Message From the President

Message From the President

By Bill Dresnack, Rochester Chapter President

As the end of my term as president draws near, I can breathe a sigh of relief and express some satisfaction with the Rochester Chapter and my contribution to it for 2003–2004.

On the positive side, we have taken significant strides in establishing protocols for relations with high schools students. We have created a High School Relations Task Force, headed by Ken Hall. The HSRTF (I know, we need a better acronym) has developed a PowerPoint presentation for high school visits, and several of its representatives have made presentations at area high schools, including Ken himself, Michelle Cohen, of Rotenberg & Company LLP, Jim Rodola, of Viele Solimano & Swagler CPA P.C., and Scott Champagne, of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

I have also had the pleasure of making three high school presentations. There is certainly interest in the accounting profession among high school students and their teachers, and I encourage all members interested in this activity to contact me to get involved.

The HSRTF also worked with Steve Morse, our chapter vice president and CFO of Genesee Corporation, and Harry Howe, chapter treasurer and Associate Professor at SUNY Geneseo, to coordinate our World of Accounting Day at the Bausch & Lomb Building, including a tour of the offices of PwC, last December.

Last in the way of high school relations, I (with all humility) have had the pleasure of leading the development of the first Rochester Chapter of the COAP Program, to be held this coming June 28 through July 1 at the main SUNY Brockport campus. About 25 members of the chapter will volunteer their time and energy to this program. Thanks to Rotenberg & Co. for their very generous sponsorship of the COAP program.

Additional positive notes include our chapter’s 70th anniversary celebration on Dec. 5, 2003, at Midvale Country Club, and the outstanding work of our committees, which ran well-attended and well-received CPE seminars this year (e-filing, tax update, technology, student night; cooperation with the Bar coming in May) and, of course, the clambake, ethics CPE and Officers Visitation in October.

Kudos to Derek Duncan, of Insero Kasperski Ciaciaa & Co. P.C., for his continually successful efforts in running the Counselor’s Cup Golf Tournament in July. We expect a full field this year! Derek has successfully passed the torch of chairmanship of the Young CPAs Committee to Mark Lee, of IKC; Mark has also been involved in the planning for COAP.
Kudos also to Steve Morse and Tracy Wilson, of D&T, for their work on our Community Services Committee (be on the lookout for upcoming events).

Lots and lots of kudos all around to the many active members of the leadership this year. We have about 35 members who have served on chapter committees, or as Board members or as officers, and many younger members getting involved as well. I believe this bodes well for the future of the chapter.

As I write this, it is April 12 and I am immersed in “busy season activities.” (My busy season as a college professor and administrator includes student advisement for fall and summer, and final exams, about four weeks away.) Officially my term as chapter president still has six weeks to go, and there’s still work to be done and meetings to be held.

We are still planning for next year’s administration and meetings. If you want to get involved (as you should), please contact Steve Chatwin, our president-elect, at 585-381-9660 x.216 or steve@bsgcpa.com. As always, I am available as well.

Thanks to all, and congratulations on surviving your busy season, 2004.

Bill Dresnack can be reached at 585-395-5532 or wdresnac@brockport.edu.