In a few weeks time, I will participate in one of the great traditions of our organization, by passing the reins as Society president to a successor—the more-than-capable Scott M. Adair. It has been my honor to serve you, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to do so. Though I am leaving office, I do not consider this to be a leave-taking; having been a proud member of the NYSSCPA since 1982, I remain devoted to protecting the CPA designation and advocating on behalf of the clients and communities we serve through active engagement with the Society.

Still, every transition offers a chance for reflection, and I’ve given a lot of careful thought to my time in office.

When I first assumed the position, I said that I would be your “joyous servant,” spreading the word of your good works. To that end, I’ve had more than 20 speaking engagements, promoting the profession and telling audiences near and far about the work that we do.

At the start of my term, I also noted that there is no manual, handbook or game plan to prepare you for the job of Society president. That was particularly true in fiscal year 2013–2014, which, more than any other year in recent memory, brought tremendous change for the organization—from our move to 14 Wall Street, to the series of new initiatives we unveiled. I’m so proud of what we accomplished together. Moreover, I believe the foundation we laid will benefit the Society and the profession for decades to come.

This includes the Next Generation (i.e., NextGen) program, which we launched in an effort to support Young CPAs and demonstrate our commitment to their success. NextGen offers the professional development services and relationship-building opportunities that YCPAs want and need. Beyond that, it provides a sense of community—a place where young and aspiring CPAs can seek out advice and learn about opportunities. The program includes our new career development magazine, NextGen, and NextGen: The Conference for Young CPAs, but doesn’t end there. Among other things, our Next Generation team is currently implementing the

NYSSCPA Campus Connect initiative, which offers college students an instant connection to the profession by way of faculty liaisons, who provide news about NYSSCPA student membership initiatives and information about scholarship opportunities from our Foundation for Accounting Education (FAE). The team is also poised to launch the Society’s Classroom Connect program to promote financial literacy in area high schools.

In keeping with the theme of supporting young and future professionals, this past year, we inducted the first members of our Young Leadership Circle, a new program that identifies rising stars within the profession and gives them opportunities to learn from and interact with Society officers. We’ve also worked hard to expand the reach of our diversity program for high school students, Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession (COAP), welcoming former New York Gov. David A. Paterson to serve as its ambassador and Honorary Fundraising Committee Chair.

In terms of our future, when Society leaders look back on fiscal year 2013–2014 decades from now, I’m certain they will conclude that our relocation to the Financial District was key in repositioning the NYSSCPA as a 21st century organization. For one thing, the new location—which was selected after a task force that included myself, President-elect Adair, Past President Gail M. Kinsella and Joseph M. Falbo Jr., reviewed more than 40 properties throughout Manhattan—boasts a full suite of technology that allows us to better reach and serve our members throughout the state. When the task force first examined the space, there was nothing but brick walls, bare floors and columns; we had to imagine the possibilities. I’m so pleased to report that the reality of our new home far exceeds anything we could have dreamed of.

In addition to these projects, the NYSSCPA continued to take an active role in legislative issues. We were successful in our attempts to protect New York CPAs from having to comply with duplicated regulatory requirements when the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance approved its tax return preparer regulations in December. We also saw the fruits of our efforts as we worked with State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman’s office and played a proactive role in the development of the Nonprofit Revitalization Act. The NYSSCPA’s involvement in the bill’s review process led to several key provisions being incorporated, including an increase in the audit requirement threshold from $250,000 in annual revenue to $500,000.

I’d like to thank the members of the 2013–2014 board for their enthusiasm, passion and pride in the Society and the profession. I also extend my deepest appreciation to you, the members, for being so generous with your expertise and time. None of our initiatives would be possible without you.

Finally, I extend my most sincere congratulations to Scott Adair. It’s been a great pleasure to work alongside you. I know the Society will be in good hands.

president@nysscpa.org