Distinguished Service Award winner: James Kuhn.

• Position: Awesome! - Advocate of continuing education for certified public accountants

Making sure that CPAs keep current with new ideas is one reason James Kuhn is receiving this year's Distinguished Service Award. Kuhn, who will be honored at the July Council meeting, was instrumental in ensuring that CPAs must accumulate CPE credits to maintain their licenses. As CalCPA president in 1969-70, he advocated the requirement before the state Legislature. Then-Gov. Ronald Reagan signed the legislation making continuing education mandatory in 1972.

"It was a heck of a contribution to the profession," says Kuhn with pride. "California was among the first states to enact the requirement, and CPAs went along eagerly. There was very little opposition among members."

Not so among foot doctors, though. As a member of the California Board of Podiatric Medicine in the 1970s, Kuhn urged a continuing education requirement for podiatrists. "They looked at me askance," he recalls. "But eventually they came around."

Kuhn's promotion of accounting education dates to the 1950s. He taught several accounting courses at San Diego State University and San Diego City College. He was a founding member of the Education Foundation's board of trustees and later served as its vice president. He also conducted CPE classes for the Foundation.

The La Mesa-based CPA is a former CalCPA San Diego Chapter president and chaired several of its committees. He was a founding member of CalCPA's litigation support committee and was a member of the California Board of Accountancy's administrative committee, which he chaired for one year.

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