CalCPA hits membership record of 44,000

The California Society of CPAs now has more than 44,000 members, a new record for the state society.

CalCPA chair Kathy Johnson plans to expand the society further through further outreach to accounting students and minorities.

"Through our chapters and our campus outreach programs, we continually strive to acquaint accounting students with the advantages of being part of an association that works on behalf of the profession's best interests," Johnson said in a statement. "We have governmental programs that advocate on behalf of our members and their clients before the state legislator and regulatory bodies. We also offer a wealth of services, including networking events, educational programs and print and online publications designed to improve member knowledge and skills."

She also hopes to entice minority students into the accounting profession. "The majority of Californians are members of minority groups,” she said. “If our profession is to continue to grow, we must attract more young people of diverse backgrounds and help them have successful careers as CPAs. Through its 14 chapters, CalCPA each year awards more than $200,000 in scholarships to college students throughout the state. The Society also has student ambassadors on 44 college campuses. These ambassadors host programs that provide accounting and business students with information on the benefits of becoming a CPA.”

CalCPA also recently began offering memberships to financial professionals who have never been CPAs, further boosting the society’s numbers. But the vast majority of members are CPAs, with more than 130 accounting firms in California having all their CPA staffers enrolled in CalCPA.

CalCPA's headquarters in Burlingame

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