California's leader: Marc Parkinson chair focuses on growth, outreach to young CPAs.

• Author: Ascierto, Jerry
• Position: Cover story

IN 1979, CALCPA HAD 17,812 members, including 26-year-old Marc Parkinson, an entry-level accountant at Price Waterhouse in San Jose. Freshly graduated from UCLA's MBA program and studying for the CPA Exam, Parkinson never imagined he'd one day lead his new professional association. "I was just glad Price Waterhouse paid my dues," he recalls. "It used to be that the big firms automatically paid new recruits' professional dues. The Big Four and most firms will still do that, but now young professionals must ask."

Fast-forward 27 years. CalCPA approaches 30,000 members, and Parkinson's firm, Petrinovich, Pugh & Company, has more than tripled in size, thanks in part to his CalCPA involvement. And now, as CalCPA chair, he'd like to return the favor and help grow the ranks of CalCPA membership.

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"For CalCPA to be as good as it can be, it needs to have strong membership growth," Parkinson says. "The more members we have, the more we can effectively advocate on behalf of the profession in Sacramento, and the more resources and benefits we can provide our members."

Since CalCPA was such a big part of his professional development, it's no surprise that reaching out to young CPAs is a cornerstone of Parkinson's term as CalCPA chair.

"We need to do more to reach out to younger CPAs," Parkinson says. "We need to illustrate to them what a great profession this is, and how CalCPA membership is an integral part of it. They are the future of the profession and CalCPA is a key to their future success."

EARLY YEARS

Marc Parkinson's journey to CalCPA chair is a travel agent's dream. He was born in Detroit and made stops in Havana, Miami, Panama City, Manila and Mexico City--all before he attended college.

This dizzying beeline was chartered by his father's career in the auto industry.

Jack Parkinson worked in finance for the Ford Motor Company, and then moved on to a similar position at Chrysler's international division, working his way up to a 20-year stint as president of Chrysler Mexico.

In between Detroit and Mexico, Parkinson's youth was spent adapting to various cultures and languages--only to pack up and move again every few years.

In 1959, the family moved to Havana, Cuba, where his father helped run an automobile factory--and where a civil war was fermenting in the streets of that capital city. In 1961, when Fidel Castro seized all American corporate interests, the Parkinsons were given 24 hours to leave the country.

"We could only take one suitcase each, so we left all of our furniture, most of our clothing, everything," Parkinson recalls. "We quickly packed up some keepsakes, my mom's jewelry, stuff like that, and boarded a ferry to Miami."

This turn of events started a chain reaction of transience for the Parkinsons. They spent a few months in Miami stocking up on supplies and waiting for the elder Parkinson to be re-assigned. The next stop was Panama City, Panama, a three-year stint, before the family moved to Mexico City when Marc was 10 years old. Three years later, the family packed up once again and moved across the Pacific Ocean to Manila, Philippines.

Marc recalls that he and his two sisters, Ellie and Paula, always knew when they were moving. "My parents would bring us into their bedroom, sit us down on the bed and my mom would say 'your father and I have something to tell you.' And we'd say 'not again!'

"It was difficult," Parkinson says. "It would take a little while to meet people and get adjusted, and then you have a group of friends and you finally have a comfort level and then you're moving again."

After the Philippines, the family moved back to Detroit in Parkinson's junior year of high school. But after a year in Detroit, the family returned to Mexico City, where Marc spent his senior year of high school.

SILVER LINING

Though difficult, there were silver linings to his family's gypsy ways.

Parkinson learned to speak Spanish at an early age, as half of his school day in Cuba was taught in Spanish. He was exposed to various cultures and cultivated an easygoing manner to adapt to his ever-changing surroundings.

Plus, he spent his senior year of high school in a country with no minimum drinking age and a great nightlife. "I don't think there's a better place in the world to be a high school senior than Mexico City," he says. "I really had a ball."

CHOOSING THE PROFESSION

Parkinson followed both of his sisters to Santa Clara...