Full Ethics CPE Draws Crowd to Young CPA Forum

Full Ethics CPE Draws Crowd to Young CPA Forum

Responding to the profession’s increased emphasis on ethics, the New York State Society of CPAs decided to double the ethics CPE offered at this year’s Young CPA Forum to four hours.

The state requires every registered CPA to complete at least four contact hours in professional ethics during his or her triennial registration period.

While sixty people attended the entire two-day forum, over 200 came just for the ethics update, given on July 23 by Bob Colson, Society managing director for quality enhancement and CPA Journal editor-in-chief.

But not everything at the forum was about fulfilling requirements.

Kathy Lynch, director at Boston College Center for Work and Family, and Sheryl Martin, AICPA director of firm practice management, spoke about balancing work and life outside the office.

“This is what young CPAs want to hear about,” Janet Toborg, cochair of the forum and a CPA candidate herself, said. “Especially the concept of working at home and balancing your family’s life with the growth of your career.”

Many young CPAs attend the forum simply to network with their peers. Toborg said one of the best aspects of the forum is the chance to meet other young CPAs in the area. She reunited with several contacts she had made at last year’s forum in Suffolk County.

The Society’s Rockland Chapter sponsored this year’s forum. Steve Kaplan, the chapter’s president two years ago, lobbied to bring the forum to Rockland, which is one of the six chapters the Society established in 2001 that was just recently approved as a permanent fixture.

“It was important for Rockland, as a new chapter, to host the forum,” Kaplan said. “It put us on the map while also drumming things up locally and invigorating young CPAs in the metropolitan area.”

As cochair with Toborg, Kaplan said he was grateful for the opportunity to tell over 200 people—those who only attended the ethics update—that the forum is a great opportunity for young CPAs and they should encourage their staff to attend next year.