CALIF. ADOPTS 150-HOUR RULE
Sacramento, Calif. - California has joined the states mandating the 150-hour rule, as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law SB 819 requiring all California CPAs licensed after 2014 to have 150 hours of college education prior to licensing. California CPAs licensed prior to 2014 will be grandfathered in as substantially equivalent.
Colorado, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands remain holdouts on the 150-hour rule.
Additionally, Schwarzenegger signed AB 138, which requires mandatory peer review for CPA firms, which begins in 2010, but implementation will be phased in over a three-year period. Also signed into law was AB 117, which requires license status disclosure for inactive CPAs.
THOMSON REUTERS LAUNCHES NEW MARKETING BLOG
A new blog has been created to explore the intersection of accounting and marketing: Thomson Reuters has launched "Marketing Mondays," written by Jack LaRue, senior vice president and general manager of the company's myPay Solutions payroll service. The blog will be featured as part of Thomson Reuters' ARNE online accounting community.
With one foot in marketing and the other in accounting business, LaRue realized that his unique perspective might help other accountants realize the benefits to be gained through marketing and promotion. "It's doing so much to bring the profession together in meaningful and productive ways, and I'm happy to contribute," said LaRue, who has been posting on the blog since September.
In addition to actionable marketing tips and tactics, LaRue's weekly posts will offer higher-level insights on how to position an accounting firm for success over the long term. For example, one post offered six ways to get more advertising results from fewer dollars.
"A lot of accountants are a little hesitant when it comes to marketing," LaRue said. "But marketing is about much more than just stumping for new business. It give you new ways of thinking about your firm."
AMERINST SIGNS LIABILITY INSURANCE DEAL
Chicago - AmerInst Insurance Group plans to offer professional liability insurance to accounting firms through an agreement with some of Crum & Forster Holdings' insurance companies.
An AmerInst subsidiary, AmerInst Professional Services, will deliver marketing, underwriting, application and other services to insured firms and C&F insurance companies. AmerInst will also provide reinsurance to C&F insurance companies for the professional liability business.
APSL will be headquartered in Chicago. Most of the shareholders of AmerInst are CPAs or with CPA firms. For more, visit www.amerinstpro.com.
PLANTE & MORAN PARTNER IN NATIONAL CALENDAR
If it's on your calendar, it's more likely to get done. Be sure to schedule time for big-picture planning and business development initiatives along with your regular meetings. That's good advice offered by Kelly Springer, an audit partner for Plante & Moran. Now that advice is going national - in the form of a calendar.
Springer is one of 365 professional women in the country whose words of wisdom will be featured in the 2010 Woman's Advantage Shared Wisdom Calendar. More than 3,500 submissions were presented for consideration in the calendar.
BARFIELD MURPHY NAMED TOP SMALL WORKPLACE
The Wall Street Journal has listed Birmingham, Ala.-based Barfield, Murphy, Shank & Smith in its Top Small Workplaces report. Compiled in partnership with nonprofit Winning Workplaces, the list highlights small businesses that continue to invest in their people, and illustrates the practices they use to create successful organizations. Fifteen small businesses were selected out of nearly 630 nominations, which were then pared down to 35 finalists. A national panel judged the finalists based on specific metrics and qualitative assessments. Barfield Murphy was the only business in Alabama chosen, and the only accounting firm.
