January 2000

Members Encouraged to Join Committees

New Structure for New Millennium

By Nereida Gomez

The Society is now accepting committee service applications for the 2000­2001 year. Networking opportunities and a forum for exchanging ideas among peers are just two of the many rewards committee members receive. Members can choose from more than 70 committees under a new committee structure.

The new Industry Division, for example, has 17 committees that address specific industries such as apparel and textile, banking, health care, publishing and printing, and other areas, as well as additional areas of interest to members in industry such as chief financial officers and international operations. These committees provide a forum where members from all disciplines--accounting, auditing, tax, consulting, etc.-- have the opportunity to network with each other and respond to the needs of Society members relating to specific industries.

The upcoming term, which begins June 1, marks the first full year under the new structure. Under the new structure, which the board of directors approved last June, committee service has already risen more than 30 percent compared to the 1998­1999 year. The Society expects that the new structure--designed to better address member needs--will continue to encourage greater committee participation.

Under the new structure, the six committee divisions are accounting and auditing, consulting services, future of the profession, industry, operations, and tax. Except for operations, all committees within a division report to their respective oversight committee. Operations Division committees report directly to the Society's Executive Committee. Each oversight committee will have at least five committees under its umbrella. As in the past, the Committee on Committee Operations oversees the operations of the oversight committees.

The Society recently mailed committee service applications to all members and the form also is available at http://www.nysscpa.org. For more information, contact NYSSCPA Committee Relations Manager Nereida Gomez at (212) 719-8358, (800) 633-6320, or ngomez@nysscpa.org. *