Sean McCabe

John Sharbaugh, executive director and CEO of the Texas Society of CPAs (TSCPA) and one of Accounting Today’s 100 Most Influential People, was recently announced as a 2015-2016 honorary member of the Society. The award is presented to those eligible not for regular TSCPA membership, but have nonetheless distinguished themselves within the profession on a statewide level.

EY announced that their EY-Earthwatch Ambassadors program - a collaboration between EY and the Earthwatch Institute, a non-profit that looks to engage professionals in scientific field research and education in sustainable environments - donated 3,120 hours of service this year in assisting local entrepreneurs in Latin America.

The National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) announced on Thursday that Steven Harris, partner-in-charge of RubinBrown’s Entrepreneurial Services Group, was named the new chairman of their Board of Directors. Effective July 1, 2016, Harris will serve a two-year term.

The Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA) Educational Foundation recently announced its college scholarship recipients for the 2016–2017 academic year. The Educational Foundation represents a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting accounting education and encouraging students to pursue careers as CPAs.

Dallas, Texas tax services firm Ryan announced on Wednesday that they will hold an inaugural, firm-wide day of service in honor of the firm's 25th anniversary on July 14, 2016. Dubbed the “RyanSHARES” day, the firm's professionals will spend a full day volunteering in their respective local communities.

The California Society of CPAs (CalCPA) recently announced that they have awarded Grimbleby Coleman CPAs, of Modesto, the Society's 2016 Public Service Award for Firms. CalCPA presents the award each year to recognize a California firm for its philanthropic contributions to the local, state or national level.

Deloitte recently announced that their firm was recognized as part of the Civic 50, a Points of Light initiative that "honors the 50 most community-minded companies in the nation each year as determined by an annual survey," per the organization's website.

A number of tax and accounting firms were named to Fortune's 2nd annual "100 Best Workplaces for Millennials." The ranking was based on more than 88,000 millennials working for over 600 companies that have been certified as a "Great Place to Work."

The Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS) and the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois recently announced the recipients of their yearly academic scholarships for accounting students across the state. Students earning scholarships are set to complete their accounting studies and pursue the CPA licensure.

Small firms face many of the same changes that their larger-sized siblings are undertaking, but they also have a set of unique issues that must be confronted if they wish to stay competitive.