CPAs and Cessnas: Roy Mitchell, CPA discusses his professional and personal passions: Roy has spent more than 30 years as a tax professional. He takes great pride in his OSCPA membership as well as his profession. Roy shares what is important to him about his experiences with the Society, accounting awareness among college students, and Ohio's tax code.

• Author: Bartelheim, Megan
• Position: Member SPOTLIGHT - Interview

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I understand your hobby is flying. How long have you been a pilot and what first piqued your interest in the pastime?

Flying is more of a passion than a pastime. I have been interested in flying for as long as I can remember, but I first acted on this interest in 1994. By 1999 I had my pilot's license. I share a four-seater Cessna 182 with another person. For me the initials CPA also mean "Can Pilot an Airplane."

I understand that you have flown to some of OSCPA's Professional Issues Updates (PIU). What cities have you flown to and how do you get to the event from there?

I try to fly to business events whenever I can. I have flown to several PIU locations, including Lima, Cleveland, Mansfield, Youngstown and most recently Toledo. Virtually every county in Ohio has at least one airport. Last year I even flew to Orlando, Florida for a seminar. Regardless of the destination, after I arrive at the airport, I make my way to the event by taxi or courtesy car. Some facilities even offer drop off services.

Why do you choose to fly rather than drive to these events?

I take driving from one place to another for granted most of the time. Flying is a more spiritual experience. I never take my safety for granted when I am flying to a destination, and it keeps me more in tune with the presence of God.

What is the greatest benefit of your OSCPA membership?

Having the opportunity to share information and ideas with peers as well as members of the community has been very rewarding. I have travelled to many different cities talking with other CPAs about their areas of expertise. Having spent earlier 10 years with the IRS as an agent and group manager, I can share with other CPAs more than 30 years of experience in the tax industry. For the past seven or eight years I have enjoyed being a part of the WCPO local tax call-in show in Cincinnati where I advise taxpayers who have questions or concerns about filing their income tax returns. My OSCPA membership helps me give back to the community.

You mentioned that you have thought about succession in your firm. What do you feel has been your biggest obstacle in succession planning?

The greatest challenge in creating a succession plan is trying to anticipate what the future will hold, and then developing strategies to accommodate those changes. There have been times when individuals I thought would succeed me ended up moving away from accounting. Your plan has to be flexible enough to change...