The value in my membership.

• Author: Culver, Janice L.

Thank you for being a part of The Ohio Society of CPAs.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

This is your organization and you are the lifeblood of The Ohio Society of CPAs. I have been honored to serve you as chair of this organization and be part of its efforts to deliver value to my fellow CPAs and strengthen the CPA profession in Ohio this year.

The Society's fiscal year has closed and soon my term as chair of the Board will as well. This past year has seen a rise in the status of the profession. I'm proud of the key role we've played in strengthening the image of the profession and positioning members as valuable, knowledgeable, ethical professionals.

On the next few pages we are providing a sample of what the Society has done to deliver value to--and for--members. It gives you a taste of why your membership is not just worthwhile, but valuable. Your membership in The Ohio Society of CPAs is essential to the advancement of your profession and your career.

Take pride in what The Ohio Society has accomplished this year. Take pride in being a member of The Ohio Society of CPAs. And take pride in being part of a highly respected profession that plays a vital role in Society for all Americans.

Advocacy

Protecting the interests of CPAs is a key role that The Ohio Society of CPAs fulfills. The Society stands up as the voice of the profession among a cacophony of other voices representing different interests.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The importance of having a voice in Ohio's legislature was underscored this past year in the sweeping reforms to Ohio's tax code and the pending legislation to make the work papers from audits of governmental entities generally available to the public.

Last summer's tax reforms impacted the way almost every organization in Ohio does business. The Ohio Society was able to have a seat at the table representing the interests and knowledge of the CPA profession as the reforms were hammered out. As a result, the new Commercial Activities Tax was kept broad-based, which translated into a low rate. The Society continues to speak out and encourage legislators to not artificially limit or restrict the scope of this new tax.

Cooperating with other organizations, including the Ohio Department of Taxation, also allowed the Society to quickly develop a series of seminars explaining the changes and what they meant for CPAs, both public and corporate, and all organizations that are impacted by the...