos of workplace situations that helped us learn the concepts by actually seeing the situation. This instruction was followed by a board game that helped us apply what we learned through friendly competition and teamwork. And we watched "Twelve O’Clock High" as a demonstration of leadership.
   We also received the surveys we had completed and turned in. It felt just like school when we got our test back. What leadership style did I use? My style was the same as most CPAs. The six people who completed my survey agreed. This was useful to know.
   As is done at most CalCPA overnight events, we enjoyed an evening on the town. We spent this particular evening at Buca Di Beppo in Universal City, which was a first for me. For those of you who have not been there, Universal City is like a Las Vegas hotel open to the stars. It was a time for enjoying great atmosphere, seeing old friends and making new friends. Like always, CalCPA staff had arranged another outstanding trip.
   Our next two-day meeting is Nov. 29–30 in San Jose. We already have our homework. I look forward to what is next and keeping you posted on these events.

Celebrate Women CPAs

By Nai Hwang, CPA

Leslie LaManna and I attended CalCPA’s inaugural Celebrating Women CPAs event Oct. 19. It was a day that provided leadership development, career growth and professional networking. Approximately 300 women CPAs gathered in the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles to enjoy a full agenda of sessions and exhibits. We also ran into chapter members Jeanne Shannon, Joan Alleckson and Ann Wilson.
   The event started with keynote speaker California Assemblymember Fiona Ma speaking about "Leading the Profession." She talked about her path to becoming an assembly member, despite her busy life as a CPA, daughter, wife and mother. Ma also noted that her CPA background contributes to the California Assembly work and issues affecting the profession. From her speech, I felt Ma’s passion and enthusiasm to meet the demands of all of her roles.
   After lunch, break-out sessions focused on people skills, conflict management, business networking and career growth. It was hard to select from all of the excellent choices, but fortunately, most handouts were provided in the conference package. It also was very encouraging that most of the presenters were women, who served as role models for the rest of us. The gentlemen in attendance also received a round of applause for their courage in attending the conference.
   Judy Olian, dean of UCLA Anderson School of Management, presented the last session. Olian pointed out that the status for women leadership is not the best it could be, but it is slowly improving. She talked about how gender differences still impact women’s socialization, self-confidence and career paths. However, with confidence and support, women will be able to overcome these obstacles.
   Meeting so many successful women CPAs was a great learning experience and an inspiring day. I hope to see more of you at the next Celebrating Women CPAs conference.

Members on the Move

Mark A. Stepka, CPA, CVA has joined CEA, LLP as partner. He is responsible for the management of all aspects of client engagements, including audits, reviews and compilations of annual financial statements, tax return preparation, tax advisory services, financial forecasts and budgeting.
   Mark has more than 20 years of experience providing consulting services to companies from startups to those with annual revenues of $1 billion. He has helped clients in business growth strategies, business financing, mergers and acquisitions, business valuations, ESOPs and succession planning.
   He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Baldwin Wallace College, is a licensed CPA in California and Ohio and a member of CalCPA and the Ohio Society of CPAs, the AICPA and the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts. Mark is also a board member of the San Diego Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth and past president of the Ohio Chapter of ACG Cleveland.
   Wade C. McKnight, CPA, joined the San Diego office of J.H. Cohn LLP as a partner and director of assurance services. Wade’s expertise with public and private companies, mergers and acquisitions, and other capital transactions will augment the firm’s strategic growth initiative in Southern California. Previously, Wade was the Nevada managing partner at Deloitte & Touche LLP and led that firm's global and national gaming practices. Prior to his most recent position at Deloitte & Touche, Wade was audit partner-in-charge of both the Nevada and Memphis offices. Previously, he spent three years in New Zealand leading the audit practice for Arthur Andersen.
   Wade earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Kentucky. He is a licensed CPA in 11 states.

New Members

On behalf of the San Diego Chapter’s officers, directors and members, we extend our warmest of welcomes to our new members: Liza Amog, Nancy Casanova, T Kevin Denny... [see all new members]

Bulletin Deadlines

Keep these dates in mind if there’s something you’d like to publish in the Bulletin. Information can be sent to chapter program associate Jackie Kuhn.

January issue: Dec. 5
February issue: Jan. 9
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CalCPA NEWS

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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San Diego Chapter Leadership