For the past two years, the Staten Island Chapter has applied a more proactive approach with the planning of its Annual Chapter Taxation Conference. This planning has resulted in an increase of attendees as well as an overall successful conference each year. In fact, we received feedback from participants who expressed that it might have been our most successful conference ever.

A total of 65 Staten Island tax pros attended this year’s conference, which included federal and state tax updates from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and the New Jersey Division of Taxation, Education and Outreach, as well as an especially interesting session on how to best navigate—and when to collect—Social Security benefits. 

I would like to give my sincere thanks to my colleague and friend, Cynthia Scarinci, who went above and beyond to secure the College of Staten Island recital hall as our location. I would also like to thank Staten Island Chapter Board members and Anthony Maltese, cochair of the Staten Island Chapter Tax Committee and chair of the Sponsorship Committee, for helping to secure sponsors and speakers for the conference. Last and certainly not least, I would like to thank Lelia Dickenson, the NYSSCPA’s chapter liaison, for providing much-needed support in coordinating conference registration, our speakers and their presentation materials.

Patrick@patmcpa.com