The Ohio Society of CPAs: creating value for members.

• Position: Cover Story

"This has been a great year to be chair of the Society's Executive Board," said Jeffrey H. Tucker, CPA. "I am proud of what the Executive Board and Society staff accomplished this past year. Bold and necessary steps were taken that will lead the Society in exciting new directions."

These steps include positioning the Society as a key player in deliberations to reform Ohio's tax structure. After researching various options and member opinions, the Society's Executive Board decided to support Gov. Taft's tax reform plan.

"There are still areas of concern to be worked out, but progress is definitely being made," said Barbara Benton, vice president, governmental affairs. "We are actively working with legislative leaders to make sure the interests of CPAs are protected, and Ohio's economy is strengthened by the best possible tax system we can develop.

"We are fortunate to have such a strong relationship with key legislators, because it allows our profession to have that critical 'seat at the table' when key issues such as tax reform are being discussed," Benton added.

The importance of being actively involved is also demonstrated by the Society's successful efforts to protect the Accountancy Board of Ohio (ABO) from forced consolidation into a mega-board under the Ohio Department of Commerce. Society members Ray G. Stephens, D.B.A., CPA, CMA, and Thomas J. Mulligan, CPA testified against consolidation plans along with Society President and CEO J. Clarke Price, CAE.

NASBA President and CEO David Costello, CPA also testified against consolidation. Costello cited the relationship between The Ohio Society of CPAs and the (ABO) as a national model of how the profession and regulators can work together to foster public trust in CPAs.

Another bold step was full implementation of the Member Initiatives program after a unanimous vote by the Executive Board.

"This new structure allows more members to connect with local activities and opportunities," Tucker said.

"The previous chapter structure burdened members with the administrative details in producing programs and events," said Matthew T. Boehm, CPA chair, Member Initiatives Advisory Council. "We want to make volunteer time more worthwhile and rewarding for the members. Ohio Society staff will now handle these administrative details so members can apply their time toward the committees and areas that interest them. They can even tailor the time commitment to meet their schedules."

Through the new structure, existing programs have been extended to more areas of the state while attendance and involvement in local activities have increased. Watch for new programs to be introduced in the coming year in addition to the continuation of currently successful programs.

Tip of the Iceberg

Managing tax reform and a new volunteer structure is just the beginning. This past fiscal year saw many other exciting developments.

Tort Reform Enacted

After more than two years of effort and intense lobbying, meaningful tort reform was enacted that will protect CPAs and businesses from frivolous lawsuits and strengthen Ohio's economy. The Ohio Society is proud to have been a leader in this effort. A major portion of this success is due to the many Society members working as keypersons with their legislators to explain the complex details of this issue from a constituent's perspective.

Accounting for Kids Day Reached Record Numbers

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