John H. Higgins 2004-2005 MACPA Chair of the Board

During this year as Chair of the Board of the MACPA, I have enjoyed many opportunities to talk with members of our diverse Association – members in business and industry, small practitioners, Big Four CPAs, educators and students, consultants and government employees. While each of us may go about our work in different ways, we share a common goal of maintaining our profession’s core values and positive public image. That goal serves as inspiration to the Board of Directors, the MACPA staff, the task force members and me.

As I prepare to pass the gavel to Incoming Chair Peggy Haw Jury, I’m delighted to report we’ve made some significant strides in this ongoing effort. Let me share with you some of the year’s achievements of which I am particularly proud:

In the legislative arena, important changes in the laws and rules governing our profession are on the horizon. As you’ll read in the cover story, the MACPA has been involved from the early stages, providing information and feedback when the Michigan State Board of Accountancy began its review of how Sarbanes-Oxley might apply to the private sector in Michigan. As the effort moved forward, our members again were at the table, helping develop and support the new legislation.

On another front, proactive MACPA members prepared for possible tax law changes before the Governor announced her SBT proposal. After her plan was released, our State and Local Tax Task Force met with high-ranking state officials offering objective feedback to help them better understand the implications of the proposal. Again, CPAs were at the table contributing in a meaningful way.

Both of these initiatives point to the importance of our Political Action Committee (MACPA PAC). It is vital that we are active and involved in the legislative process – and your PAC donations help accomplish that objective.

Another area where CPAs are at the forefront is financial literacy. I’m very excited and proud of all of our financial literacy initiatives; however, I am especially pleased with our partnership with Hospice of Michigan to develop materials, including checklists, for families to utilize in end-of-life planning for loved ones.

Student recruitment is also a vital undertaking where the effort of members has met with remarkable success this year. Our third annual High School Leaders Conferences, reaching more than 500 students in three locations, encouraged students to consider accounting as a career choice. The conferences were a huge success with more than 94.5 percent of participating students indicating after attending the conference they would consider a career in accounting. We hope to expand this program further.

Plans are also underway to expand our CPA Ambassador Program. This fantastic program offers members access to top-quality spokesperson training. Through community outreach, CPA Ambassadors promote the profession’s depth of financial knowledge, underscore the MACPA's effectiveness as an advocate for the public interest, and refocus the spotlight on the profession so that it shines on the value and values of the CPA. The 18 Ambassadors trained last year helped the MACPA garner an incredible amount of positive media coverage. Building upon that success, a new round of training this fall will prepare more CPAs to focus attention on the untold story and value of our profession, one community at a time.

Looking forward, Incoming Chair Peggy Haw Jury brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the job. I am confident she will continue our work to meet the needs of our diverse members and build upon the successes of this year.

These successes would not be possible without the support of many people. I’d like to thank the dedicated MACPA staff, especially our President Peggy Dzierzawski, who makes it easy to serve. I also extend my heartfelt appreciation to our task force chairs, board members, officers and the many members who share their passion, intelligence and insights for the benefit of the profession and the Association.