July 2001

Task Force to Tackle Society Goals

The Board of Directors for the New York State Society of CPAs last month launched the first formal endeavor to codify the Society’s long-term goals and objectives.

According to officers, the nascent Strategic Planning Task Force emerged in late June as Society leaders discussed pressing issues facing the NYSSCPA, including the expiration of the Society’s lease on its New York City headquarters.

“One of the key motivators for the establishment of the task force is the need to relocate Society headquarters,” said NYSSCPA President Nancy Newman-Limata. “To do that most effectively, we need to know our strategic goals.”

The task force, headed by Society Vice President Ronald Huefner, will meet every month beginning in early August and continue working for at least two years. The task force will be composed of 15 members from major committees and local chapters throughout the state to include as diverse a representation as possible in determining the direction of the Society. Officials said they expect the task force to present the Board of Directors with an interim report by December.

Huefner called the task force timely because of a number of issues facing the accounting profession.

“Certainly there’s a lot of changes taking place in the profession, a number of which are having an impact on the Society and what the Society does,” said Huefner. “Besides every organization needs to plan; we haven’t done it for a while, so we’re due.”

Officials said the wide representation of the Society will help the Board of Directors tailor the Society to serve its membership better.

“This will let us continue to look at who we are and what we are doing,” said NYSSCPA President-Elect Jo Ann Golden. “I think this kind of process keeps us in tune with our membership. It also helps the staff and the board and volunteers react in a way that will be helpful to the membership.”

The task force will serve to give the board input, officials pointed out.

“The task force is only intended to set the path for this exercise,” said Newman-Limata. “It is the board as a whole that must do the strategic planning.”