Last spring, I wrote each of you a letter about the benefits of chapter and committee service. I’d like to take this opportunity to ask you to get involved and to make a commitment before we get busy again.

Chapter and Committee Service

Our Society has 17 chapters and more than 60 statewide committees where you can make a contribution. Our committee members have been challenged to increase their efforts in commenting on proposed legislation, regulations, rules and pronouncements that affect our clients and our profession. Each of you has the knowledge and experience to contribute to this endeavor. By providing practical and meaningful comments, we will undoubtedly contribute to the public good and at the same time refocus public attention on what we do best.

Chapter or committee service is also a great way to share ideas and learn from some of the leaders and the best minds in our profession. Each of you can be an active contributor and make the experience better for all. Our members who currently attend chapter events or serve on committees say that professional networking is one of the biggest benefits of committee service.

Many of you have told our society’s volunteer leadership and staff that it’s important for us to keep providing high-quality, low-cost continuing professional education (CPE). Your participation is critical to making this happen. As a chapter or committee member you can suggest CPE topics, volunteer to be a speaker or discussion leader, write outlines and help organize conferences. Many of our committees organize full-day conferences that cover important new developments. Our chapter members also look for interesting topics that can be presented in one evening in a more informal setting. So if that’s more your style, jump in and help.

Such participation will help you develop as an effective public speaker, as a clear and concise writer, and as an organizational leader. These skills are critical to effectively serve our clients and improve our public image.

Adding Foundation for Accounting Education courses to your CPE planning will help bring the cost down for all of our members. Active involvement when you are a participant will improve the practicality of the course content for all of us.

Your Civic Duty

Community service is a wonderful way to help our image. Some of our statewide committees are devoted to community service activities like the Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession program that is dedicated to helping high school students from low-income communities learn about our profession. Our volunteer tax assistance and disaster relief efforts already are well known, but they can be improved through your participation. Chapter community service activities are particularly important, since chapters and their communities are practically synonymous. Every chapter is organizing events. Your participation will help us all.

Legislative Inroads

Finally, we are continuing our chapter and statewide efforts to get to know our legislators. We want to be a positive voice for meaningful and effective legislation that will benefit the public and our profession. We have a nonpartisan political action committee that makes contributions to candidates who understand and support our legislative activities. Our society has a contribution to make on many issues, including tax reform, tax simplification and corporate governance. You can be a part of this effort. Many of our chapters are organizing nonpartisan legislative events where you can get to know your legislators. They and their staff members will notice significant participation by our members.

Are you convinced? I hope so, because our profession really needs your help. Make a commitment to get involved today, before you run out of time in the winter. If you want to join a committee, contact Ernie Markezin, director of committee services, at 212-719-8303 or emarkezin@nysscpa.org. If you want to join a chapter, contact Bill Pape, director of member relations, at 212-719-8420 or bpape@nysspcpa.org. They will be happy to get you started.