
Association of International Certified Professional Accountants Poaches Someone From the Maryland Association of CPAs and Issues a Press Release, Part I
OK, as many of you know by now it’s not just someone, it’s our good friend Tom Hood, the longtime president and CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs. Hood will be joining the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (which for the purposes of this article we’ll call AICPA 2.0) as executive vice president, […]
This CPA Walking Across the Country for a Good Cause Makes You Look Lazy, Uninspired
Unlike Forrest Gump deciding to run across the country for no good reason at all, 62-year-old Frank Ryan is on a mission. From Bill Sheridan over at the Maryland Association of CPAs: The CPA, consultant and Business Learning Institute thought leader is spending his spring and early summer on a remarkable journey that finds him […]
New MACPA White Paper Outlines Future CPA Leaders’ Vision For the Industry
Our favorite revolutionaries over at the Maryland Association of CPAs never take a vacation, and for those of you interested in leadership, you might be interested in their latest project. Or at least enjoy the following without making snide comments about overachievers that mask your true feelings of jealousy. Let’s face it, you’re probably not as cool as Tom Hood. It’s fine, just embrace it.
A team of graduates from MACPA’s 2011 Leadership Academy say CPAs must become more global-minded, proactive, future-focused, balanced and tech-savvy to maintain their competitive edge in a complex and constantly-changing world. Getting there, they say, will require a brand new set of skills and characteristics. Among them: Unity and flexibility, the ability to collaborate and crowdsource, a mind shift from history to possibility, and a new tech-focused mindset.
It is likely no coincidence that Gen Yers, as the future leaders of the industry, are hyper-connected, collaborative and far more interested in the “possible” than the “already been done.”
Forty members of the MACPA’s 2011 Leadership Academy used those infamous collaboration skills to shape a new MACPA white paper, “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: Maryland’s Young CPAs Create a Vision of the Profession’s Future.”
“These young CPAs care deeply about their profession,” said MACPA Executive Director Tom Hood, CPA. “They know we’re facing an increasingly complex and challenging future, and they see each challenge as an opportunity not only to help clients and employers, but to position CPAs as the world’s most trusted business advisor.”
The white paper comes on the heels of the profession’s CPA Horizons 2025 project, which leveraged input from CPAs, regulators, thought leaders and futurists to identify key trends and map what the profession will look like in 2025.
The interesting part about the MACPA’s project is that opinions and visions are a dime a dozen in this industry, but Leadership Academy participants went beyond postulating about the future to map opportunities from a future CPA leader’s point of view complete with action plans, timelines and desired results. This isn’t simply a report on the state of the industry at some point in the future but a report on how young leaders can get us there in the here and now.
“There have been a lot of questions swirling about the next generation of business leaders. Topping the list is, ‘Are they ready to lead?’” said Hood. “Our Leadership Academy provides the answer: Not only are they ready to lead, they’re hungry to lead, and this white paper is their starting point.”
Download the white paper here. To find out more about the Leadership Academy, head here.
So You Think Your CPA Can Dance?
One thing I’ve always loved about the Maryland Association of CPAs is that they aren’t afraid to shake things up, do what everyone else isn’t doing and, uh, break out into a dance routine in the middle of a dinner reception.
Remember the “big surprise” they were planning for the 2011 CPA Summit? Here it is, enjoy:
Don’t Miss the Big Surprise at the Maryland CPA Summit, June 2 – 3 in Baltimore
If you are anywhere near Baltimore and looking for something to do on June 2 – 3, have you considered checking out the Maryland CPA Summit?
I’m specifically going to check out the new CPA swearing in as I hear from a reliable source that the MACPA crew is planning something very special that I just can’t share with the class at this point. Trust me, you’re not going to want to miss it.
You can also pick up some CPE in such fun and exciting topics as healthcare reform, fair value, revenue recognition & fraud, IFRS, XBRL and more. It’ll run you $125 if you’re a MACPA member, or $325 if you are not.
Maryland CPAs, I expect to see many of you there.