MACPA in 2001-02: Achieving success, responding to challenges

By Bill Sheridan
MACPA Electronic Communications Manager

It wasn't quite the year John Wilson expected. In many ways, it was even better. In two notorious ways, it was much worse.

But in all ways, it was fascinating.

"I'm amazed at how much has happened in the past year," Wilson, the MACPA's 2001-02 president, said during the association's Annual Meeting on May 17. "Twelve months ago, the World Trade Center still towered over New York, Enron was the envy of the business world, and XYZ was more than just the last three letters in the alphabet. Today, we're referring to each of those things in the past tense, and that amazes me."

After presiding over the MACPA during one of the most turbulent years in the profession's history, Wilson ended his presidency at the Annual Meeting by recounting the successes of 2001-02.

Leading the way were two issues that Wilson identified as priorities when he took office — the MACPA budget and student recruitment. Both surpassed even his expectations. After years of planned deficits, the association last year budgeted a surplus for 2001-02 and surpassed that goal. And the MACPA's Career Awareness Program is making tremendous progress in increasing awareness about the accounting profession among young people. In the past year alone, a dedicated team of MACPA members has spoken about the profession to more than 4,000 Maryland high school students.

"It's not a stretch to say the future of the profession depends on getting bright, young CPA candidates interested in accounting," Wilson said. "To that end, the MACPA is leading the way."

And yes, the profession endured its share of chaos in the past year, especially in the wake of Enron's collapse. But the MACPA responded with deliberate thought and decisive action. Communicating with members, brainstorming with firm leaders, and protecting the profession through legislative and regulatory action were just some of the ways in which the association served its members — and the profession as a whole.

"That's a year's worth of work right there, just on Enron," said Wilson.

But there were other successes as well:

The association's Professional Development team enjoyed one of its most successful years ever.
The association found new, innovative ways to serve members, including electronic newsletters and cutting edge events like last October's E-Business Technology Summit.
The Business Learning Institute, an affiliate of the MACPA which promotes high-level business training, was incorporated and captured interest from other state CPA societies as well.
The association's annual CPA Day in January included a record turnout by Maryland legislators, making it one of the most successful CPA Days ever.

"We've done a lot this year, and I'm proud of every one of our accomplishments," Wilson said. "It was a team effort from start to finish."

New leaders take the helm

Wilson continued an Annual Meeting tradition by presenting the MACPA gavel to incoming President Graylin Smith, who wasted no time in setting his goals for the coming year. Among the items on Smith's agenda are student recruitment, legislative activities, and addressing the "expectation gap" between what CPAs do and what the public thinks they do.

"This is an interesting time to be president, because I think there are some new challenges out there," said Smith. "A number of changes are impacting the profession and we have to deal with them."

Smith is joined on the 2002-03 Board of Directors by the following slate of newly elected officers and directors:

Officers

President: Graylin E. Smith, CPA
President-elect: Patricia A. Reese, CPA
Secretary / treasurer: Edwin Rommel, CPA
Immediate past president: John I. Wilson, CPA

Directors

Tamara Bensky, CPA
R. Samuel Griffith, CPA
Salli Hartman, CPA
Amelia Hillman, CPA
Ingrid Lamb, CPA
Susan T. Sadowski, CPA
Lou E. Satchell, CPA

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