March 2000

Editor's Note: March is Women's History Month. In this issue, The Trusted Professional profiles three women CPAs in public accounting--two partner-level professionals and one only a few years into her career--who offer advice on career challenges and how to succeed in the profession. All three are active NYSSCPA members; they recognize the networking benefits of belonging to a professional association and the leadership opportunities available at the Society. In addition to numerous committee chairs, seven women currently serve on the NYSSCPA board of directors, including three officers. The Society's Nominating Committee has recommended current Vice President Nancy Newman-Limata to serve as president-elect for the 20002001 term.

On a related note, the NYSSCPA Advancement of Women in the Accounting Profession Committee will hold a panel discussion on professional issues in May.

Portraits of past society presidents line the hallway at the NYSSCPA offices. One woman is represented in the nearly 100 years of portraits: 19941995 President Marilyn Pendergast.

Some call that stretch of pictures "Marilyn and the boys," says Pendergast, who entered college in 1975 as the only female accounting major. At that time a career in accounting was almost unheard of for a woman.

While the statistics have changed dramatically--women and men now graduate from accounting programs in almost equal numbers, with women edging out men as the majority of accounting majors in the last few years--once in the profession, the numbers are not completely balanced. A recent study by CPA Personnel Report found that women constitute 11 percent of partners at the 25 largest CPA firms.

While encouraged by statistics that have improved since she entered the profession, Pendergast, a shareholder at Urbach Kahn & Werlin PC, stresses that gender and numbers should not be an issue.

"I find it disturbing that we still have to talk in the year 2000 about men and women accountants," she said. "In the '70s I thought we would be done with this."

Gail Winawer, managing director at American Express Tax & Business Services of New York, remains optimistic.

"I'm very pleased with the way the profession is going," she said.

Winawer, who graduated from New York University in 1961 as the only female accounting major in her class, has seen her share of changes. When she started applying for jobs she was advised to use her first initial instead of her first name.

"When I walked into an interviewing room they'd say, 'Oh, you're a woman. We don't need you,'" she said.

After an extensive job search, she was offered a position and has moved through the public accounting ranks. She says it is a cultural gap that prevents some women from being promoted to upper management.

"[Women] sometimes can have a more narrow outlook, which can hinder anyone's advancement," Winawer said. "They look at client services and being the best they can be as their main focus. There is a third thing women need to be more conscious of--how to position themselves politically within a firm to advance strategically."

More recent to the profession is Lynda Feldman, a 1990 college graduate and supervisor at Richard A. Eisner & Co. LLP. Feldman says she has experienced no barriers to advancement in the profession. She did point out that women often face greater challenges managing personal time with a demanding career, even though this is an issue that all dual career couples face.

"Once CPAs make the decision to start a family, whether men or women, they usually can't devote as much time as is expected to 'progress in the profession,'" Feldman said. "I find that many women therefore leave public practice once they have children."

All three women profiled are active in the Society. Pendergast rose to the top ranks as Society president, Winawer served on the board of directors, and all three are active committee members.

Pendergast and Winawer are role models, illustrating that the partner track is a goal achievable by younger female CPAs who enter their firms, and Feldman helps support new women in her firm.

"The best help for women is to improve the profession," Pendergast said. "I think women can stand on their own on the quality of their credentials." *

Woman Will Be President, Says Deloitte & Touche Survey

Series to Study Women's Leadership Roles

By Malaika Danovitz

Sixty percent of Americans believe that the United States will have a woman president in their lifetime, and 83 percent say that a woman will hold office as vice president, according to a recent survey commissioned by Deloitte & Touche LLP. The firm is sponsoring a new survey series on women's leadership roles in America.

According to the "Women in Elected Office" survey, the first in the series, three-quarters of respondents do not expect a woman president in the next 10 years. The survey also measures public attitudes on the strengths and weaknesses of women in high political office as compared to men and the electability of women to high political office at the senatorial, gubernatorial, and presidential levels.

"We've commissioned this survey to demonstrate our commitment to women becoming leaders in all aspects of American life," Deloitte & Touche CEO James E. Copeland Jr. said.

Roper Starch Worldwide conducted the survey of 1,500 adults. See http://www.us.deloitte.com/pub for complete results. *