Chair's corner.

• Author: Voynich, Scott
• Position: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, chairman's speech

This year began with talk of renewal and it will end on that same note. The public has demonstrated renewed faith in the CPA profession as reflected in various polls, and this certainly gives us encouragement. We always will be our harshest judges, as we should be, but it is also encouraging to see that we are beginning to demonstrate renewed faith in ourselves. We know we must continue to earn that faith, but it is nice to see CPAs proud of their profession again.

As I reflect on my travels and experiences of this past year, I see a renewed confidence in CPAs and a renewed commitment to our core values. In particular, I see that renewal demonstrated in the level of volunteerism. I am inspired and humbled by our volunteers and by the incredible staffs of our state societies and the AICPA. The impact of combined efforts by members and staff is powerful testimony to the core values reflected in the CPA credential. Important initiatives would not be possible without talented CPAs taking time away from their field of work to put something back into their profession and into their communities. These same initiatives would not be shepherded to completion without talented state society and AICPA staff contributing their expertise and heart to bring these efforts to successful conclusion.

Working with the AICPA and state societies across the country, I have witnessed volunteerism at its finest. CPAs are contributing their time and talent in everything from the areas of organizational governance such as board, Council or executive...