March 2008 | Silicon Valley San Jose Chapter Bulletin

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CHAPTER EVENTS

Silicon Valley Forum Workshop: Personal Strategic Plans

Many businesses and individuals get so caught up in day-to-day activities that they never really take the time to adequately plan their future. A strategic plan is a set of decisions about what to do, why to do it and how to do it. Because it is impossible to do everything that needs to be done in this world, strategic planning helps you make those decisions and take those actions that are most important.
   Attend this event and hear how a strategic planning process can help you to define the future you want to create for yourself and your business.
Topic: Personal Strategic Plans
Date: Wednesday, March 12
Speaker: Kristi Royce, KLR Consulting
Time: 7:30–9 a.m.
Location: Ramada Silicon Valley; 1217 Wildwood Way; Sunnyvale
CPE: 1.5 hours
RSVP: Online or contact Jane Dunbar, Peninsula Silicon Valley Chapter program associate.

SVSJ Attorneys, Bankers & CPAs Springfest

Please join us for one of the most popular networking events of the year. Over 300 attorneys, bankers and CPAs meet together for an evening of delicious hors d'oeuvres and profitable conversation.
Date: Tuesday, May 20
Time: 4:30pm - 7:30pm (Registration at 4:30pm)
Location: History San Jose, San Jose
RSVP: Online
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SAVE THE DATE

End of Tax Season Celebration

Date: Tuesday, April 15
Location: TBD
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Adios, Ma

By Roger Laux

I know that it is an election year, and it is always great fun (and way too easy, given the subject matter) to poke fun and take potshots at political candidates. However, I’ll save that duty for Academy Award emcees and late night talk show hosts.
   One thing you may want to consider, though, when you go the polls later this year is the tax inclinations of whoever will be sitting in the White House for the next four years.
   As all of you probably know, especially you tax preparers and tax counselors, we are steaming toward the fateful year 2010 (sometimes referred to as the “throw your momma from the train” year). The current estate tax exemption is $2 million and will rise to $3.5 million by 2009. However, the estate tax is slated to be repealed in 2010. So, 2010 would be a great year to be the beneficiary of a significant bequeathal. After 2010, the estate tax will likely come back with a vengeance and some minimal exemption amount. I say minimal in terms of California dollars, though that could possibly be quite a handsome exemption if you live in Tupelo, Miss.
   Just as the alternative minimum tax was intended to affect the very wealthy, the target was the same for estate taxes. With the effects of inflation, and specifically here in California, that target ratcheted down and now encompasses the middle class. I know a lot of you folks have worked hard and planned diligently to create an estate for your comfortable twilight years and as a legacy for your kids. It will be a shame to hand a major chunk of it over to the feds.
   You may also want to consider this when you (and I know you will) mark your calendar for CPA Day at the Capitol in Sacramento Tuesday, May 13. This day is specifically earmarked for the state’s CPAs to visit the Capitol and gain an audience with your state legislators. It’s probably a bit early to issue this reminder, but you tax folks will be underground until late p.m. April 15, so early reminders never hurt.
   Many of the issues on the agenda for that day will be state specific (mobility, etc.), but I believe it also will be beneficial to put a bug in the lawmakers’ ears about national topics of concern. If you have not attended CPA Day at the Capitol before, you should seriously consider it. Everyone I know who has gone in the past has found it very rewarding and informative. Go online for more information about this event or contact chapter liaison Vince Chin or chapter program associate Stephanie Stewart, who will be glad to assist you.
   Regards,
—Roger Laux
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CHAPTER NEWS

New Members

On behalf of the Silicon Valley San Jose Chapter’s officers, directors and members, we extend our warmest of welcomes to our new members:

Licensed CPAs
Chris Weber, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP

Candidate Members
Ginamay Achanzar, Ernst & Young LLP 
Samsheer Ahamad
Arin Asuncion, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP 
Stephen Berg, Applied Materials Inc 
Mike Brandeberry, National Semiconductor 
Steve Breiner
Yi Chang, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
Danielle Crowley
Rachel DeJesus, A2Q2 LLC 
Lily Fan, Telesky Financial Service 
Kraig Gadsby, Ernst & Young LLP 
Ying Guo, Petrinovich Pugh & Co LLP 
Jing Huang
Nancy Je, BDO Seidman LLP 
Amy Kay, Johanson & Yau Accountancy Corp 
James Kovacs, Petrinovich Pugh & Co LLP 
Annette Lasala
Irina Liubovitch, Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP 
Anna Luong, Cushman & Wakefield 
Gabriel Ng, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
Dinah Nguyen
Rita Pareenja, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
Patrick Phipps, Leel Corporation 
Konrad Pienaar, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP 
Travis Salha, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
Niharika Saraogi
Tyler Spalding, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP 
Subadra Srinivasan
Rosemarie Strehlow
Josephine Villanueva, Ernst & Young LLP 
Lu Wang, eBay Inc 
William Weatherford, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
Amy Wong
Grace Yao, Napster, Inc.   

Candidate Members Converted to Licensed CPAs
Stephanie Asano, Armanino McKenna LLP 
Xin Chen, Ernst & Young LLP 
Luisa Chu, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP 
Eric David, Deloitte & Touche LLP 
Alexandra Ermakova
Shawn Fernandez, Electronic Arts 
Kelly Gaffaney, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP 
Jing Gao, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP 
Jamil Ijha, Protiviti 
Sarah Johnston, Petrinovich Pugh & Co LLP 
Caroline Krumel, Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP 
Antonia Kwan, Berger/Lewis A/C 
Ka yi Lau, KPMG LLP 
Saikat Paul, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
Jonathan Pong, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP 
Roshini Prasad, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
Rochelle Ramos, Ramos & Ramos 
Natalie Rava, Hayashi & Wayland 
Smita Sane, VeriSign Inc 
Vikrant Shah, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP 
Thomas Sites, KPMG LLP 
Catherine VanRhee
Chun Yuet Yeung
Zhiqiang Zhou, Ernst & Young LLP

Associate Members
Richard Shimek, Shannon Marquardt, CPA

Student Members
Claudia Arellano,  California State University, Monterey Bay
Robert Blodgett, Cabrillo College
Wai Man Choi, Gavilan College
Robert Harding, Santa Clara University
Hong Hsia, West Valley College
Tiffany Kaya, Santa Clara University
Phat Le, California State University, Monterey Bay
Allison Murphy, San Jose State University
Nguyet Nguyen, San Jose City College
Jose Pacheco, Santa Clara University
Naomi Petty, Monterey Peninsula College
Justin Peverini, Santa Clara University
Damon Poon, University of California, Santa Cruz
Wei Qiu, Mission College
Nicole Samiotes, University of California, Santa Cruz
Minh Truong, Evergreen Valley College
Cheng Cheng Wei, De Anza College

Member Anniversaries

One–Five Years
Jacqueline Akerblom, Elizabeth Almeida, David Anderson, Jason Beheshti, Aaron Broholm, Daniel Callaghan, Greg Carpenter, Sheldon Chavan, Jowei Chen, Danny Chen, Brian Crowley, Zheng Cui, Cynthia Damesyn, John DeBoni, Daneya Denson, Lynn DeVaughn, Lucy Ellis, Lynda Hauswirth, Edwin Hormozian, Lisa Hubbs, Rachel Hwang, Jamil Ijha, Sunita Jagasia, Koji Kondo, Maria LaBarbera, Patrick Lynn, Barbara Madden, Christina McCollum, Kari McGee, Stacy McGoldrick, John McKune, Shannon McLaren, Rishi Mehta, Anna Minassian, Ravi Narula, Robert Nikl, Cynthia Noble, Lee Ann OConnell, Daniel Olin, Charles Pearce, Yu-Chi Peng-Lee, Kevin Pope, Arthi Praveen, Christine Pryor, Emiliya Rasheva, Tim Ridout, Robby Roekman, Marina Rombakh, Scott Schroeder, Gilbert Simonetti, III, Jinmei Sun, Rockee Tanimoto, Henrik Thorsen, Mary Tipton, Kenjiro Tsurumi, Ravindra Vora, Scott Watters, Christopher Wentzien, Steve Wyosnick, Pingrong Xue, Mei Yang, Tianshu Ye, David Yu, Michael Zelda

Six–10 Years
Andrew Alltizer, Heather Babcock, Amy Chien, Nathan Curtis, Mark Goodburn, Bette Grace, John Haydon, Philip Hulme, David Kenyon, Tammy Kettler, Sheryl LaCroix, Peter Malutta, Robert McConnell, Jr., John McIntyre, William Melton, Jr., Bertha Minnihan, Carol Murray, Miguel Palma, Rhonda Richards, Christina Roberts, Ronald Saflor, Cinthia Hui-Hsi Sheu, James Sullivan, Yvonne Thornton, Kris Toscano, Sandra VanKeuren, Zinaida Vaysman, Leo Yen

11–15 Years
Douglas Aguilera, Leslie Alston, Thomas Atherton, Sherry Baggett, Monica Bailey, Bonnie Barnes, Raymond Cheung, Diane Drake, Thomas Duffy, Bud Fallon, Perry Forschino, Paul Freed, Brent Green, Joseph Hogan, Christina Ibanez, Joseph Ippolito, Charles Laboso, Jeffrey Lawrence, David Schirle, Kazuko Sherman, Kevin Shives, Maryellen Warjas

16–20 Years
Pia Camenzind, David Caron, Margaret Chan, Joyce Chen, Vicki Delegeane, Roger Falberg, Daniel Faulk, Rodney Gibbs, Henry Gong, Timothy Guderian, Sharon Hall, Maria Ho, Carl Jasper, Roger Laux, Brad Messerman, Albert Mouns, Blake Pintar, John Rick, Rachel Ridgeway, Jerry Roberts, Karen Rockwell, Joseph Steger, Margaret Treanor, Craig Viau, Carol Waln, James Williams, Becky Wong, Michael Yates, Catherine Yeh, Michael Yu

21–30 Years
John Allen, John Blaettler, Calvin Breed, Tsun Chang, Ronald Chiri, Michael Clark, Cynthia Davis, Larry DeBower, Marc Diamond, Thomas Dowling, Stephen Ferrari, Stephen Grimaud, Hugh Hall, Bradley Herrmann, Leslie Ingham, William Jespersen, Greg Kostigen, David McCaman, G. Edward McClammy, Jr., Louis Mitts, Lee Neidleman, James Parks, Wendy Perez, Jonathan Ryan, Sharon Schlegelmilch, Rory Smith, Mary Takaichi, Howard Thomas, Mary Vettorel, Marc Wagner, Daniel Weinfurther, John Widdowson, Annette Yu

31–40 Years
Thomas Akrop, Paul Alto, Len Bryant, Peter Cirivilleri, Morris Cohn, Charles Crow, Earnest Deaton, Robert Gaddis, Douglas Gaebe, Patricia Janes, Frederick Leonard, III, Robert McBride, Daniel McGilloway, Jr., Michael McHale, William Mitchell, Charles Mollett, III, George Neyama, William O'Brien, B. Frank Pettebone, Jr., Donald Potter, James Rotter, Kenneth Schneider, Steven Schnur, Stephen Sedler, Sidney Slade, Herman Velazquez, Alvin Walters, Frank Young

More than 40 Years
Arthur Bourdon, Jr., Carl Farman, Joseph Gibson, Gerald Korinek, Jeffery Martin, Charles Metcalf, Jr., Fred Meyer, Richard Newton, Peter Pors

Meet the Board: David J. Neighbors

David J. Neighbors is partner in charge of Johanson & Yau’s Tax Department and has more than 17 years of business experience in Silicon Valley specializing in corporate and individual tax compliance and planning. Prior to joining Johanson & Yau, Neighbors was with KPMG Peat Marwick and Ernst & Young in San Jose.
   “I decided to become a CPA watching Ward Cleaver of Leave It to Beaver,” he says. “I imagined I would one day wear a suit and work in an office.”
   Neighbors is involved in many professional and civic organizations in the community and is an active AICPA member. He is on the board of trustees for The National Hispanic University and is an active volunteer with the Berryessa Union School District and youth sports. He regularly volunteers his time helping local nonprofit organizations with their annual tax filings and has served as a board member of the Big Brothers and Sisters of Santa Clara County and Alum Rock Counseling Center.
   “My dream is to use my position as a CPA to be a role model in my community and to be an advocate, not just for change, but for solutions,” he says.
   Neighbors’ heroes are his parents. “I will always appreciate their selflessness in constantly putting their five sons ahead of themselves, encouraging us to reach for the stars and being there to pick us up when we fell,” he says.
   An area native, Neighbors graduated from San Jose State University with a bachelor’s degree in business with an accounting emphasis and a master’s degree in taxation.

CalCPA NEWS

CPA Day at the Capitol

Help legislators understand key issues facing California CPAs including the importance of CPA mobility and achieving substantial equivalency in our state. California is a part of a national effort to remove unnecessary barriers to providing services across state lines, which is unjustly costly to the clients of CPAs and may in fact interfere with consumer choice.
   The connections you make will prove to be crucial in educating legislators and their staff before they vote on issues important to you as a California CPA.
   You will establish meaningful relationships that ultimately will create a more favorable business environment for CPAs throughout California.
Date: Tuesday, May 13
Time: 9:30 a.m./registration; 10–11 a.m./issues briefing; 11 a.m.–3 p.m./appointments with legislators; 3:30–4 p.m./debrief
Location: Sheraton Grand Sacramento; Sacramento
RSVP: Online

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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RESOURCES:

Silicon Valley San Jose Chapter Leadership