Centennial Campaign report.

Investing in the Future

The Ohio CPA Foundation drives awareness of the CPA career path to students, educators and the public, and teaches Ohio students prudent money management habits so they become fiscally responsible adults.

Thanks to a successful 2008 Centennial Campaign by The Ohio Society of CPAs, the Foundation will have additional financial resources in the future to expand this important work and respond to new needs in the CPA profession as they arise.

A Word from The Campaign Chair

Dear Centennial Campaign Partners and Friends.

Happy New Year. And what a year the past one has been. I've had the honor and privilege of serving as chair of Investing in the Future ... The Centennial Campaign.

This first major fundraising initiative for The Ohio CPA Foundation began in November 2007 and closed on November 30, 2008, with cash and commitments in excess of the $1.5 million goal.

This project has been one of the most rewarding of my more than 35 years as a CPA. During the campaign, I worked closely with the Steering Committee members, and with over 100 other volunteers as we traveled the state to invite every CPA to participate. I also had the outstanding support of The Ohio Society of CPAs' staff from launch day through the final hour. The energy and commitment of all of these people, working together, made for incredible teamwork. I am very grateful for their efforts.

Last year, I talked with hundreds of CPAs about challenges and opportunities for the profession. What I learned underscores for me the reason CPAs are consistently ranked as the most trusted financial advisors in America.

As individuals, we are all unique in how we have chosen to practice as CPAs. But we all share one unifying trait--we are committed to doing our best work and ensuring that CPAs maintain a high level of credibility in the public's mind.

In short, we are proud to represent our profession And it shows.

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CPAs responded with great enthusiasm to The Centennial Campaign because its programs are well aligned with the needs we face to(Jay. Thanks to the generous gifts of thousands of individual CPAs and the vision of many public accounting firms and businesses the Foundation has an improved financial basis for the future.

We will fully fund a permanent endowment of more than $1 million. The remaning funds will support and expand current programs that positively impact our communities and future CPAs.

Work will begin immediately. This spring, we will form a Program Advisory Count comprised of major Centennial Campaign donors that will advise the Foundation's Board of Trustees to realize the Foundation's vision--

* Increase member volunteer service opportunities that bring visibility to the CPA profession

* Ensure talented students understand the rewards of being a CPA

* Improve financial literacy and financial awareness for everyone

You will hear much more about this work as it progresses. In the meantime, thank you for sharing my vision in this journey.

The Centennial Campaign created a unique sense of community for eyed member who was involved in planning, making fundraising contacts and opening their checkbooks.

I hope you enjoy reading about all of this activity on the following pages. But more important, I hope you share my pride in being a CPA today.

Sincerely,

Jerry L. Esselstein, CPA

Chair, The Centennial Campaign

CPAs rally behind Centennial Campaign to keep future profession strong

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Last week, as Ohio Society members rang in a new year, volunteers for Investing in the Future The Centennial Campaign were celebrating an important victory for The Ohio CPA Foundation--the successful conclusion of its first comprehensive campaign--an initiative that will financially drive the Foundation for years to come.

The campaign officially ended on November 30, 2008 with over $1.5 million committed in gifts and pledges from Ohio CPAs, public accounting firms, businesses and public and private foundations. The campaign capped a year-long series of events and member-to-member outreach that created new awareness for the Foundation and the added value it brings to the CPA profession in Ohio.

Of the total, over $1 million will be invested in a permanent, unrestricted endowment to fund future programs. The additional $500,000 raised will maintain and expand current programs over the next five years until the endowment is fully funded.

Today, The Ohio CPA Foundation funds programs that inspire students to pursue an accounting major and become CPAs. It also teachs students how to make wise financial decisions as adult consumers and business leaders. The new endowment will enable the Foundation to grow and provides additional services that are in line with future needs in the profession.

Creating such flexibility was a key reason The Centennial Campaign became the focal point of the Society's 100th anniversary celebration. It was an appropriate way to acknowledge the many achievements of the past and engage CPAs in meaningful conversations about the future direction of the profession.

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And engage them it did--in discussions about the challenges and opportunities that CPAs today face in serving their clients and the greater public. Opportunities such as how to grow the pool of talented CPA candidates as more baby boomers begin to retire, and maintain CPAs' public image as America's most trusted financial advisors.

The Centennial Campaign was a testament to the energy and commitment that CPAs across Ohio have for their avocation.

It began in November 2007 with the formation of a campaign Steering Committee. This small group CPA leaders represented public accounting, corporate industry and accounting education, and was led by Campaign Chair Jerry Esselstein, a trustee of the Foundation's Board, and past chair of The Ohio Society executive board.

The group quickly devised a plan to reach the 1.5 million campaign goal. It centered around one key premise--all CPAs can benefit from the work of The Ohio CPA Foundation, therefore every CPA should be invited to participate in building the future of the profession in Ohio. They recruited an additional army of more than 100 volunteers, all of whom devoted countless hours to making the campaign a success.

The quiet phase of the campaign kicked off in November 2007 and ran through mid June 2008. During this time, volunteers secured campaign gifts and pledges of more than $900,000 from CPA firms and Society leaders. The campaign went public at The Society's Members Summit & Annual Meeting in June, and throughout the summer and fall, volunteers for the General Appeal met face-to-face with individual CPAs from all sectors of the profession. The campaign enjoyed major visibility at all Society shows and events and was supplemented with a direct e-mail campaign to members and a special cover wrap featuring the campaign on the September issue of Catalyst.

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A core group of Ohio Society staff members worked with volunteers throughout the campaign to develop and distribute communications, and manage the collection of gifts and pledges while the total grew. As a result, member awareness for the Foundation increased significantly.

More important, the campaign succeeded in building a common ground of support for more than 3,000 CPAs who participated individually or through their employers. The Centennial Campaign was a unifying force for CPAs in Ohio ... a rally cry for creating a stronger profession for those who will follow in their footsteps in generations to come.

"The CPAs I met have a shared passion about priorities in the profession-retaining top talent and educating the public on financial matters. There is great potential through the Foundation."

Valerie A. Krueckeberg, CPA

Cincinnati

"CPA firms cannot thrive and grow without a strong pool of quality individuals. The Foundation's focus on promoting accounting careers is in line with our firm's mission--developing the CPA leaders of tomorrow."

Phillip L. Wilson, CPA

Principal & COO

Hill Barth & King LLC

Volunteers Drive Centennial Campaign to Success

CAMPAIGN CHAIR

Jerry L. Esselstein (+)

Columbus

Jerry L. Esselstein Company, LLC

CAMPAIGN STEERING COMMITEE

David A. Brockman

Akron

Brockman Coats Gedelian PC Co.

Janice L. Culver

Cleveland

KeyCorp

Crystal L Faulkner (+)

Cincinnati

Cooney Faulkner PC Stevens LLC

Frank L Festi Jr.

Medina

Rea & Associates Inc.

Brendan P. Fitzgerald

Cleveland

Sustin Bartell & Waldman Ltd.

M. A. "Maggie" Houston (+)

Dayton

Wright State University

Valerie A. Krueckeberg

Cincinnati

William B. La Place (+)

Cleveland

Deloitte & Touche LLP, retired

Peter A. Margaritis (+)

Westerville

Margaritis Financial Services LLC

Jay J. Moeller *

Dayton

Battelle PC Battelle LLP

Thomas J. Mulligan

Columbus

Sandra K. Pierce

Dayton

Parker Carlson PC Johnson

Mary J. Reimer

Hamilton

GBR Group LLC

David A. Simko

Cleveland

Ernst PC Young LLP

Elizabeth A. Walsh

Cleveland

American Greetings Corporation

Lee D. Wunschel (+)

Toledo

Lublin Sussman Group LLP

J. Matthew Yuskewich *

Columbus

Winterset CPA Group

SOLICITATION COMMITEES

Janice C. Acerro

Lima

CHAN Healthcare Auditors

Allyn R. Adams

Cleveland

Deloitte PC Touche LLP, retired

David J. Adler

Columbus

Deloitte Tax LLP

Ronald A. Antal

Stow

Research Credit Group

Steven E. Arnold

Dayton

Ernst PC Young

William H. Bagley

Cincinnati

Barnes Dennig & Co. Ltd.

Charles H. Bauer

Hamilton

GBR Group LLC

Peter A. Beck

Milford

Donohoo Cupp Beck & Associates Inc.

Steven R. Becker

Columbus

Sole Practitioner

Marie Belloto

Struthers

Belloto and Associates Inc.

Vanessa L. Blevins

Washington Court House

Sole Practitioner

Matthew T. Boehm

Findlay

Northwest Ohio Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

David W. Brink

Norwalk

Payne Nickles & Co.

James S. Bronder

Lima

The University of Northwestern Ohio

Stephen D. Burcham

Proctorville

Sole Practitioner

Sandy J. Caruthers

Columbus

Crowe Chizek and Company LLC

Linda Cavanaugh

Dayton

The Dayton Power...