Recruiting

The Virginia Society of CPAs announced that its president and chief executive, Thomas M. Berry Jr., will retire at the end of April. He has led the organization for the past 30 years.The society’s board of directors has named VSCPA executive vice president Stephanie R. Peters as the 8,100-member group’s next president and chief executive. She has worked at the VSCPA for nearly a decade.

Wolters Kluwer business CCH announced that Mike Sabbatis has been named to the newly-created position of president for CCH Tax and Accounting U.S.

Wachovia Corp. recently agreed to a three-year corporate partnership to help support and enhance the ongoing initiatives of the National Association of Black Accountants Inc.

A board within the International Federation of Accountants has proposed new guidance to help member bodies develop practical experience programs for accounting students.The International Accounting Education Standards Board, an independent standard-setting board, recently issued a statement outlining such programs, “Practical Experience Requirements - Initial Professional Development for Professional Accountants.”

With continuing professional education and training inching ever closer together, CPE for 2007 is shaping up to be a mix of new offerings and delivery formats bookended by industry-focused courses and uncertainty over potential changes emanating from the 110th Congress.While CPE demand spiked in 2005 as a result of mandates such as Circular 230 and Section 199 of the American Jobs Creation Act, providers pointed to more recently enacted standards like FIN 48, the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005, the new risk assessment standards, and the continuing cry for fraud education as topics that will highlight much of CPE this year.

William Ferrara, professor of accounting emeritus at Stetson and Pennsylvania State Universities, received the 2007 Lifetime Contribution Award from the Management Accounting Section of the American Accounting Association, sponsored by the American Institute of CPAs.

A new federal reports says that the National Strategy for Financial Literacy needs to contain some measures of accountability.The strategy belongs to the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, which was created by December 2003 legislation. The Government Accountability Office says that while the strategy is comprehensive in identifying the breadth of issues involved, the plan does not serve as a plan of action designed to achieve specific goals.

Robert N. Anthony, an honored member of the Harvard Business School faculty for more than 40 years and a prolific scholar, author and innovator in the field of management accounting and control, died Dec. 1 in New Hampshire.

The International Accounting Education Standards Board is seeking comment on an exposure draft of its strategic plan for 2007-09.

With the close of 2006 approaching, we asked industry leaders to share their ideas of what the accounting profession will look like in five years: What will be its major concerns? Challenges? Hot new service areas? What will shape will the firm landscape have taken?In the final part of the series, among others, managing director of research for research firm Glass Lewis & Co. Lynn Turner, Information Technology Group Inc. principal David Cieslak and Internal Federation of Accountants chief executive Ian Ball take a stab at forecasting what the future holds for the profession. The managing partner of Beckstead and Watts, Brad Beckstead, the firm involved in the legal challenge over the constitutionality of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, wraps things up.

A board within the International Federation of Accountants is seeking proposals for a research project that will examine how other industries measure the continuing education efforts of professionals.

The American College, a financial services educator based here, has launched an expedited learning program designed to prepare financial advisors for the Certified Financial Planner certification examination in roughly seven months.Developed in conjunction with the JR Financial Group, a financial services trainer, the program, titled Financial Planning Express, combines self-study with a series of live, four-day classroom sessions held every six weeks. The six modules that comprise the Express program conclude three weeks prior to the CFP certification examination with a live, five-day comprehensive review of all 89 CFP topics covered on the test.

Thomson Tax & Accounting has joined the Strategic Partners Program of Financial Executives International.

A lack of practical implementation guidance and the incomplete nature of the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations’ 1992 framework -- in assessing effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting -- are two of the key cost drivers for public companies complying with Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 (SOX) requirements, according to a new study.

The continuing business boom has generated a demand for accountants in every sphere that will make seasonal staffing during tax time more difficult than ever, say industry observers."If you're looking for tax people, they're not easy to get, and whoever you do get will be a lot more expensive," said Mike Hurley, vice president of tax for Tampa, Fla.-based Kforce Inc. "Either employees have a good deal where they're at, or they're burned out. Those that have good tax people are making sure they can hold on to them, while others are just getting out of the game. It's hard to find experienced tax people."

The Tax Policy Center has released a series of data tables taking a look at the effect of the major tax changes enacted since 2001.

The American Institute of CPAs has rolled out a new associate membership category for all college and university accounting faculty who are not holding or pursuing the CPA designation.The category will be most similar to the institute’s already existing non-CPA section associates -- instead of working for an accounting firm, applicants have to be teaching accounting at a college or university. Dues are set at $185 a year

With the close of 2006 approaching, we asked industry leaders to share their ideas of what the accounting profession will look like in five years: What will be its major concerns? Its challenges? The hot new service areas? What shape will the firm landscape have taken?Throughout November, WebCPA will post new comment collections each week.

As an extension of its ongoing 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy effort, the American Institute of CPAs and the non-profit Ad Council have partnered on a campaign designed to encourage savings among 25-to-34 year olds -- a demographic, which encompasses roughly 40 million Americans.Titled, “Feed the Pig,” in a reference to the piggy bank, the multi-pronged media effort will include television, radio, print, banner ads and text messaging designed to help emphasize the importance of savings.

Thomson RIA, part of Thomson Corp., and software provider Paisley Consulting, announced that they have formed a strategic marketing relationship.