At the helm of the CBA: a Q&A with new president Jose A. Campos, CPA.

• Position: Cover story

With a new year comes a new California Board of Accountancy president, which this year puts another CalCPA member at the helm of the governing body. Member Jose A. Campos, CPA was appointed to the CBA in December 2012 by Gov. Edmund G. Brown, Jr. and served as vice president prior to his election to president in November. He is a partner at Deloitte and Touche LLP and serves on the board of advisors of the Robert Day School of Finance and Economics at Claremont McKenna College. He previously served as chair of the finance committee of the board of directors of AltaMed Health Services. California CPA interviewed Campos to find out more about him, and what CPAs can expect from the CBA during his tenure as president.

Q When did you know being a CPA was the profession for you?

As a kid helping my father with his gardening business, I knew I had a knack for organization, hard work, business and financial results. It was not until my economics, accounting and finance courses in college that I began to understand the possibilities for my skill sets. But it was a regional CFO at Kaiser Permanente, where I had been an intern, who encouraged me to explore a CPA path.

Q How has the profession changed since you became licensed?

It seems like night and day from my first day at Deloitte to today. First, technology has impacted how our clients do business and how we execute our audits. Laptops are indispensable today. But it's also the sophistication of data analytic tools and our ability to analyze entire data sets as opposed to only selected samples from large printed reports that has increased the effectiveness and efficiency of audits. Second, communications are drastically different. There are huge benefits from the ability to communicate rapidly, but it comes with challenges of work-life fit and figuring out the appropriate methods to disconnect. Third, the sophistication of what our clients do, including business combination, joint venture and alliance arrangements, along with global reach, has increased significantly, and so have the array of training, service lines and specialties within our firm to meet market needs.

Q What advice would you give newly licensed CPAs?

Whether you are seeking a license or newly licensed, my advice is the same. First, build your network early and access it frequently to inform your decision-making and get perspective from others. Ensure that you are hearing differing perspectives as this will allow you to weigh...