Chair's corner.

• Author: Ezzell, William F.

This column is my last opportunity to share a few thoughts from the "Chair's Corner." In many respects, this year seems to have gone by in the blink of an eye. At the beginning of the year I said I would dedicate myself to restoration of the credibility of our great profession and to deal positively with the changing landscape. I felt it was particularly important to be visible and accessible to the membership this year so that we could share information on the many developments taking place. More importantly, we needed to listen to the views and concerns of our members. I had the opportunity to participate in many state CPA society and other functions and gained a wealth of input from members representing all segments of the profession. It has been a truly rewarding and enlightening experience.

As this year draws to a close, my sense is that there indeed has been a positive shift in attitude both within the profession and by the various other constituencies that rely on the profession to perform its important role in the capital markets and in the overall business community. We have reported to you the recent data on perceptions by business decision makers and investors about the profession (The CPA Letter, June). While indicating that we still have much work to do, there was also a clear signal that there is trust in the integrity, competence and objectivity of the individual CPA with whom the public comes in contact each day. This trend was further supported by data from a recent Gallup poll on the public's attitudes regarding many professions (see page 1).

Together, state societies and their leadership, committee volunteers, our governing Council and board of directors, and dedicated Institute staff all have worked hard this year to meet the challenges and truly make a difference. I believe the results of these efforts are clearly having an impact. We continue to maintain active dialogue with the PCAOB, SEC, GAO, DOL, banking regulators and the state boards of accountancy on a host of issues as we all adapt to change. As we move forward with new initiatives brought about by the legislative and regulatory changes, we are increasingly mindful of the need to craft real-world solutions that do not automatically inhibit the ability of smaller firms to meet the needs for service to their non-public company clients. The AICPA has been and will continue to be a catalyst for meaningful reform that meets the needs...