April 2013 ASCPA Magazine

ALABAMA CPA MAGAZINE I APRIL 2013

Business and Industry Issue

The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants P.O. Box 242987 Montgomery, Alabama 36124-2987 1-800-227-1711 334-834-7650 www.ascpa.org Officers Steven A. Shelton, Chair Renee B. Hubbard, Chair-Elect Don McCleod, Vice-Chair Dr. Lowell S. Broom, Secretary-Treasurer John P. Shank, Past Chair Board of Directors Tuan P. Blank Roger F. Bryant James R. L. Carroll James Adam Causey Allison D. Edge Allison H. Guice Mark E. Hieronymus R. Rush Letson III Bradford A. Lynch Amanda N. Paul Gerald G. Pentecost, Jr. Lewis T. Shreve Ronald W. Stokes Chasity L. Sweatmon Douglas C. Moseley, Young CPA Nicole Cunningham, Young CPA AICPA Council Members William H. Carr E. Lamar Reeves Steven A. Shelton Jimmy L. Williamson Past Chair, AICPA The Alabama CPA Magazine is published by Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants as a membership service to Society members.

Views and opinions appearing in this publication are not necessarily endorsed by the ASCPA. The deadline for submitting materials for publication is the first of the month preceding issue date.

Jeannine P. Birmingham, CPA, CAE, CGMA

Message from the Chair...

Busy season is in full bloom for those of us in public accounting. I use the term busy season versus tax season because I work primarily in audit. Now that most of our clients have calendar year/fiscal year congruency, auditors are very busy at this time of the year.

There are many things I like about busy season: seeing clients face-to-face, plenty of work, a strong sense of purpose and mission for our office, not to mention that it helps pay the bills! But it certainly has its challenges, too: long hours, sometimes including weekends, providing customer satisfaction at a stressful time, and maintaining a good balance with those at home. But it is the life we have chosen. Solving puzzles, making sense of finance for individuals and businesses, provides a lot of professional pride.

Occasionally, we look over the fence at our colleagues in business and industry and think that they’ve somehow chosen a smoother path. How silly is that, as if the B&I CPAs don’t work as hard, or as long, or have as many stresses as those of us in public accounting. From my audit experience, I have grown to really appreciate the B&I CPAs I work with and to appreciate what they do to 1) get ready for our audit, as well as 2) the time they spend with us, answering questions and obtaining documents during the audit. B&I CPAs play so many different roles in their organizations, too, and are a significant force in the strategizing and forecasting which companies must do in order to remain viable. So this is a big shout-out to those ASCPA B&I members. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the profession. Please take the time to read about one of those members, Marc Hamilton, who is also the Tuscaloosa Chapter president. It’s a small snapshot of that world.

ASCPA has worked hard, especially in the past few years, to provide value and service to our B&I members. I believe we are doing some good things, such as the education courses which specifically address B&I issues (see the schedule on pages 14 and 15 as well as on the website). This year’s Business and Industry Conference is planned for June 12 and 13 at the Huntsville Marriott.

The conference always has a really fun event attached to it - in 2013 it’s a tour of the U. S. Space and Rocket Center.

We want your ongoing feedback for ways in which we can make your job and professional development even better. Please get in touch with VP Education Jennifer Oleksa, joleksa@ascpa.org, CEO Jeannine Birmingham, jbirmingham@ascpa.org, or me, sas@wrscpa.com.

Well, it’s back to busy season. I hope you all have a prosperous one.

Steve

ASCPA Nominations Committee The ASCPA Nominations Committee met in Birmingham on January 16, 2013 and submits the following re-commendations in accordance with paragraph 7.2 of the Society’s By-Laws. Each nominee has agreed to serve, if elected.

Chair of the Board Renee B. Hubbard, Montgomery Chair Elect Donald McCleod, Dothan

Vice Chair Dr. Lowell S. Broom, Birmingham Secretary/Treasurer Jamey R. L. Carroll, Huntsville

For the 2014 Nominations Committee (three to be elected at Annual Meeting, June 6, 2013): Gerald G. Pentecost, Gadsden Mark E. Hieronymus, Mobile Lisa C. Patterson, Florence Respectfully Submitted, S. Jon Heath, Enterprise Michael E. Baker, CPA Matthew L. Griffith, Birmingham Chair, ASCPA Nominations Committee Bryan R. Chandler, Tuscaloosa

President and CEO Diane L. Christy, Editor Marc Hamilton of Westervelt Company in front of their headquarters in Tuscaloosa.

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Annual Meeting Notice:

Under provisions of Article VI of the bylaws, notice is hereby given of the annual business meeting of the Alabama Society of CPAs. The meeting will be held Thursday, June 6 at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center, beginning at noon.

The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

I

94th Annual Meeting of the Alabama Society of CPAs

t’s the biggest day on the ASCPA calendar and a special one for the 500+ members who attend. AICPA Chair Rich Caturano will be on hand at the noon luncheon to deliver a professional issues update and to talk about his personal platform of increasing diversity in accounting. Here’s what the rest of the day has to offer.

7:00 – 8:00 Chair’s Breakfast Concurrent Sessions – A&A 8:00-9:00 Financial Reporting Framework for Small to Medium-sized Businesses

Robert Durak, CPA, CGMA Private Company Financial Reporting, AICPA 9:20-12:00 Accounting and Auditing Update – Accounting Life in the Real World

James D. Martin, CPA

Martin & Orr, LLC 8:00-12:00 Office 2013 and Windows 8: Ready or not, they are here!

Tommy Stephens, CPA, CITP

K2 Enterprises 12:00-1:30

Luncheon Professional Issues Update Chair of the AICPA, Rich Caturano, CPA McGladrey LLP, Boston Awards and Election of Officers

Concurrent Sessions 1:45-4:30 Recent Developments and Planning Ideas in Tax Bruce Ely and staff from Bradley Arant Boult & Cummings, LLP 1:45-4:30 The Underbelly of Accounting Malpractice (A&A) Ralph Q. Summerford, CPA, CFE, CIRA, ABV, CFF

Forensic Strategic Solutions, Inc. 1:45-4:30 Young CPA Session The Young CPA and Marketing: From fear to confidence

Mike Frost, CPA

MDA Professional Group 3:15 Afternoon break and door prize awards

June 6, 2013 Cahaba Grand Conference Center Birmingham

U.S. Teks is gold sponsor for the 2013 Annual Meeting.

Please take time during the day to visit with all sponsors and exhibitors and to register for their door prizes.

The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

3

The Belize Project O

n December 16, 2012 I traveled to Orange Walk Town, Belize to conduct QuickBooks training to a group of eleven participants.

Belize is a small country, about the size of New Jersey, on the northeast coast of Central America, and was formerly known as British Honduras.

Orange Walk Town is the third largest city in the country, with a population of 15,300. While English is the official language, 50% of the population also speak Spanish and 75% speak Kriol (Creole), a language developed by slaves. Belize is multi-cultural and multi-racial, owing to its colonial past. There are Mayans, native Caribbean tribes, Spanish, and blacks intermingled. Today there is also a significant Mennonite segment. Total population is 312,000.

I learned about The Belize Project after my son Will, a junior at Vanderbilt, went to Belize during his spring breaks in 2011 and 2012. His trips were coordinated by Manna International (Vanderbilt) and The Belize Project (based in Nashville). Our family got involved when we found out that the road to Jacob’s Farm, an alcohol and drug rehab facility, had become impassable due to damage from flooding. We helped to get a new road built. Will and I were having breakfast last April with Mac Kelton, the director of The Belize Project, and I simply asked what, specifically, accountants could do to help the people of Belize. We worked together

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Ronald Stokes, CPA, PFS, CGMA

to develop a program to help administrators learn some basic accounting skills.

The training took place December 16-20 in Orange Walk Town’s New Life Presbyterian Day School with a team consisting of me and sons Will and Andrew. My role was to teach QuickBooks to school principals and administrators from five schools, an assistant director of Jacob’s Farm Rehab Center, and an administrator from a local church. Their organizations all have a financial reporting requirement from the government of Belize and they had been struggling to meet this requirement. Will’s role was navigation, since he knew his way around the country and also knew the people. He set up the equipment each day and helped the participants with computer questions. Andrew is a freshman at Auburn and he was our driver and runner, while also assisting with equipment set-up and computer questions. Alvaro Pott organized on the Belize end. He is the general manager of the Presbyterian Day Schools in Belize.

We received generous assistance from the ASCPA Birmingham Chapter, the ASCPA Southeast Chapter, the Alabama Society, Bill Carr, CPA, Jesse Ellis, CPA, the local Krispy Kreme franchise (Vince and Frances McAleer), and Leslie Capachietti – the author of the QuickBooks 2012 training manual. Because of this support, there were a total of six workstations donated: laptop computer, surge protector, office supplies, a backpack, a QuickBooks training manual and a printer. We also supplied them with QuickBooks Pro 2012 software.

The training was a success. The participants were very sharp and learned quickly. I went into the training with the charts of accounts already set up for each entity and, by the end of our time there, the participants were able to produce preliminary financial reports. What surprised me most as the project rolled out was how easily we all worked together. It was an amazing cultural experience to share our knowledge with these folks and we felt a true bond among us. We asked how we could help them further and I received pages and pages of items, ranging from crayons and books to electricity! They do so much, with so little, and they take great pride in the things they do have.

I plan to expand the program by going back to Belize in May to work with each school one-on-one to help them develop an overall system of accounting and financial reporting. ASCPA members can help by donating computers, printers, educational materials or by volunteering to travel to Belize to help continue the QuickBooks training. As you can see from the photo of the beach, it is an amazing and beautiful place.

The participants were very gracious and appreciative that Alabama CPAs reached out to them. I hope that this is only the beginning of a long partnership with the people of Belize. For questions, or to make a donation, contact Ron Stokes at rwstokes@rwscpa.com.

The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

CHAPTER PROFILE

Marc Hamilton of Westervelt Company

M

arc Hamilton had plenty of work experience under his belt by the time he was graduated from the University of Alabama with his master of tax degree in 1989. For much of that time, as he was attending Calhoun Community College and Athens State, he worked in a medical practice office in Huntsville. He earned a Marc Hamilton scholarship for UA’s MBA program and had just completed his first semester when Dr. Schnee (Hugh Culverhouse accounting professor and coordinator of the master of tax program) took him aside for a heart-to-heart.

Schnee must have been persuasive, because Hamilton moved from the MBA program onto the master of tax accounting track.

“I decided pretty early on that my first goal was becoming a CPA. And that determination only increased once I was in the master of tax program. I received lots of encouragement to stick with it from Ada Weiseman (my boss in the medical practice) and my father-in-law Joe Taylor. Both of them are gone now, but I think of them often with great affection. They gave me so much love and support, especially while I was in college.”

That support paid off after graduation from UA. Hamilton joined Deloitte and Touche in Nashville, at a time when the Big 8 had just become the Big 6. He earned his CPA certificate, became licensed in Tennessee and remained with Deloitte for four years.

Corporate life was next, still in Nashville, and Hamilton took a position as a tax manager with Service Merchandise for four years. Back to public accounting and KPMG in Atlanta for, you guessed it, another four years. Then he faced a crossroads – move to be near a client engagement or find somewhere else to work.

Gulf States Paper (now Westervelt) offered him a position as tax manager and he returned to west Alabama. He briefly left Westervelt for Saks, Inc. (Birmingham) during their financial statement restatement and divesture (2005-07) before returning to Westervelt, this time as treasurer.

The Westervelt Company was started by Herbert Westervelt in 1884 as Prairie States Paper Corporation. A paper and paperboard packaging manufacturer for many years, Westervelt now operates several distinct businesses related to land resource management. Besides owning and managing 500,000 acres of timThe Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

ment, payroll or treasury issues. The challenge berland, the company operates sporting lodges around the world, offers wildlife gaming and may come from senior management, peers or recreational property management, develops clerical staff. You have more direct involvement master-planned residential in corporate governance The Westervelt Company was started communities in Alabama, and strategic planning to and is involved in creating by Herbert Westervelt in 1884 as Prairie create shareholder value.”

States Paper Corporation. A paper and renewable energy.

“I really love the cor- paperboard packaging manufacturer for And how does that porate arena. My great- many years, Westervelt now operates translate into workest source of enjoyment several distinct businesses related to ing day-to-day?

“First, there’s an imcomes from the challenge land resource management. Besides of leading creative proj- owning and managing 500,000 acres mediate sense of accomects, from being involved of timberland, the company operates plishment derived from in the complexity of stra- sporting lodges around the world, offers being the company’s ontegic planning and from wildlife gaming and recreational property site, internal consultant. It engaging in broader areas management, develops master-planned is less competitive peerof responsibility.” residential communities in Alabama, and to-peer, so colleagues Hamilton also values is involved in creating renewable energy. feel more like family. And I have to be honest, I working on many levels love being ‘the client’ when dealing with fellow and managing several projects simultaneously.

CPAs.” “In my opinion, industry positions are more Hamilton was active at the chapter level with holistic and require more human resource skills. each of the state societies where he worked, Working inside a company demands broad Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. He felt that technical skills across several disciplines. Maythere is always been a need for more participabe it’s a question regarding tax or accounting or maybe dealing with finance, risk manageContinued on page 19

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The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

Alabama Young

CPA

Why Support the PANGEATWO Charity Golf Tournament? Here are three reasons.

Y

ou know the drill – the Young CPAs, with the enormous assistance of staffing powerhouse PANGEATWO, hold an annual charity golf tournament each year at the Robert Trent Jones courses at Oxmoor Valley in Birmingham. The tournament is the day before the ASCPA’s Annual Meeting, to maximize participation and to attract out of town sponsors. The proceeds for the last several years have benefitted, in equal parts, The Exceptional Foundation of Homewood and the Alabama Society’s own Educational Foundation. But what impact does the funding really have? Last year The Exceptional Foundation furnished a workout room for their clients. That’s good, something concrete, a physical manifestation of the earnings from the 50 teams and sponsors who supported the 2012 tournament.

But the value of funding additional accounting scholarships is a little harder to pin down.

Here are three stories from past scholarship recipients – Dennis Price of Samford, Eddie Nabors of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Amanda Paul of Troy University. Yes, that’s right, all three are professors of accounting at Alabama universities.

In February 2011, Dennis Price graciously allowed his classroom to be used as the ASCPA filmed a promotional DVD for the Fortune Forward capital campaign. Between shots, Price shared that he was sitting in that classroom because he, too, received an Educational Foundation scholarship. You could hear an audible click as heads swiveled to ask Price to explain.

“You were an ASCPA scholarship kid?”

“Oh, yes. It was a huge deal to me. My mother and sister went with me to Montgomery to receive the award and it meant staying in school versus not staying in school. My dad had died and it was not going to be easy for me to continue. The money was not a large amount, maybe $500, but it made all the difference to me. It was one of the reasons why I personally support this campaign to increase the endowment.”

Everyone who heard him speak was really moved. Plans were immediately made to alter the original script and incorporate Price’s spontaneous statement into the DVD. It was a moment that became a highlight of the film. Price leveraged his education to become both a CPA and obtain a law degree. His older brother Donald is also a CPA, nephew Jeff Price was recently recognized as a high scorer on the CPA exam and holds a law degree, too.

The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

Eddie Nabors is an instructor of accounting at UAB and serves as Beta Alpha Psi chapter advisor. Through a chance conversation, he revealed that he received an ASCPA scholarship while an undergraduate student at the University of Alabama in the mid-1970s.

“I received the scholarship for two years – back then Eddie Nabors they were renewable if you maintained a high GPA – and it made an enormous impact on my staying in school. My dad died my freshman year and my mother was not able to provide much financial assistance for college.”

Nabors described an intimidating interview process in Montgomery (“in front of an entire conference room full of people”) but obviously emerged successful. His goal was to become a CPA like his brother.

After graduation, he went to work for Peat Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG), eventually leaving the firm for industry becoming first a controller, then CFO.

“For a long time I thought about going into education. Eventually, I found a time in my life when the transition to teaching made sense. I wanted to make a difference in the lives of students, as others had done for me. It is a pleasure to encourage my own students to apply for the ASCPA scholarships and to shepherd them through the process.”

Amanda Paul was a senior at Troy University when she received a scholarship for the 1998/99 academic year. Becoming a CPA was never in doubt, from her first moments in Principles of Accounting. Troy’s legendary Dr. Tom Ratcliffe was instrumental in urging Paul to apply for the scholarship.

“I was married and had to Amanda Paul work in order to make ends meet. The award took some of the financial pressure off for me.”

Paul worked for Carr Riggs in their Enterprise office before moving to Gibson & Carden’s assurance and attestation department in Troy, Continued on page 19

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ASCPA Chapter

Tax Hotlines Continue to Sizzle!

W

hether the title is Tax Hotline, Tax Actionline or something else, the live, call-in help lines provide an enormous service to the general public. Huntsville was back in the mix in 2013, rounding out events in the four largest markets in Alabama.

Here’s the breakdown: Mobile / WKRG / February 5 / Lamar Reeves 115 calls (multiple questions per call) Morgan Prestwood, Regina McKellar, Kristi Daughtery, Ron Smith, Jason Taylor, Ryan Zoghby, James Wishon, and Cliff Jackson.

Birmingham / WBRC / February 12 / Beth Arnett 318 calls Delphine Ford, Naila Jackson, Bill Lischkoff, Tom Zoebelein, Buzz Coons, Robby Tingle, Antoinette Foster, Steve Emerson, Lewis Jones and Brooks Green Huntsville / WHNT / February 18 / Andy Cornelius 200 calls Keith Gray, Jamey Carroll, Bruce Perry, Chris Taylor, Sloane Southern, Dustin Schaefer and Rebekkah Collier.

Montgomery / WSFA / February 19 / ASCPA staff 294 calls Adam Finesilver, Crystal Smith, Amber Barnett, Will Jones, Adam Causey, Jaela Robbins and Lindsey Goddard Thanks to each of the chapters for rallying the troops. Special appreciation to volunteers who went on local talk shows to promote the event: Beth Arnett, Jamey Carroll and Christine Cook.

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The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

MEMBERS IN MOTION Promotions and New Positions Sellers, Richardson, Holman & West announced the promotion of Angela Coker to audit partner. She received a bachelor’s degree from Samford University and a master’s degree from The University of Alabama. Coker Angela Coiker practices exclusively in employee benefit plan auditing and consulting services.

Kim H. Hubbard recently joined Anglin Reichmann Snellgrove & Armstrong P.C. as a supervisor in the tax advisory services department. Ms. Hubbard has more than 18 years of public accounting experience, with extensive experience with complex corporate, partnership, individual, not for profit, trust, retirement plan, and payroll tax returns. She is a graduate of Athens State University.

JamisonMoneyFarmer announced the promotion of Kim Smith to shareholder.

She joins twelve other shareholders in managing one of the state’s top ten CPA firms.

Smith joined JMF in 1997 after working as a revenue examiner for the Alabama Department of Revenue. She is a Kim Smith graduate of the University of Alabama and serves on both the Alabama Society’s State Taxation committee and the Business Council of Alabama’s Taxation Committee. With over 20 years of accounting experience, Smith assists clients with corporate, partnership, and individual income tax return reporting, IRS and state tax audit representation, sales and use tax audit representation and compliance issues, and individual and business tax planning. In 2005 she moved to Selma where she opened, and still manages, a JMF office.

In other news at JamisonMoneyFarmer, Rachel Taylor has been promoted to manager. Taylor joined JMF as a staff accountant in the tax department in 2005. She is a graduate of the University of Rachel Taylor Alabama where she received her Bachelor of Science degree (summa cum laude) and Master of Tax Accounting. She worked as a tax intern for a national firm in Birmingham, and she received the “”Defining Women Award” from the Women in Business Council in 2011. She is currently participating in the ASCPA Leadership Academy.

Katy Beth Jackson Katy Beth Jackson has been promoted to supervisor.

She joined JMF in 2007 in tax and accounting. Jackson was graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alabama, completed her master of taxation at UA and worked as a tax intern at JMF prior to Patricia Parnell joining the firm full time. PatriThe Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

cia Parnell has been promoted to supervisor and has been with JMF since 2010 in the tax and audit department. Parnell is a graduate of the University of Alabama and is active in civic organizations in Tuscaloosa. Sarah Moore has been promoted to supervisor. Moore has both undergraduate and master of tax degrees from the University of Sarah Moore Alabama. Moore serves on the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Club of West Alabama and the board of directors of the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society. Lauren Roberts has been promoted to supervisor. She was graduLauren Roberts ated with honors from the University of Alabama and, after two internships at JMF, started full time in 2008. Roberts currently serves as treasurer of the Kentuck Museum Association and as secretary of Tuscaloosa Community Dancers. Todd Turner has been promoted Todd Turner to supervisor. Todd started as a full-time staff accountant in 2008 after working part time as an undergraduate and graduate student. While completing his master’s degree, he also worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Alabama. Rachel Aaron has been promoted to senior. Rachel Aaron began full time at JMF in 2010 as a staff accountant in tax and accounting, following an internship at JMF during the 2009 tax season. Rachel has a earned undergraduate and a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Alabama. She is on the board of the Good Samaritan Clinic and serves as treasurer. Haley Glover has been promoted to senior.

Glover began full time at JMF in 2010 as a staff accountant in tax, accounting and audit. She worked as an intern for JMF during the 2009 tax season.

Haley Glover She graduated summa cum laude in 2009 and completed her master’s degree in accounting with a 4.0 grade point average from the University of Alabama.

Naomi H. Allen has been added as a partner at Mason and Gardner CPAs, LLC of Demopolis. Allen has been with the firm since 2007, following her graduation from the University of West Alabama.

She specializes in accounting and auditing of local governments and not-for-profits as well as individual and corporate taxation.

Hall Albright Garrison & Associates announced that Fallon Cornett has been named a shareholder in their government contracts department. Cornett joined the firm in 2008. Her Fallon Cornett expertise includes payroll processing and taxes, incurred cost proposal preparation and monthly financial services. She received her B.S.B.A. in accounting from Jacksonville State University.

Awards and New Designations Warren Averett announced the appointment of Jesse D. Slaton as the 2013 president of the Alabama Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA). He has been a member of TMA for over 10 years, was one of Jesse Slaton the original members of the Alabama Chapter and has served on its board since 2010. Within the firm, he is a member of Warren Averett Turnaround Advisors, LLC. Slaton and his team advise clients in all stages of the business life cycle on business operations, financial reporting and tax issues. His practice focuses on assisting businesses and their stakeholders in turnaround situations, out-of-court reorganizations, and bankruptcies. Slaton has been with the firm since 2000 and has 13 years of experience in public accounting and corporate financial management. He is a graduate of the University of Montevallo and earned his Certified Insolvency and Restructuring (CIRA) designation from the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors.

In other news at Warren Averett, Jim Cunningham has been appointed to the LEA Global Board of Directors.

Leading Edge Alliance is the second-largest international association in the world. It is Jim Cunningham made up of more than 190 independently owned accounting and advisory firms operating more than 450 offices in 100 countries, enabling member firms to access the resources of a global professional services organization. Cunningham began work at Warren Averett in 1979 and served as its chief operating officer for 11 years before moving into his current role as CEO. During his tenure as CEO, the firm has undergone several significant mergers expanding their footprint into Huntsville, Atlanta, Montgomery, the Gulf Coast and Tampa. With more than 725 employees, the firm now ranks among the top 30 national firms. Cunningham has extensive consulting experience with privately-owned businesses and consults with companies to assist with mergers/acquisitions and various shareholder matters.

Community News Todd Hindsman has been named to the Etowah County Board of Education. Hindsman is a partner in Gadsden firm Hindsman-Davis and has been in public practice for 20 years.

In Memoriam Andrew Parkhurst

February 19, 1953 - January 11, 2013 Florence, Alabama Certificate #2805

Kenneth Martin

December 18, 1959 - January 29, 2013 Vestavia Hills, Alabama Certificate #2976 9

Business and Industry

How to Drive Value from Sustainability Per INTRODUCTION his guide is intended to assist Chief Financial Officers, and their finance teams, to define their role in managing the sustainability performance of their organisations. It is based on a report produced by CIMA in association with Accenture: Sustainability Performance Management: How CFOs can unlock value, 2011.

Sustainability performance management (SPM) creates a system that ensures an organisation is sustainably managed and reaps the maximum business benefits from its sustainability efforts.

INTRODUCTION Sustainability merits the same robust performance management as financial performance This guide is intended to assist Chief Financial does, so the CFO is in the best position and Officers, and their finance teams, to define their role has the requisite technical performance skills to improve in managing the sustainability of their SPM and ensure is better with by the organisations.

It isitbased on a integrated report produced CIMA inperformance association with Accenture: Sustainability strategic management of the orPerformance Management: How CFOs can unlock value, ganisation.

2011.

This tool outlines five key steps which users Sustainability management should take to performance set sustainability goals,(SPM) to meacreates a system that ensures an organisation is sure progress against those goals, and to ensustainably managed and reaps the maximum sure those metrics are integrated into business business benefits from its sustainability efforts. planning and reporting.

Sustainability merits the same robust performance The tool is intended for organisations and management as financial performance does, so the individuals have already that: CFO is in who the best position andaccepted has the requisite technical skillscan to improve • sustainability create SPM valueand ensure it is better integrated with the strategic performance • s management ustainabilityofcan help preserve value in the the organisation. long term for stakeholders and shareholders This tool outlines five key steps which users should •o take rganisations need to discover, measure and to set sustainability goals, to measure progress maximise that value against those goals, and to ensure those metrics are integrated into business reporting.

•o rganisations need toplanning manageandtheir sustainability performance.

T

CFOs can use this tool to help define their role in SPM and to guide the resourcing of their finance functions. The tool can also be a catalyst for discussions about key issues between finance and the rest of the organisation and other stakeholders.

The approach taken by this tool is not tied to any specific regulatory requirements, and is intended to be sufficiently generic to be applicable to a wide range of organisations.

1. Make SPM strategic, not just tactical Critically consider your organisation’s SPM practices, and how you can make SPM strategic.

Have your sustainability strategies been The tool is intended for organisations and developedwho in ahave similarly manner individuals alreadyrobust accepted that: as your other business strategies? Or have they arisen • sustainability can create value piecemeal, perhaps in response to ad hoc de• sustainability can help preserve value in the long mands from stakeholders to report on diversity term for stakeholders and shareholders or CO2 emissions etc?

• organisations to discover, measure and strateSPM can need be considered genuinely maximise that value gic if: • •organisations need to manage their sustainability G ood quality data on sustainability issues are performance. collected and analysed to generate relevant CFOs can usewhich this tool help define their role in insights, aretoincorporated into decision SPM and to guide the resourcing of their finance making at all levels. functions. The tool can also be a catalyst for • S ustainability activities are aligned key discussions about key issues between finance with and the drivers and restbusiness of the organisation andprocesses. other stakeholders.

•M approach anagers taken understand how sustainability The by this tool is not tied to any isspecific requirements, is intended suesregulatory – performance, risks,and limited resources to be sufficientlybusiness generic toperformance. be applicable to a wide – influence range of organisations.

•S ustainability is embedded throughout the organisation, so that performance against

Make it strategic, not just tactical

Apply a financial mindset – link sustainability to business performance

Integrate with business planning and reporting

Improve the process of data collection, analysis and reporting

102

Use the right metrics, consistently

HOW TO DRIVE VALUE FROM SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND THE CFOs ROLE

sustainable issues is reported and managed as effectively as is performance against other business critical issues.

2. Link sustainability to business performance Think about what might inhibit decision makers from considering sustainability when reaching decisions within your organisation.

Providing that your organisation has collectively accepted that sustainability can create value1, the obstacles are likely to be measurement issues, such as: • Managers’ belief that it is difficult to quantify the effect of sustainability factors on financial performance.

• Difficulties measuring the impact of sustainability initiatives on shareholder value.

• Perception that investors seldom incorporate sustainability risks, or resource constraints into their valuation models.

Organisations might accept in theory that sustainability contributes to revenue generation, cost control, risk management and longterm value creation; but individuals may need to see the impact on their business unit performance before they genuinely commit to incorporating sustainability into their day to day decision making. Finance has a role as a catalyst in this process.

Consider how your finance function can provide reassurance and proof that sustainability performance can be measured and monitored; and how you can encourage managers and the board to explicitly and consistently take sustainability issues into account in strategic and operational decisions.

3. Use the right metrics, consistently Evaluate the metrics which your organisation is currently using to measure and report sustainability performance.

• Do these adequately explain where and how sustainability is making a difference to business performance? Are the measures the appropriate ones to help effective decision making?

• Does the number of measures impose an information burden on the organisation? Individuals or teams can effectively monitor and be held accountable for only seven or eight measures.

• Consider the obligatory performance measures to satisfy regulations, customer or other The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

rformance Management and the CFOs Role stakeholder demands, or sustainability frameworks such as the Global Reporting Initiative or the Global Environmental Management Initiative. Are you aware of all these measures?

Accenture research suggests that one fifth of those making decisions relating to SPM are not aware of what basis their organisation reports sustainability data on.2 • I s there potential to use these measures to report both internally and externally; without compromising the information needed to make decisions? This would avoid creating different frameworks and collecting parallel sets of data for different purposes.

4. Develop robust systems and processes for SPM Consider how the SPM information is collected, analysed and presented within your organisation.

Accenture’s research suggests that organisations typically use Excel spreadsheets to collect and analyse sustainability data.

This suggests that sustainability reporting systems have not been integrated, but have been created alongside pre-existing operational or financial reporting systems; and that such organisations are missing the analytical functionality offered by more sophisticated reporting software. If spreadsheets are used, are the same good practices used for these spreadsheets as would be expected for the financial spreadsheets created by your finance function?

Has the collection of SPM data been made as easy as possible within your organisation?

Do front line staff who provide sustainability data see this task as an additional extra burden to the normal operational and financial reporting? There is a risk that the data will not be collected carefully and in a timely manner, which means it becomes less frequently used for decision making, and might reinforce negative attitudes amongst managers about the relevance of sustainability information.

If the sustainability reporting system is separate from other reporting systems, how does it interface with those systems? How is sustainability information connected to the core decision making process? As a result of ad hoc requests, or as part of a systematic process?

How is qualitative sustainability information captured and kept? Is it recognised and retrievable? Has it been analysed to generate insights into opportunities and risks?

The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

Does your SPM system meets basic requirements which are to: •m onitor and report on sustainability performance • set sustainability goals and objectives • manage risks associated with sustainability • r educe the time and costs of collecting and analysing data •p roduce timely and decision relevant reports which can be customised to stakeholder needs (including disclosures required by external frameworks).

5. Integrate SPM with business planning and reporting Review the sustainability reporting and analytics solutions in the market; giving special consideration to solutions from your existing business system providers.

These may represent the simplest way to

ensure that your sustainability performance management system will be integrated into existing business systems, thus aligning sustainability issues with financial and operational performance. Buying a proven solution minimises risk; should ensure that the application is easy to use; and that user documentation and training are already available.

–––––––––– Two of the world’s most prestigious accounting bodies, AICPA and CIMA, have formed a joint venture to establish the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation to elevate the profession of management accounting. The designation recognises the most talented and committed management accountants with the discipline and skill to drive strong business performance. ©2012, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. All rights reserved.

11

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2 013 N O RT H A M E R I CA N CAR O F T H E Y EAR

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1

4:02 PM The Alabama CPA 3/5/13 MAGAZINE

~ Goodbye Betty Barker ~

T

he ASCPA family said goodbye to Vice President of Membership Betty Barker on March 1. Betty came to the ASCPA from Regions Bank and has been responsible for managing all aspects of member data in addition to preparing, reconciling and processing annual dues. She did a thorough and precise job, was always professional in her interactions with staff and members alike, and deeply involved in a wide circle of friends and family. She had been at the Society for nine years.

Betty was part of the 7:00 am crew, and she regularly assisted Sherry Russ with classroom preparations for education sessions at the ASCPA building. She and Sherry were also on hand each June to administer the Gulf Shores education cluster at The Beach Club.

Away from the ASCPA, Betty and husband Bobby attended Auburn football games, Montgomery Biscuit baseball games, went to Gatlinburg for rest and relaxation a couple of times each year and supported grandsons Benjamin and Clark at school and sports activities. There’s

Bobby and Betty Barker with son Brent and his wife Shawn.

only so much squeezing that the sandwich generation can absorb, however, and the fragile health of her mom became an increasing concern for Betty in the last year. After giving it serious consideration, she’s elected to retire so

she can devote her energies across four generations.

Betty’s calm and generous spirit will be missed at the Alabama Society (as well as her amazing pimento cheese).

Feeling Overwhelmed By The Challenge Of Payroll?

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Complex Overtime Rules

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401(k)

Security SUTA

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www.kianoff.com

Implementing and Supporting Human Resources & Payroll Solutions Since 1986 The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

13

EDUCATION Express

No. Date(s)

Field of Study Title Location

001* 5/10/13

AA

002* 6/18/13

Other

Early Bird *Registration Non-Member Member Fee Fee Add-On

AICPA Advanced Course: Overview of the Peer Review Program Standards

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

Trusted Business Advisor Workshop 2

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

003

6/24/13

AA

Annual FASB Update and Review

Gulf Shores (AM)

$150

$175

$50

004

6/24/13

TX

Select Estate and Life Planning Issues for the Middle-Income Client

Gulf Shores (AM)

$150

$175

$50

005

6/24/13

Other

Controller/CFO Update: Hot Topics Facing Today’s Financial Professional

Gulf Shores (AM)

$150

$175

$50

006

6/24/13

AA

Accounting and Reporting for Not-for-Profits: Avoiding the Headaches and Heartaches

Gulf Shores (PM)

$150

$175

$50

007

6/24/13

TX

Individual Income Tax Return Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Gulf Shores (PM)

$150

$175

$50

008

6/24/13

Other

Gaining a Competitive Advantage: Critical Skills for CFOs and Controllers

Gulf Shores (PM)

$150

$175

$50

009

6/25/13

AA Financial Reporting Fraud: The Top 25 Tips on How to Prevent and Detect Executives and Managers from

010

6/25/13

TX

011

6/25/13

Other

012

6/25/13

013

Manipulating Financial Statements

Gulf Shores (AM)

$150

$175

$50

Federal Tax Update

Gulf Shores (AM)

$150

$175

$50

Innovative Forecasting and Budgeting: Moving Beyond the Traditional Techniques

Gulf Shores (AM)

$150

$175

$50

AA

Preparing OCBOA Financial Statements: Cash, Modified Cash and Tax Basis Financial Statements

Gulf Shores (PM)

$150

$175

$50

6/25/13

TX

Mastering Basis Issues for S Corporations, Partnerships, and LLCs

Gulf Shores (PM)

$150

$175

$50

014

6/25/13

Other

Thriving in a Chaotic Economic Environment: Planning and Strategy Formulation for Your Organization

Gulf Shores (PM)

$150

$175

$50

015

6/26/13

AA

Fraud in Purchasing and Cash Disbursement Cycles

Gulf Shores (AM)

$150

$175

$50

016

6/26/13

TX

Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits

Gulf Shores (AM)

$150

$175

$50

017

6/26/13

Tech

Technology Update

Gulf Shores (AM)

$150

$175

$50

018

6/26/13

AA

COSO Internal Control: One Size Does Fit All

Gulf Shores (PM)

$150

$175

$50

019

6/26/13

TX

Estate Planning: What to Do in 2013

Gulf Shores (PM)

$150

$175

$50

020

6/26/13

Tech

Excel Macros - Part 1

Gulf Shores (PM)

$150

$175

$50

021

6/27/13

AA

Compilation Engagements

Gulf Shores (AM)

$150

$175

$50

022

6/27/13

TX

Key Partnership and S Corporation Tax Planning Strategies

Gulf Shores (AM)

$150

$175

$50

023

6/27/13

Tech

iPad - An Effective Business Tool

Gulf Shores (AM)

$150

$175

$50

024

6/27/13

AA

Efficient Small Business Audits

Gulf Shores (PM)

$150

$175

$50

025

6/27/13

TX

Critical Tax Issues in Buying and Selling a Business

Gulf Shores (PM)

$150

$175

$50

026

6/27/13

Tech & AA

Excel Reporting - Best Practices, Tools and Techniques

Gulf Shores (PM)

$150

$175

$50

027* 7/8/13

AA

Governmental and Nonprofit Update

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

028* 7/8/13

Other

AICPA’s Annual Update for Controllers

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

029* 7/9/13

AA

Governmental Accounting and Reporting Huntsville

$250

$275

$50

030* 7/9/13

AA

Detecting Misstatements:Integrating SAS 99 and the Risk Assessment Standards Huntsville

$250

$275

$50

031* 7/10/13

AA

Understanding the Clarified Auditing Standards: The Changes You Need to Know

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

032* 7/10/13 6AA/1Tax/1Other Construction Accounting, Auditing, Tax

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

033

7/16/13

Automobile Dealerships: An In-Depth Perspective

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

034

7/16/13

Tech

Top 50 Security Measures for CPAs

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

035* 7/17/13

AA

Now I Oversee: Advanced OMB A-133 Issues

Birmingham

$250

$275

$50

036

7/17/13

Tech

QuickBooks 2013 for CPAs

Birmingham

$250

$275

$50

037* 7/17/13

AA

New GASB Reporting Requirements: GASB Statements 67 & 68

Mobile

$250

$275

$50

038* 7/17/13

Tax Handling IRS Disputes

Mobile

$250

$275

$50

039

7/18/13

AA

Forensic Accounting: A Comprehensive Guide to Conducting Financial Fraud Investigations

Auburn

$250

$275

$50

040

7/18/13

Tech

Tech Savvy CPA

Auburn

$250

$275

$50

041* 7/18/13

AA

Studies on Audit Deficiencies

Mobile

$250

$275

$50

042* 7/18/13

Tax

Fundamentals of a Trust

Mobile

$250

$275

$50

044

7/26/13

Tax

Shortcuts to Tax Cuts: Individual Tax, Social Security, and Retirement Planning Tools and Strategies

Auburn

$250

$275

$50

045

7/29- 7/31/13 AA

Employee Benefits Workshop

Birmingham

_

_

$50

046

8/5 - 8/7/13

AA

Basic Staff Training for Auditors

Montgomery

$525

$550

$50

047

8/5/13

AA

Forensic Accounting: Critical Phases of an Effective Fraud Investigation

Birmingham (AM)

$155

$180

$50

048

8/5/13

Tax

Tax Challenges for Older Americans

Birmingham (AM)

$155

$180

$50

049

8/5/13

Other

Benchmarking and Effective Partner Compensation Systems

Birmingham (PM)

$155

$180

$50

050

8/5/13

AA Financial Reporting: The Top 25 Tips on How to Prevent and Detect Executives and Managers from Manipulating Financial Statements

Birmingham (PM)

$155

$180

$50

051

8/5/13

Tax

Social Security and Medicare: Advanced Analysis of the Tactics, Taxes, and the Truth

Birmingham (PM)

$155

$180

$50

052

8/5/13

Other

Disciplined Marketing in Building a Niche Practice

Birmingham (AM)

$155

$180

$50

054

8/6/13

Tax

Taxation for Foreign Nationals

Birmingham (AM)

$155

$180

$50

055

8/6/13

Other

Loyalty Effect and Building a Sales Culture in a CPA Firm

Birmingham (PM)

$155

$180

$50

14

The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

No. Date(s)

Field of Study Title Location

056

8/6/13

Tax

057

8/6/13

Other

058

8/6/13

Other

059

8/7/13

AA

Early Bird *Registration Non-Member Member Fee Fee Add-On

Taxation for Expatriates

Birmingham (PM)

$155

$180

$50

Foolproof Succession Planning

Birmingham (PM)

$155

$180

$50

The GO System

Birmingham (PM)

$155

$180

$50

Financial Statement Disclosures: Guide to Current Requirements and Developing Issues

Mobile (AM)

$155

$180

$50

060

8/7/13

Tax

Federal Tax Update

Mobile (AM)

$155

$180

$50

061

8/7/13

AA

Current Issues in Accounting and Auditing: An Annual Update

Mobile (PM)

$155

$180

$50

062

8/7/13

Tax

Critical Tax Issues in Buying and Selling a Business

Mobile (PM)

$155

$180

$50

063

8/8/13

AA

Fraud and Financial Reporting: Don’t Be the Next Victim!

Mobile (AM)

$155

$180

$50

064

8/8/13

Tax

Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits

Mobile (AM)

$155

$180

$50

065

8/8/13

AA

Preparing OCBOA Financial Statements: Cash, Modified Cash and Tax Basis Financial Statements

Mobile (PM)

$155

$180

$50

066

8/8/13

Tax

Individual Income Tax Return Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Mobile (PM)

$155

$180

$50

067

8/8 - 8/9/13

AA

Semi-Senior Staff Training for Auditors

Montgomery

$375

$400

$50

068

8/9/13

TX

Alabama Sales and Use Tax Guide for CPAs by Ely, Long, and Thistle Huntsville

$155

$180

$50

069

8/9/13

TX

The Best Income Tax, Estate Tax, and Financial Planning Ideas of 2013 Huntsville

$250

$275

$50

070

8/12 - 8/13/13 AA

Beginning In-Charge Staff Training for Auditors

Montgomery

$375

$400

$50

071

8/13-8/14/13 AA

Yellow Book Workshop

Birmingham

_

_

$50

072

8/14/13

Disregarded Entities

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

073

8/14/13

Other

Microsoft Office 2013 including Windows 8 and Skydrive

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

074

8/15/13

Tax

Religious Organizations: Accounting, Auditing & Tax Issues

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

075

8/15/13

Tech

QuickBooks for Beginners

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

076

8/15/13

Mobile

$250

$275

$50

077

8/15/13

Tech

Top Accounting Solutions

Mobile

$250

$275

$50

078* 8/16/13

Other

Advanced Business Law for CPAs

Birmingham

$250

$275

$50

079

8/16/13

Tech

Excel 2013 for CPAs

Birmingham

$250

$275

$50

081

8/16/13 Excel Budgeting and Forecasting Techniques

Mobile

$250

$275

$50

082

8/16/13

AA

Condos & HOAs: Advanced Accounting, Auditing and Other Issues

Orange Beach

$250

$275

$50

083* 8/19/13

AA

FASB Industry Review

Birmingham

$250

$275

$50

084

AA

2013 Accounting & Auditing Update for the Real World

Birmingham

$199

$224

$50

Expanding the CPA Role

Birmingham

$250

$275

$50

8/19/13

TX Advanced Tax Structures: Using Tiered Partnerships, Multiple Corporations, Series LLCs and

TX Hot IRS Tax Examination Issues for Individuals and Businesses

085* 8/19/13

Other

086* 8/20/13

AA

Practical Guidebook to Impairment Accounting Standards

Tuscaloosa-AM

$155

$180

$50

087

8/20/13

AA

Revenue Recognition and Lease Accounting: The New Perspectives

Tuscaloosa-PM

$155

$180

$50

089* 8/20/13

AA

Revenue Recognition: Getting the New Standards Right

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

090

8/20/13

TBA

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

091* 8/20/13

AA

Public Company Update

Birmingham

$250

$275

$50

092

8/20/13

TX

Advanced Partnership/LLC Workshop: How to Do Optional Step-up In Basis Under 754 and Related Provisions Birmingham

$250

$275

$50

093

8/21/13

AA

2013 Accounting & Auditing Update for the Real World Huntsville

$250

$275

$50

094* 8/21/13

AA

Real Estate Accounting and Auditing

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

095

8/21/13

TX

Advanced Critical Issues for LLCs and Partnerships

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

096

8/22 - 8/23/13 Other

The Franklin Covey 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Workshop

Montgomery

$800

$850

$50

098

8/22/13

TX Hot IRS Tax Examination Issues for Individuals and Businesses

Decatur

$250

$275

$50

100

8/23/13

TX

The Complete Guide to Payroll Taxes and 1099 Issues

Dothan

$250

$275

$50

101

8/26-8/28/13 TX

Estate and Tax Planning for the Baby Boomer Workshop

Birmingham

_

_

$50

Closely Held Business Taxation: Smart Strategies to Slash Taxes

Tuscaloosa

$250

$275

$50

102* 8/28/13

TX

103

8/28/13

Tech

Excel Best Practices

Tuscaloosa

$250

$275

$50

105

8/29/13

Tech

Sage 50/Peachtree Accounting Software - Managing Businesses More Effectively

Birmingham

$250

$275

$50

106

8/29/13

Other

Leadership Development from the Expert Colonel

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

107* 8/29/13

Other

Thirty-Plus Practical Tools and Techniques for Making Your Key Financial Decisions

Montgomery

$250

$275

$50

108* 8/30/13

Other

Expanding the Role and Influence of CPAs in Organizations

Auburn

$250

$275

$50

109

8/30/13

Tech

Excel PivotTables for Accountants

Auburn

$250

$275

$50

111

8/30/13

Tax

Delving into the Top Twelve Issues for Partnerships, LLCs and S Corps Huntsville

$250

$275

$50

(*) Asterisk indicates 8 hr AICPA seminar; take advantage of a $30 discount applied to the ASCPA fee if you are an AICPA member ASCPA 4hr Clusters or CPE Value Seminars do not receive $30 discount. New Courses are in BOLD type NEW REGISTRATION FORMS AND ENTIRE CPE SCHEDULE AVAILABLE SOON ON THE WEBSITE - WWW.ASCPA.ORG The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

15

EDUCATION Express

ASCPA Business & Industry Education

Date Location 5/10/13 Montgomery 6/18/13 Montgomery 6/24/13 Gulf Shores - 4 hr 6/24/13 Gulf Shores - 4 hr 6/25/13 Gulf Shores - 4 hr 6/25/13 Gulf Shores - 4 hr 7/8/13 Montgomery 8/5/13 Birmingham - 4 hr 8/5/13 Birmingham - 4 hr 8/6/13 Birmingham - 4 hr 8/6/13 Birmingham - 4 hr 8/6/13 Birmingham - 4 hr 8/16/13 Birmingham 8/19/13 Birmingham 8/22 - 8/23/13 Montgomery 8/29/13 Montgomery 8/29/13 Montgomery 8/30/13 Auburn 9/6/13 Birmingham 9/18/13 Birmingham - 4 hr 9/18/13 Birmingham - 4 hr 9/19/13 Birmingham - 4 hr 9/19/13 Birmingham - 4 hr

Field of Study Course Title AA AICPA Advanced Course: Overview of the Peer Review Program Standards Other Trusted Business Advisor Workshop 2 Other Controller/CFO Update: Hot Topics Facing Today’s Financial Professional Other Gaining a Competitive Advantage: Critical Skills for CFOs and Controllers Other Innovative Forecasting and Budgeting: Moving Beyond the Traditional Techniques Other Thriving in a Chaotic Economic Environment: Plannning and Strategy Formulation for Your Organization Other AICPA’s Annual Update for Controllers Other Benchmarking and Effective Partner Compensation Systems Other Disciplined Marketing in Building a Niche Practice Other Loyalty Effect and Building a Sales Culture in a CPA Firm Other Foolproof Succession Planning Other The GO System Other Advanced Business Law for CPAs Other Expanding the CPA Role Other The Franklin Covey 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Workshop Other Leadership Development from the Expert Colonel Other Thirty-Plus Practical Tools and Techniques for Making Your Key Financial Decisions Other Expanding the Role and Influence of CPAs in Organizations Other Business Law Update Other Controller/CFO Update: Hot Topics Facing Today’s Financial Professional Other Gaining a Competitive Advantage: Critical Skills for CFOs and Controllers Other Innovative Forecasting and Budgeting: Moving Beyond the Traditional Techniques Other Thriving in a Chaotic Economic Environment: Plannning and Strategy Formulation for Your Organization

save the date

Attention: Alabama CPAs BP OIL SPILL

ASCPA Business & Industry Conference June 12 – 13 Huntsville, Alabama

Multi-day conference with breakout sessions designed specifically for our members in industry. Evening reception and tour at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center on Wednesday evening.

16

Under the federal court supervised program, ALL Alabama businesses could be eligible for an economic loss claim. A simple revenue analysis of the business’ monthly gross revenue from 2007 - 2011 is all that is necessary, in most cases, to determine qualification.

Accounting fees are reimbursable. To discuss your client’s potential business loss claim call 1.866.975.7766 or 251.433.7766 or visit www.bfw-lawyers.com

WE CAN HELP YOU

AND YOUR CLIENTS! 1252 Dauphin Street · Mobile, Alabama 36604

No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater that the legal services of other lawyers

The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

ASCPA Education Form ASCPA Continuing ProfessionalRegistration Education Registration Form Mail form to : ASCPA P.O. Box 242987 Montgomery, AL 36124-2987

Fax form to : Sherry Russ 334.834.7310 Scan/email to: sruss@ascpa.org

Register online at:

www.ascpa.org

REGISTRANT INFORMATION Last Name

M.I.

First Name

ASCPA Member Number

Firm / Employer State Certificate Number Address City

State

Zip

Business Phone

Business Fax

Please visit www.ascpa.org to view all registration policies, including information about cancellations and refunds.

Please attach a description of special requests or contact us at (334) 386-5764.

Email Address (for registration confirmation)

Vegetarian ADA Request

Check if information has recently changed and needs to be updated in your member record Are you a member of the AICPA? Yes How did you hear about this class?

Course Date

No

Email

Course Title

Member Number: ____________________ (Required for discount; subject to verification) Newsletter

Website

Course Number

Postcard/Special Mailing Course Fee ASCPA Member

NonMember

Other

AICPA Discount *see note (where applicable)

Book Fee ($20 per course)

Subtotal

Total: *CPAs who are members of the ASCPA may register at the member rate. CPAs who are not a member of the ASCPA or other State Society may register at the Non-Member rate. Please include the appropriate discount(s) when registering for events. ÃCPAs who are members of the AICPA may deduct $30 from AICPA seminars ONLY (8 hrs classes). (These are identified in the CPE Schedule online or in the ASCPA newsletter). *Electronic course materials are included in the registration fee and will be emailed at least two weeks before the course date. You can choose to purchase a paper copy of the course materials for an additional fee of $20 per course.

I acknowledge that I will receive course materials electronically (included in course fee).

I would like to purchase my manual for $20 per class Check: I have enclosed a check payable to ASCPA in the amount of $ ___________ I authorize the ASCPA to charge $ __________ to my credit card.

Credit Card:  MC Card Number

Company Credit Card

 Visa

 Discover  AMEX Month Year Expiration Date

Personal Credit Card

________________________________________ Print Cardholder’s Name

________________________________________________ Cardholder’s Signature

Address of cardholder

City, State, Zip of cardholder

The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

3/11/13

17

EDUCATION Express

T

Women to Watch Award Nominations

he 2013 Women to Watch Awards for the Alabama Society of CPAs will be given at The Summit on May 9, 2013. Awards will be given in two categories, Established Leaders and Emerging Leaders, as defined below. It should be noted that evidence of every item listed is not required for consideration, but nominees should have made significant contributions in at least two of the criteria listed below. Submissions are due to the Alabama Society of CPAs no later than April 10, 2013.

Experienced Leaders Defined as one who has advanced to a higher level or leadership position within the organization. Titles include, but are not limited to, partner, owner, elected official or appointee, executive, etc.

• Authorship of articles • Major or unique contribution to the profession • Public and/or community service • Mentoring other professionals* • Improvement to the workplace *More heavily weighted than other criteria Emerging Leaders Defined as a professional who has made significant contributions to the profession and her community, but who has not yet reached the highest levels of advancement.

• Public and/or community service • Demonstration of leadership • Contribution to the profession • Creation and implementation of unique initiative(s) • Involvement with alma mater or other local colleges and universities Please provide supporting documentation as evidence of accomplishments. This may include letters of recommendation from supervisors, peers, students, community organizations, etc. Résumés are not required, but are strongly recommended.

Winners will be selected by the Women’s Task Force and recognized at The Summit on May 9 at the Wynfrey Hotel.

Questions?

For more information about the nomination process, membership status, requirements, or nomination categories, please contact Jennifer Oleksa with the Alabama Society of CPAs at (334) 834-7650 or joleksa@ascpa.org

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Jeannine Birmingham, President & CEO, with 2012 Women to Watch Winners.

Renee Hubbard (center) of Jackson Thornton & Co., P.C. was honored as the Experienced Leader and Amanda Paul (left) of Troy University was recognized as the Emerging Leader.

The Summit

May 9, 2013 The Wynfrey Hotel, Birmingham Registration Price for Members and Non-Members is $190 Early Bird Discount of $25 if registered by April 29th Qualifies for 6 Hours of Other Education Credit For more information or to register online, visit www.ascpa.org.

CONFERENCE AGENDA 8:30 – 9:00

Registration and Networking

9:00 – 12:00 Beyond Mars and Venus: Exploring the Key Differences Between Men and Women in the World of Business Ann Ranson, Consultant for PNC Bank The Real Truth About How Women Conduct Business Ann Ranson, Consultant for PNC Bank 12:00 – 1:15

Luncheon and Women to Watch Awards

1:30 – 2:30 The Power of Color Karen Hughes, StyleYOUversity 2:30 pm – 3:45

Developing Women Leaders Through Mentoring Maynard Cooper & Gale Panel

3:45 pm – 4:00

Wrap-up and Door Prizes The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

Marc Hamilton Continued from page 5

Gulf Shores Beach Cluster, June 24-27 Learn and play at the beach! This very popular beach event has been upgraded. This year, attendees will have more flexibility in topics by selecting from all 4-hour courses. Want to read on the beach in the morning and take a class in the afternoon? You can do that. Want to take a morning class while your family sleeps in before you head over to Lulu’s for dinner?

Make your own schedule.

New things for members: • Course topics include accounting & • Movie night at the beach for our group auditing, tax, industry, and technology • 15% rate reduction in prices for condos • Lunch provided each day for all class • Lower course fee for all registrants participants • Door prizes Visit www.ascpa.org/ for course topics and registration details.

Make your reservation today – (866) 229-7350

Stay and Play The Beach Club Resort 925 Beach Club Trail, Gulf Shores, AL 36542 Be sure to mention the Alabama Society of CPAs when making your arrangements for accommodations.

Group number 393356 Group rate cut-off May 24th

tion from CPAs in industry. To impact the Tuscaloosa Chapter from a B & I perspective he felt that he needed to join the leadership.

What else are you involved in?

“I am an avid Crimson Tide football fan and attend almost all the home games and about half of the away games each season. I have been to all three of the recent national championship games and can’t wait for the next one!

On a community level, I serve on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Tuscaloosa County and as chair of the JA Bowling Classic, the primary fund-raiser for the organization.”

Hamilton has two children still living at home, both of whom are students at the University of Alabama. His youngest daughter will begin law school in the fall. His older three children are all married and he and his wife of 25 years, Kathy, have three grandsons and two granddaughters.

Kathy works for UA, so at least some money is flowing in the other direction!

Next on the agenda?

“I am scheduled to sit for the certified treasury professional (CTP) exam and hope to obtain a position as a CFO at some point. I would like to teach some continuing education courses and begin to work with the AICPA and ASCPA on providing broader industry topics for members.”

PANGEATWO Charity Golf Continued from page 7 where she was a manager 2001-2007.

“I was intrigued by the notion of passing on to today’s accounting students information and some real world experience of the profession I loved so much. Teaching at Troy became a natural extension of my passion for being a CPA. I am now a member of the board of trustees of the Educational Foundation and I can see through my day-to-day contact with students the enormous impact the scholarships make in their lives.”

Please support, both individually and through your organization, the PANGEATWO Charity Golf Tournament under the direction of the Young CPAs. A day in the sun may mean a better life for folks at The Exceptional Foundation or a professional life in accounting. It’s a win-win.

Congratulations to PANGEATWO on their opening of a Mobile office on Azalea Road.

Jody Jones, CEO of the Birmingham-based recruiting and consulting firm, said the new office will allow involvement in Mobile community affairs as well as participation in its thriving business climate.

The Alabama CPA MAGAZINE

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Presorted Std US Postage PAID Permit No. 131 Montgomery, AL APRIL 2013

The Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants 1041 Longfield Court P.O. Box 242987 Montgomery, AL 36124

Address Service Requested

Classified Growth-oriented Montgomery CPA firm seeking a CPA with 3-5 years’ public accounting experience in auditing employee benefit plans to join our team. Opportunity to work in challenging and rewarding environment while maintaining healthy work/life balance. Competitive salary and benefits package. Send resume to P.O. Box 1590, Montgomery, AL 36101.

Montgomery area technology-oriented sole practitioner with fast-growing accounting and tax firm is seeking alliance or merger

with CPA of similar situation. Also seeking CPA or CPA candidate with tax and accounting experience for full or part-time employment. Contact Sajjan Rajendra, CPA, sajjancpa@knology.net or 334.294.6967 for more information.

Jackson Thornton is seeking an experienced auditor with banking expertise (Senior Associate or Supervisor level; classification based on experience). This individual will primarily work on financial institution audits but may work on other engagements as well.

The primary office location will be in Prattville, Alabama; however, travel is required, as clients are located throughout Alabama.

Tr u s t e d B u s i n e s s Advisor Wo r k s h o p June 18 / Montgomery Visit our Online Course Catalog for More Details

We’re all in this together.

2013/14 dues notices go out via email in mid-April.

Join us for another year of great education programs, advocacy, networking opportunities, and professional development.

Pay online or mail your payment.

www.ascpa.org Is your cell phone number in the ASCPA database? We will begin sending text alerts from the Alabama Society soon.

Requirements include: CPA with public accounting experience serving financial institution clients, including in-charge experience on bank audits; commitment to outstanding client service; strong collaboration skills working with a team; excellent verbal and written communication skills; and strong computer skills with proficiency with paperless systems. Qualified candidates should submit a resume to HumanResources@ JacksonThornton.com.

Expanding Montgomery CPA firm looking for a senior accountant with 4-6 years of experience for bookkeeping, business consulting, audits, and tax work. CPA or public accounting experience required. Competitive pay and benefits within a flexible environment. Submit letter of interest and resume to Hillary Rosser, hrosser@wmpcpa.com.

Wealth Management Partners of Montgomery is seeking a SME/auditor for governmental projects.

The position requires: • 4+ years of audit, accounting or financial management advisory services experience, preferably in support of Department of Defense or federal agencies.

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or other technical field from an accredited college, with a minimum of 24 hours of accounting.

• Knowledge of Federal Information Systems Controls Audit Manual (FISCAM) and expertise with DFAS 7900.4-M, Financial Systems Requirement Manual (Blue Book) requirements.

• The ability to pass and maintain a security clearance.

CPA or CISA certification or CPA/CISA candidate is desired. Qualified applicants should forward a letter of interest and resume to Hillary Rosser, Human Resources, at hrosser@ wmpcpa.com.