October 1999

Pocket-protector world is no place for Young CPAs

By Annemarie Franczyk

Their forebears might have been content to live in a pocket-protector world.

But the up-and-comers in the accounting industry want to shed the stodgy image of their profession in favor of one that's dynamic, energetic, concerned and, frankly, fun.

Enter the Young CPAs, men and women younger than 40 who convened last September through the Buffalo chapter of the state Society of CPAs. Their mascot: A bulldog wearing shades. Their slogan: Accountants with an attitude.

See? It's fun already.

Tax accountant Diane Wiktorowski stepped up to be the group's first chair last year, tired of bucking the old bean counter image and hearing comments like, "Funny, you don't look like an accountant."

"It's almost like you find yourself apologizing for being an accountant," said Wiktorowski, 34, of the D'Alba & Donovan CPA firm in Williamsville.

In the past year, the members have been seen helping out at various charitable events raising money, collecting food and wrapping gifts and hosting happy hour get-togethers to meet and greet each other. The group drew about 150 of its 500 members to its largest event.

State leaders just recently realized the untapped potential of the youngest of its members, said Raymond Nowicki, president of the Buffalo CPA chapter.

"Ten years ago, the young CPAs were lost out there. They weren't really part of the state society. But then we got a new director and he realized that we are losing a generation of people. The Young CPAs want to be part of the community, not behind the scenes. They bring a new dynamic and new energy to the organization," said Nowicki, managing partner of Nowicki & Co. LLP in Cheektowaga. Several Young CPA groups have formed through their local chapters across the state.

There's more to the Buffalo group than volunteerism and camaraderie. They're intent on getting more students interested in the profession and their colleagues involved in the state society. Mark Koziel, current chairman, said one goal is to plant accounting career seeds in Western New York high schools.

"When I went to school, I had no interest in becoming a CPA. I went into accounting to get into the FBI. I had a perception that it was a boring job, doing nothing but working with numbers all day," said Koziel, 30, a placement services specialist at the Dopkins & Co. accounting firm in Williamsville.

Enrollment in college accounting programs has been dropping, Koziel noted. At the University at Buffalo, for example, the enrollment in the School of Management is increasing, but fewer students are going into accounting. Last year, 116 students were accepted into the program while just 91 were accepted this year.

Ronald Huefner, chairman of the UB accounting department and a director of the state CPA Society, said high school students have been given too narrow a view of the profession, though it has expanded from the old, traditional accounting, tax and consulting areas to include at least 45 lines of service over the years.

That's where this group can make a difference, according to Nowicki. "What better than a young CPA to go to colleges and high schools and talk to prospective accountants?" he said.

Koziel said he wants to use his term as chairman to show that the future and strength of the society is based on the leadership that can be cultivated among its younger members. He also is making boosting Buffalo part of his platform. One of his initiatives is to host a statewide meeting of Young CPAs here.

For the older CPAs, the time might be nigh to make some room at the table. This generation wants to have a bigger impact earlier in their careers than their predecessors, said Robert Colson, professor of accounting and chairman of the business division at Daemen College and an active member of the state society.