Dear Fellow Section Members:

On behalf of the FICPA, welcome to the newly formed Accounting and Auditing Section. 

As part of the FICPA’s vision of generating greater member participation through its Web site, the idea of developing an online community to facilitate the exchange of information, knowledge and ideas for Florida CPAs in auditing and accounting services has turned into the A&A Section. 

We kicked off this past December.  Now we are searching for volunteers throughout Florida who want to take a more active role with the FICPA and more particularly the future of the A&A Section. Can we count on you?

The Section is run by a six member steering committee comprised of Pat Patterson, David Hochsprung, Kay Means, Helen Painter, Froment Gonzalez and myself.  Our Section will also have a 20 member resource council, made up of volunteers throughout Florida, giving us a diverse representation of our state. 

If you are interested in participating, please e-mail Jan Dobson, FICPA Director of Technology and Web Services at sections@ficpa.org to get started.  There are plenty of volunteer opportunities available to suit your interests and time availability. I encourage and appreciate your active participation.

In getting the Section started a few months ago, we proposed five initial goals that became the A&A Section strategic plan.  The first goal is to get the Listserv up and running and enhance member use and participation.  The listserv is where questions are posted by any section member and then addressed and answered by other members. 

The second goal is to enhance our Section Web site with as much current and relevant information as possible.  This will drive more traffic to our site and eventually it should become a valuable resource for all Florida CPAs. 

The third goal is to increase participation in the Section by all general members of the FICPA.  We will develop a Section member volunteer recruitment strategy in the near future. 

The fourth goal will be to provide publications and other materials to teach members about proposed, new and existing accounting and auditing standards, regulatory changes, and other areas of interest to members in industry. 

And the fifth goal is to provide opportunities for members to participate in professional development activities relating to accounting and auditing.

The first two goals should be further ramped up later this summer.  However, the Web site is currently up and the listserv is running.  Success in generating interest among the FICPA’s members to join the Section will certainly help in making the Section a preferred place for members to share and exchange information. 

Obviously the Section is now it its infancy and its ultimate success will be dependent on future member participation.  Whether it be by becoming actively involved in the listserv by participating in topical discussions or becoming part of the A&A team that periodically reviews and comments on exposure drafts and other matters, or the ultimate experience in volunteering your valuable time and effort in joining the Section’s Resource Council or becoming a future member of the Steering Committee, your help is desperately needed.

Becoming a volunteer will be rewarding to you in so many ways; to your business expertise in the knowledge you will gain through the listserv and Website content, to your contacts through meeting and getting to know other Section volunteers.  Don’t be surprised if you end up with friends all over the state who you will be able to rely on and possibly do business with in the future, and to your profession by getting involved, sharing your ideas, and making the Section better and more successful.

I look forward to working with you in the near future to make the newly formed Accounting and Auditing Section an important part of our roles as CPAs and advisors to our clients.

Marc Berenfeld
Berenfeld, Spritzer, Shechter & Sheer, CPAs
Chair, FICPA A & A Section FY 08-09