August 2001

Why I Joined the Entertainment and Sports Committee

Well folks, it’s that time of year again. No, I am not talking about picnics, warm sunny days, or the mad rush to get our required CPE credits before the Aug. 31 deadline. At this time every year, the New York State Society of CPAs asks its members to perform one of the most important functions they can: active committee membership. It is a function that benefits members, the Society, and the public at large. At one time I did not think this was true.

I first joined the Society in 1994. For the next four years, I was not involved with committee membership at all. I thought that it would be a waste of time and that I would not have the time to fully devote myself to it. Boy, was I wrong! During the summer of 1999, I was surfing the Society website and hit upon the committee pages. I read through some of them and decided to join the Young CPAs Committee. I attended my first meeting that September. It was fabulous! During that first meeting I was given some committee assignments, and I actually helped organize an event later that year. It was so much fun. I met some really nice people; developed my organizational and networking skills; and, most importantly, developed a great deal of self-confidence. I could not have asked for a better experience. At least, not until last year.

During one of the Young CPAs Committee meetings last September, Entertainment and Sports Committee Chairman Joseph Maffia came to tell us what the Entertainment and Sports Committee was all about. He relayed to us stories about the different sports figures he had dealt with over the years. I have a very keen interest in sports. In fact, I love sports, and after Maffia’s visit, I knew I had to join the Entertainment and Sports Committee.

A few weeks later, I attended my first meeting. The people there were extremely nice, and I did not feel intimidated by the fact that they were in the “business” and I was not. During the meeting, Maffia welcomed the new members and told us about the committee.

The Entertainment and Sports Committee is a resource to NYSSCPA members and the general public regarding accounting, tax, and business matters relevant to the entertainment and sports industries. The committee provides a forum for Society members to exchange ideas and information with each other and provides technical, educational, and many networking activities. It monitors accounting and reporting issues and pronouncements affecting the businesses of entertainment and sports and also conducts educational conferences and technical sessions.

Most importantly, though, the Entertainment and Sports Committee allows its members to network and share information about the issues that concern them the most: how to serve their clientele in the best possible way. Other benefits include gaining experience in the fields of sports and entertainment, getting solutions to specific practical problems, enhancing one’s reputation through active participation in committee activities, and improving one’s self-esteem through contributions to the committee and the larger communities of sports and entertainment professionals.

Since joining the Entertainment and Sports Committee, my confidence and other “soft skills” have improved 100 percent. I find that the time I devote to this committee is well rewarded by the professional relationships I have developed because of it.

My best advice to fellow NYSSCPA members: Get involved. You won’t be disappointed!