Centennial Campaign closes in on $1.5 million goal volunteers urge CPAs to pledge now for future of the profession: CPA volunteers for The Centennial Campaign are making an enthusiastic appeal to members of The Ohio Society in the final weeks of this $1.5 million initiative to benefit The Ohio CPA Foundation.

• Position: Involvement

The response to the campaign remains strong, with more than $1.3 million raised since January for a permanent endowment that will expand student recruitment and financial literacy programs supporting the future of the CPA profession.

Volunteers for the campaign, which runs through November, have traversed the state, encouraging members at the Ohio Accounting Shows, Professional Issues Updates and other Ohio Society events m pledge their financial support and help build a more vibrant accounting workforce in Ohio.

In Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus, participants m the regional Accounting Shows generously pledged thousands of dollars to the campaign along with exhibitors like the MDS CPA Review Course. MDS donated three review courses in exchange for pledges of $1,250. Steve Martin, president of MDS CPA Review, also pledged to match dollar for dollar, up to $10,000, any contributions from CPAs who are 35 years of age and younger.

The Ohio CPA Foundation connects with students beginning in elementary school to create awareness for the role of CPAs. The Foundation also works with educators to identify talented college students and encourage them to major in accounting and earn the CPA designation.

The need for this work is critical. CPAs continue to be in great demand in public accounting firms and companies across Ohio at a time when a large percentage of professionals are nearing retirement.

Among the programs funded by The Ohio CPA Foundation:

* Accounting for Kids[R] Day teaches elementary students the basics of investing, and introduces them to the idea of one day becoming a CPA. Each November, CPA volunteers join teachers in classrooms to lead more than 10,000 Ohio students in a fun, interactive game.

* The Foundation also funds Student Ambassadors on 12 college campuses across Ohio. These senior...