Reframing AI and the Evolution of the CPA's Role Page 18
Bondi Family Business Scholarship Helps Accounting Students Finance Their Futures Page 27
4 At the Board Table: Spotlight on the 2025-25 Leadership Nominees
Meet the members who are nominated to serve, effective May 1, on the 2025-26 COCPA Board of Directors and the Educational Foundation Board of Trustees.
10 Stone Walls and Workarounds: How Julie Affleck Forged Her Career Path as a Woman CPA
Whether in the classroom or the office, there was a time when Julie Affleck was the only woman in a room full of men who didn't want her there. She shares what that was like and how she kept going, ultimately enjoying a lifelong career in the accounting profession.
18 Reframing AI and the Evolution of the CPA’s Role
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to impact the accounting profession, experts reflect on lessons learned from past technical advancements in the field, and offer insights on reshaping current practices to integrate AI into firms’ operations.
22 Uniting the Profession to Strengthen the CPA Talent Pipeline: Part Three
In the last of a three-part series highlighting efforts by the COCPA and its members to strengthen the accounting profession’s talent pipeline, Society members share how their experiences have shaped them and what they’re doing to make a positive, lasting impact.
27 Bondi Family Business Scholarship Helps Accounting Students Finance Their Futures
COCPA Life Member Bert Bondi gives back to both the accounting profession and his alma mater through the Bondi Family Business Scholarship, an endowment that helps students from Colorado and Wyoming pay for their accounting degrees at the University of Notre Dame.
NEWSACCOUNT
A publication of the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants
Vol. 70, No. 4 Spring 2025
Officers
Tobias "Toby" Clary, Chair Alexandra Tune, Vice Chair Jim Gilbert, Treasurer Diego Baca, Immediate Past Chair Alicia Gelinas, Secretary
Directors
Erin Breit, Kevin Gibson, Amy King, Lisa Kutcher, Patrick Lytle, Greg Pfahl, Tiffany Davis
Editorial Board
Isaac Adamu, Jack Allgood, Paul Elggren, Ken Fichter, Laura Theiss, Steve Van Meter, Michael West, Charlie Wright
Kelli Davis, Editor Sarah Knight, Blue Ocean Ideas, Design
NewsAccount (ISSN #10899952) is published quarterly by the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants, 720 S. Colorado Blvd., Suite 500N, Glendale, CO 80246. NewsAccount is published in Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall and reports information, news, and trends in the accounting profession. The Colorado Society of CPAs assumes no liability for readers’ business decisions in reference to advertisements or other information included in this publication. Links to external websites are provided for convenience and are not under the control of the COCPA. The inclusion of such links does not constitute an endorsement of the content or the views expressed therein.
Membership dues include a $5.00 one-year subscription to NewsAccount 303-773-2877 • 800-523-9082 Fax: 303-773-6344
CHAIR COLUMN
TGuess What? You’re the Expert!
BY TOBY CLARY, CPA, CHAIR
here’s nothing like turning on the local news in the middle of tax season and hearing that the Colorado Department of Revenue (CDOR) isn’t processing tax returns. While the situation was ultimately resolved, it left a lot of COCPA tax practitioners frustrated during an already frustrating year.
With 26 changes to the Colorado tax code, including 14 new tax credits requiring implementation in the wake of legislative changes, CDOR already had its work cut out for it. Like many of us, CDOR is understaffed, but the delay in return processing left a lot of COCPA members in a holding pattern, unable to file clients’ tax returns.
It wasn’t the tax season start that we’d hoped for, but thankfully, the Society has a strong working relationship with CDOR, and we value the work they do. Because of this strong relationship, we can keep our members more informed and have more dialogue about strategic issues with key individuals at CDOR. Yet, we recognize there is still more that can be done.
But this isn’t a column about frustrations with the CDOR. Rather, it’s about the importance of minimizing these situations
in the future. How? By sharing our expertise as CPAs and using our knowledge to ensure that our professional voices are heard by our legislators and the regulatory agencies they oversee.
AN ONGOING EFFORT
During my year as COCPA Chair, I’ve focused heavily on enhancing the COCPA’s advocacy efforts by sharing our collective expertise. The situation at CDOR, along with the many other legislative changes, demonstrates that we cannot wait until a situation gets out of hand before we begin trying to affect change.
Waiting means exposing our clients and our organizations to risk. We must be proactive, and it can start quite simply with us as individual CPAs, in our communities, where we have the most influence and impact.
The COCPA’s advocacy efforts rely on the active participation of its members. A common question we hear is, “What is the COCPA doing about XYZ issue?” The answer is, we are the COCPA. As a membership-driven organization, our collective involvement is essential. While COCPA
COCPA Chair Toby Clary, far left, joins his COCPA colleagues at the second-annual PAC the House event in January. Members gathered
staff track profession-wide issues and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, individual members must stay engaged, raise concerns early, participate in local stakeholder feedback opportunities, and advocate for issues that impact their practices and clients.
Membership dues support our ability to fund lobbyists and staff who work year round to represent our interests. With an increasing demand in the breadth and volume of issues impacting our profession, now more than ever, your engagement and commitment to the COCPA are essential.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS
Becoming more engaged in the legislative process is simpler than you’d think. Our legislators will be busy in Denver through the end of the legislative session in May, but they’re always receptive to listening to their constituents as soon as the session ends.
You may feel reluctant to reach out to them because you don’t feel like an “expert” in the legislative process, but here is the most important thing to note: As a CPA, you have greater expertise in most areas of business than the average legislator.
Please note that this isn’t a criticism of our legislators, but rather an acknowledgment that our legislators come from all different backgrounds. They need and welcome the perspective that a trusted business advisor can offer. That’s you!
There is a dire need for our profession to continue to advocate so that the voices of our clients, our companies, and our communities are heard and understood. So, have confidence in your expertise!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE LOCALLY
The AICPA is leading the charge on the big-picture issues affecting the profession, and your COCPA leadership is right alongside them, monitoring, contributing to, and supporting those efforts.
As individual CPAs, let’s commit to doing what we can in our respective areas of the state. The good news is that you don’t need to drive to Denver to make an impact. Your efforts can be as simple as grabbing a cup of coffee with a local legislator, sending an email, or picking up the phone to educate him or her on business issues that matter in your community.
If you develop a relationship with a legislator or key official, let the COCPA advocacy team know. We can mark your membership profile as a “key contact,” allowing us to leverage your connection for direct outreach and strengthen our collective efforts.
In addition, please continue to support the COCPA’s efforts to build productive legislative relationships and promote a collaborative advocacy landscape by donating to the CPA-Political Action Committee. Your contributions are crucial for equipping and mobilizing our future advocacy efforts on behalf of the profession.
Your expertise – regardless of where you are in your career – is valuable. Your voice matters. Make it heard!
Toby Clary is a shareholder with Soukup, Bush & Associates, CPAs, P.C., in Fort Collins. Reach him at toby@soukupbush.com
At the Board Table : Spotlight on the 2025-26 COCPA Leadership Slate
BY NATALIE ROONEY
Congratulations to Alexandria "Alex" Romero, CPA, MPAcc, Galasso Learning Solutions, Pueblo, who has been nominated to serve as 2025-26
COCPA Vice Chair/Chair-elect. Director-at-Large nominees are Paul Elggren, CPA, Crowe LLP, Denver; Tiffany Knight, CPA, Kundinger, Corder, & Montoya, P.C, Denver; and community member Dana Lambert, Ph.D., LPC, LPT, Colorado State University, Pueblo.
Continuing their service are Chair Alexandra “Alexie” Tune, CPA, MAcc, Deloitte LLP, Denver; Treasurer Jim Gilbert, CPA, CITP, CGMA, Jim Gilbert, CPA, Highlands Ranch; Immediate Past Chair Tobias “Toby” Clary, CPA, Soukup, Bush & Associates, P.C., Fort Collins; Secretary Alicia Gelinas, CPA, COCPA, Glendale; and Directors at Large Patrick A. Lytle, CPA, CGMA, SM Energy LLC, Denver; Kevin Gibson, CPA, Tax Advisory & Consulting, LLC, Glenwood Springs; and Lisa Kutcher, CPA, Ph.D., Colorado State University, Fort Collins. Serving as ex-officio Emerging Professionals Initiative Committee (EPIC) representative is Hannah Thaw, CPA, City and County of Denver Auditor’s Office.
The chair, vice chair, and immediate past chair serve for one year, while the treasurer and directors at large serve for two years.
Nominees to serve a three-year term on the Educational Foundation Board of Trustees are Sarah Flischel, CPA, AAFCPAs, Denver; Paula Mann, CPA, MT, Western Colorado University, Gunnison; and Justin Schmitz, CPA, EY LLP, Denver.
Continuing their service on the Educational Foundation Board of Trustees are Laurie J. Corradino, CPA, Ph.D., Colorado State University, Pueblo; Jeffrey Damm, CPA, SM Energy LLC, Denver; Stephanie E. Daniels, CPA, MAcc, HCA HealthONE Presbyterian St. Luke’s, Denver; Todd Mihelich, CPA, CGMA, McPherson, Goodrich, Paolucci & Mihelich, PC, Pueblo; Karla Willschau, CPA, retired, Alamosa; Blaise Wabo, CPA, CITP, CISA, CCP (CMMC), CCSK, CCSFP, A-LIGN, Denver; and ex-officio Alicia Gelinas, CPA, COCPA, Glendale.
We asked the recently nominated Board officers, directors, and Educational Foundation trustees to share their insights on top issues facing the profession and the COCPA, what they bring to the organization as leaders, and something about themselves personally. Here’s a look at what they shared.
"Ethics and public trust remain central, reinforcing the CPA’s role in transparency and accountability. By embracing innovation and continuous learning, CPAs can thrive in this ever-changing environment.”
Governmental and Leadership Training Facilitator, Galasso Learning Solutions, Pueblo
Alex Romero, CPA, MPAcc, brings a deep commitment to the accounting profession and a desire to make a meaningful impact as she steps into her new role.
Drawing on her background in government finance, combined with her experience as a CFO and director of finance and her work as a trainer and facilitator, she has interacted with CPAs across the country, hearing first hand about their experiences.
“My background in government finance has prepared me to work with elected officials and engage in advocacy efforts, giving me a broader perspective on policy and its impact on the profession,” she says.
Alex notes that the accounting profession is evolving rapidly, requiring CPAs to adapt while upholding their ethics and standards.
“Ethics and public trust remain central, reinforcing the CPA’s role in transparency and accountability. By embracing innovation
and continuous learning, CPAs can thrive in this ever-changing environment.”
Alex earned her Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in accounting at Colorado State University, and her master’s in professional accounting from Colorado State University Global. She is a 2019 American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) Leadership Academy graduate.
Over the years, Alex has worked in public accounting as a senior auditor and tax accountant prior to joining the Pueblo CityCounty Library District as CFO. Alex was later appointed director of finance for the City of Pueblo. Most recently, she joined the Galasso Learning Solutions team as a governmental and leadership training facilitator.
Alex has been recognized with several awards, including the 2022 AICPA Outstanding Young CPA Award; inclusion on the 2021, 2022, and 2023 CPA Practice Advisor
COCPA Board of Directors Nominee
Paul Elggren, CPA
Managing
Director, Crowe LLP, Denver
As a former audit regulator for the PCAOB, Paul Elggren, CPA, brings a new perspective to the COCPA Board of Directors, including what he describes as “a balanced, reasonable approach to regulation. Too much oversight can lead us to spend time on the wrong things.”
Paul is currently a managing director in Crowe’s Consulting practice with more than 15 years of experience providing audit, accounting, and risk management services.
As he looks to the future of the profession, Paul observes that CPAs will need to have a
broad set of skills to remain competitive, but the most valuable skill will be the ability to adapt to changes in technology.
“With the continued investment by many companies and individuals into AI, machine learning, and other emerging technologies, I expect that these, emerging technologies, and others not yet conceived, will become commonplace in the profession, requiring CPAs to learn how to adopt them or be left behind,” he says.
Paul relocated to Colorado 10 years ago with EY, and has been a COCPA member ever
40 Under 40 Accounting Professionals list; and the 2021 COCPA Women to Watch Emerging Leader Award.
She has served in various COCPA leadership roles, including on its Board of Directors, as vice president of the COCPA Educational Foundation Board of Trustees, and as chair of the COCPA Young Professionals Council. Her work with the AICPA has included terms as chair of the Emerging Professionals Initiatives Committee, at-large Council member, member of the Government Performance Accountability Committee, and board trustee of the Benevolent Fund.
“I value integrity, collaboration, and thoughtful problem-solving, and I strive to bring a well-rounded and informed perspective to the board table,” Alex says.
When she’s not working, Alex enjoys traveling, spending time with her highschool-sweetheart husband, Patrick, and their 12-year-old son, Julius, and cake decorating. She recently had the opportunity to combine her love of Disney and running at the 48.6-mile Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World.
since, serving as a member of the Editorial Board for the past three years.
In his free time, Paul loves spending time with his wife and their four adopted children. “We are at a busy stage of life, shuttling kids to and from gymnastics, basketball, baseball, running clubs, school, etc.,” he says. “You name it, we’ve probably done it!”
He also spends time each week with a group of 20 high schoolers from his church, teaching an early morning seminary class. And Paul doesn’t just coach his kids’ sports teams; he’s out there as an athlete himself. “I love to play basketball two to three times a week at the Carbon Valley Rec Center with a great group of guys who challenge me and keep my skills sharp,” he says.
COCPA LEADERSHIP
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
COCPA Board of Directors Nominee
Tiffany Knight, CPA Director and Shareholder, Kundinger, Corder, & Montoya, P.C., Denver
As a non-traditional accounting student who raised a family while completing her education online, Tiffany Knight, CPA, says she’s familiar with the challenges of trying to become a CPA when you follow a different path. Those challenges confirm just how valuable her CPA license is and how much opportunity it has brought to her life.
Now with nearly two decades of experience, Tiffany has observed a lot of changes in the profession, and she’s looking forward to sharing her insights on the COCPA Board. “I’m very open-minded and I like to consider things from every perspective,” she says. “I embrace our different experiences and opinions, and am passionate about personal growth and change.”
Today, Tiffany is a director and shareholder at Kundinger, Corder & Montoya, P.C., joining the firm in January 2006 after receiving her Bachelor of Science in accounting from Metropolitan State University of Denver.
As the world moves swiftly toward the use of AI, Tiffany emphasizes how important it will be for CPAs to retain their critical thinking skills and ethical judgment.
“A high value will also be placed on the ability to think strategically and provide insights into efficiency and forward thinking,” she says. “As we continue to operate in a remote environment, communication and developing strong relationships with clients and peers will be critical.”
Tiffany is heavily involved at the COCPA and currently serves on the Member Connections Committee and the Nonprofit Working Group. She previously served as a vice president and trustee of the COCPA Educational Foundation Board of Trustees, and chaired the COCPA Audit Committee. She is a graduate of the Society’s LeadFit program and previously served on Earthlinks, Inc.’s board of directors and finance committee.
Tiffany is a Colorado native and loves calling Colorado home. Outside of her professional and volunteer pursuits, she enjoys attending Denver Broncos games and concerts, traveling, hiking, swimming, and being outdoors.
COCPA Board of Directors Community Member Nominee
Dana Lambert, Ph.D., LPC, LPT
Chief Executive Officer, EDUCATE Microschool Management Organization; Director of Digital Equity, Colorado State University, Pueblo
K-16 educator Dana Lambert, Ph.D., LPC, LPT, was raised in Pueblo County, where some of her fondest memories involve spending time on her grandparents’ farm and ranch, cementing the values of collaboration, innovation, and integrity. As a first-generation college student, Dana earned her professional teaching license, counseling license, and doctorate in leadership and human relations through hard work and dedication.
“My background helps me bridge the gap between learning and professional practice, ensuring that future CPAs are not only technically proficient but also adaptable and ethical leaders,” Dana explains. “Bringing this mindset to a CPA board means helping prepare the next generation of accountants to face the challenges of a constantly evolving profession.”
Dana’s experiences have shaped her belief in the importance of building strong, trusting relationships. As director of CSU Pueblo Digital Equity and CEO of EDUCATE Microschool Managing Organization, a member of the University of Colorado Springs Women’s Leadership
Advisory Committee, and a recent nominee for the Pueblo Library Foundation’s Outstanding Woman Award, Dana focuses on using business to create positive change.
She is proud to lead efforts that have helped thousands of students and disrupted the cycle of high school dropouts, providing lifechanging opportunities that impact families and communities. Dana believes that adaptability and a commitment to lifelong learning are essential in any profession. “CPAs need more than just technical skills to succeed in today’s rapidly changing landscape,” she says. She emphasizes key skills for CPAs in a digital, automated environment: technology proficiency, critical thinking and problem-solving, ethical decision making, communication and interpersonal skills, adaptability, continuous learning, and industry-specific knowledge.
At the heart of everything, Dana’s greatest pride comes from her family. She is married to her high school sweetheart, with whom she has three wonderful children and a large, close-knit extended family.
Educational Foundation Trustee Nominee
Sarah Flischel, CPA
Audit Director, Transformation and Training, AAFCPAs, Denver
Sarah Flischel, CPA, describes connecting people and ideas through knowledge sharing as one of her passions. “I aspire to impact the accounting profession by supporting the growth and development of those within the profession while also enabling organizations to operate with flow and ease,” she says.
Sarah began her career as an auditor, and today has what she describes as a dream job: leading the revolution of CPA and consulting firm AAFCPAs’ audit department by reshaping the way the firm performs audits. “As part of this process, I am responsible for implementing a cloud-based audit solution that adapts the audit procedures based on the risk assessment process, resulting in a high-quality, lean audit.”
Educational Foundation Trustee Nominee
Paula Mann, CPA, MT
As she looks ahead, she sees many skillsets as critical for current and future CPAs: adaptability, technology proficiency, leadership and team management, critical thinking and problem solving, communication and collaboration, continuous learning, and ethical judgment and integrity. She describes the latter as foundational to the profession and essential for maintaining trust and credibility.
Sarah has served on multiple COCPA committees since joining the Society 16 years ago. She is currently a member of both the Emerging Professionals Initiative Committee (EPIC) and the Technology Users Group, and previously served on the Nonprofit Working Group and the Accounting Educators’ Committee. Over the years, she has spoken at both the Nonprofit and Young Professionals conferences and will be presenting at this November’s PEAK – the Colorado Accounting and Finance Summit .
In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband and two young daughters, skiing, traveling, reading, crafting, and cheering for the Denver Broncos and the University of Central Florida Knights.
Founder and CFO, Overlook Financial; Associate Dean, School of Business and Assistant Professor of Accounting, Western Colorado University, Gunnison
Paula Mann, CPA, MT, is bringing experience from two different sides of the profession to the COCPA Educational Foundation Board of Trustees. Not only has she had an extensive career in public accounting, but she also serves as an assistant professor of accounting and the associate dean at Western Colorado University, where she instructs undergraduate and graduate courses, mentors students, and actively contributes to ethics education.
Paula’s career spans leadership roles in family offices, investment firms, and corporate finance, bringing a wealth of experience in financial strategy, governance, and operational management. Her commitment to community service is evident in her leadership positions, including serving as a past chair of the Colorado State Board of Accountancy and working with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy.
Paula holds a Master of Taxation from the University of Denver and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
As an educator, Paula says she sees firsthand how the accounting profession is evolving and how the next generation of CPAs must be prepared to adapt. “Understanding data analytics, AI, and automation tools is no longer optional. My students are already engaging with
Paula’s career spans leadership roles in family offices, investment firms, and corporate finance, bringing a wealth of experience in financial strategy, governance, and operational management.
these technologies, and it’s clear that future CPAs will need to embrace them to stay competitive.”
Paula emphasizes to her students that their ability to learn and evolve will define their long-term success. She adds that cybersecurity and risk management are also becoming more relevant, requiring CPAs to understand and mitigate these risks.
Outside of work, you’ll find Paula cheering on Western Colorado University athletics — whether it’s football, basketball, wrestling, or any other sport. When she’s not at a game, Paula enjoys getting out on the golf course and taking in the fresh air.
Educational Foundation Trustee Nominee
Justin
Schmitz, CPA Assurance Senior Manager, EY, Denver
As an assurance senior manager with EY, Justin Schmitz takes a practical approach to identifying solutions to highly complex, difficult situations. Now, he’ll be sharing those skills as a trustee of the Educational Foundation of the COCPA.
“I pride myself on being very detail oriented, as well as being able to communicate information tactfully and professionally,” he says.
Justin earned both a Bachelor of Science in business administration with an accounting concentration and a Master of Accountancy from Colorado State University before joining EY.
He considers three categories of skillsets to be of critical importance to today’s CPAs: adaptability and continuous learning, critical thinking, and communicating effectively – both in writing and verbally –which he says is vital in order for CPAs to convey complex financial information to different stakeholders.
Serving on the Educational Foundation will be Justin’s first role with the COCPA.
Justin is heavily involved in EY’s recruiting efforts and spends considerable time on college and university campuses talking with students.
Within the community, he volunteers with Denver Parks and Recreation, Junior Achievement, and the United Way.
When he’s not working, Justin loves getting out on the golf course and spending time with friends and family.
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Stone Walls and Workarounds: How Julie Affleck Forged Her Career Path as a Woman CPA
BY NATALIE ROONEY
TAffleck’s 1973 CPA certificate states that “he” is duly qualified and therefore authorized to practice.
here was a time when Julie Affleck, CPA, was the only woman in a room full of men who didn't want her there. However, it never occurred to her that she couldn't - or shouldn't - do or become anything that she wanted.
From high school all the way through college, and even when she earned her master's degree, she was always at the top of her class, and she ultimately persevered to enjoy a lifelong career in the accounting profession.
Affleck graduated from Boulder County High School in June 1962 and earned a four-year scholarship to CU Boulder. Originally, she planned to major in psychology and foreign languages, and she set off in that direction, but when she married after her second year, her educational route needed to change course. “My new husband wasn’t yet established in his own education,” she explains. “I needed to earn a higher salary to support us.”
A career counselor said a business major would likely provide more options and a higher income. It never occurred to Affleck that she was entering a man’s world just by changing majors. “I
knew I could excel at anything,” she reflects. “If that was what it took to make a living, I could do it.”
Even back then, Affleck was no stranger to the business world. Her mother worked as a bookkeeper, and Affleck herself had worked part time assembling tax returns for a CPA.
So, off she went to CU’s business school, assuming she would major in sales and marketing, but after a year, she could see that accounting offered a better salary. Her advisor agreed that accounting would be the more lucrative career path. Also contributing to the decision, a job in marketing would require a lot of travel, “and travel wasn’t going to work for me as a newlywed,” Affleck says.
Even though there were very few women in the school of business overall, and just one woman majoring in accounting, Affleck made the switch. Her presence did not go unnoticed. An audit professor recommended out loud and in front of the entire class that Affleck should change her major because there “weren’t any auditing jobs for females.” She didn’t quite know how to respond to that comment, but she was undeterred and continued on her path.
At the annual Beta Alpha Psi initiation banquet, another professor commented, “I see several women here tonight. The club must have lowered its standards.”
Affleck says the professor didn’t seem to be joking. These weren’t the last times that Affleck would encounter such attitudes, and she wasn’t put off by them anyway. “I wasn’t scared,” she says. “I had a good brain, and I had the right to major in accounting.”
Over the course of her college years, Affleck typically sat at the back of the class, alone. She wasn’t close to any of the other students, especially in the early stages of her education. Eventually, she became friends with some of her male classmates. “Sometimes I went to lunch or talked with them. There were no bad feelings between us,” she says.
HELP WANTED … UNLESS YOU’RE FEMALE
What became a challenge was the quest for a job after graduation. Today, it’s illegal to ask candidates personal questions such as: Are you married? Do you plan to have children? But those questions were routinely asked when Affleck went to an interview.
“I was disappointed when I didn’t receive any offers,” she reflects. “It took me a long time to realize my problem. They were worried I would get pregnant and quit.”
Some recruiters even told her outright: “No one wants a woman.” Another potential employer said as she entered the interview room: “I’m sure none of my clients would want a dizzy dame going through their books.”
Affleck finally made inroads with IBM but found herself dodging the pregnancy question yet again. This time, she decided to try a new strategy, and when asked if she planned to have children, she answered with a sad, downcast look that
she couldn’t have children. “I decided it wasn’t a lie because I wasn’t currently planning a family,” she says.
Affleck received offers from both divisions of the company, and she began her accounting career at the Boulder IBM plant. She worked hard at IBM, including putting in a lot of overtime, but she enjoyed her work. She had opportunities to further her education through in-house self-study computer classes. She also went back to school and began pursuing her master’s degree.
Affleck continually had to find ways to dodge the strange requirement that all female employees had to leave the building by 4:59 pm – unless they were in the presence of another female employee or two male employees. “I had to work around that,” she laughs. Her efforts to buck the system included hiding under her desk when the janitor made his nightly cleaning rounds.
During her first job appraisal, her manager said, “Great job. You should know that I was reluctant to hire you, but I want you to know that now I will never hesitate to hire another woman!”
“I guess I’m responsible for the future work performance of my entire gender,” Affleck says wryly.
Eventually, a new manager came into the department who was unwilling to accept Affleck as anything more than a bothersome female. After five years of hard work, she quit and went back to school full time to complete her master’s degree at the University of Denver.
CAREER GOALS
As Affleck’s career progressed, even the Colorado State Board of Accountancy seemingly couldn’t conceive of a female CPA. When she passed the CPA Exam, the state issued a large CPA certificate, which stated: “he is duly qualified … to practice within the State of Colorado as a Certified Public Accountant.”
Her employees and clients got a kick out of that framed certificate hanging on the wall of her office.
She bought the strongest girdle she could find and kept her pregnancy a secret until it couldn’t be hidden any longer. She didn’t want to be the reason E&E didn’t hire more women.
Julie
celebrates with her husband and parents as she graduates with her master’s degree from the University of Denver.
TRAILBLAZERS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
Ultimately, Affleck knew that she really wanted to become an auditor. “I figured if they didn’t want women, it must be a great job,” she says.
Campus interviews proved to be unproductive yet again, so Affleck adopted a new approach. She acquired a phone directory, looked up the addresses of the major CPA firms in Denver, donned her best professional attire, and began making cold calls. “I just walked into each firm and asked to speak to the managing partner about employment,” she recounts.
The fourth firm, Ernst & Ernst (E&E), had only one female professional who was working in the tax department. Affleck remained undeterred and continued seeking an audit position. She found a sympathetic ally in the E&E receptionist, who set Affleck up to speak with several members of the audit team. That group went on to refer her to the partner in charge who in turn offered Affleck a job – in audit – that same day.
In her new role, Affleck says she might as well have been an exhibit at the zoo. E&E clients had never met a female auditor, and some commented, “Oh I see you brought your secretary along this time.”
The firm was also reluctant to send her to out-of-town audits. “They felt that the auditors’ wives would not want their husbands spending the night out of town with a woman auditor along,” Affleck says. “Eventually it happened though, because of timing and staffing issues, but it was never a problem.”
Despite the ongoing challenges, Affleck loved her job. “Our clients took us out and entertained us. It was a great time,” she recalls. “I enjoyed the work. All of this is just how life was.”
CHARTING A NEW COURSE
In 1976, 12 years into their marriage, Affleck and her husband started their family. She bought the strongest girdle she could find and kept her pregnancy a secret until it couldn’t be hidden any longer. She didn’t want to be the reason E&E didn’t hire more women.
Affleck worked right up until the birth of each of her two children, missing just eight weeks after the first and seven weeks after the second. “There was no maternity leave or pay available back then,” she says. “I tried to time their births to happen in May and June so as not to interfere with the tax or audit schedules.”
Even though she was still working in audit, Affleck volunteered to work overtime in tax, and soon, she was reviewing returns. “That’s how I learned tax,” she explains.
Affleck also found out that her salary was much lower than her male counterparts, but she loved the work and didn’t want to be a complainer. However, after she had demonstrated her dedication through nearly seven years of hard work, E&E promoted the only other person still around who had started the same year. “It was a painful situation,” she recounts. “I was ready to get away.”
Affleck handed in her notice and in June 1977 went to work for an all-female CPA firm, working in both tax and audit for the next year. However, she could see the writing on the wall: she wasn’t destined to become a partner at that firm.
In 1980, Affleck and a colleague made a big leap and started their own firm. “It’s what I wanted to do all along,” she says. Eventually, her original partner decided to become a stay-athome mom and do tax returns from home, and from that point on, Affleck operated her own firm with various partners – both male and female – offering both tax and auditing services to a wide variety of clients.
Over the years, Affleck has been actively involved in multiple organizations, but especially those that connected her with other professional women, serving as president of the Denver chapter of the American Society of Women Accountants and the Denver chapter of the American Society of Women Business Owners.
ALWAYS LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
Sadly, Affleck’s husband passed away just before their 40th anniversary, but she met a new life partner when she signed up for dance lessons and began attending dance nights at the studio. “He had been called in because they needed more dance partners,” she laughs. “I was trying to find someone who liked to dance, and I found him right away.”
In November 2023, after a 56-year history of providing clients with her CPA services, Affleck closed down her firm. “It was the right time,” she says.
Affleck says she’s not bitter and she doesn’t hold a grudge, even after all of the challenges and comments she faced over the years. “I just dealt with it. I always look at the bright side. I look for the good things instead of focusing on what’s wrong. That’s the way it is. I’m a happy person.”
What makes her especially happy are her “two genius grandkids” who attend her beloved alma mater, CU Boulder.
As she reflects on her career, Affleck says she doesn’t feel like she did anything astounding. “I was glad I could survive and help support my family,” she says. “I think I did alright!”
Julie and her husband celebrate Christmas in 1974.
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Three Things: The Pursuit of Career Success
BY TOM HALL,
Thousands of books have been written about success: what it is and how to achieve it. I’ve read many of them, and some have been very helpful in my pursuit of success. While everyone might measure success differently, for me, it’s some combination of achieving reasonable financial security, career fulfillment, strong personal relationships, and leaving the world a better place than you found it.
Here, let’s focus on career success. In my 30+ years of industry experience and now teaching at the University of Denver, I’ve hired many people, fired a few, and had a front row seat to see what works and what doesn’t, both for me and for others.
Based on this experience, I believe there are three key ingredients to achieving career success, regardless of your chosen field. Let’s explore each below.
YOU MUST BE SMART ENOUGH. Rarely must you be the smartest person in the room; you just need to be smart enough. Every industry or company has its own minimum standards of knowledge to gain entry and function well. For most of us, this is not a problem. If you have a strong base knowledge (perhaps a degree or prior experience) and if you are willing to learn new information and skills, this requirement is perhaps the easiest of the three.
YOU MUST WORK HARD. Regardless of how smart you think you are, you must couple those smarts with honest,
hard work – not just occasionally but consistently and always. I have never seen a lazy person, genius or otherwise, succeed.
You may have heard of the 10,000-hour rule – the principle that it takes approximately 10,000 hours to master anything, from playing the piano to quantum physics. That’s the equivalent of eight hours a day, five days a week, for roughly five years. Although not a scientific fact, the rule’s truth has been demonstrated over and over.
And to be clear, racking up hours is not what matters. Mindlessly playing the piano until your mother finally says you’re done will not cut it. It requires what the experts call “deliberate practice” – practice that focuses on your weakest points and strives to overcome them. This kind of practice is not comfortable. On the contrary, it’s exhausting, but if you truly want to improve, that’s what’s necessary.
A quote I like captures this idea: “Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you never get it wrong.”
You must also be smart enough to recognize when you aren’t smart enough in a particular area and act accordingly. When you don’t know something, don’t wait for someone to teach you; rather, figure it out for yourself. Do the research, study, and practice, even if on your own time.
Don’t settle for mediocrity; settle only for excellence. Hard work and mastery of your craft will open a lot of doors in your quest for success.
YOU MUST DEVELOP GOOD SOFT SKILLS.
No matter how good your technical skills and how strong your work ethic, they will only take you so far. Alongside those important factors, you must develop strong “soft skills.” Soft skills, sometimes called “people skills” or “communication skills,” are the intangible assets you possess that set you apart from your peers.
Some of these include:
• Getting along with difficult people
• Receiving feedback graciously
• Possessing a good sense of humor and a friendly smile
• Not being easily offended
• Being a good communicator
• Developing confident public-speaking skills
• Staying calm in a crisis
• Having a firm handshake
CPA, CFA
• Looking people in the eyes when speaking to them
• Giving others the benefit of the doubt
• Not interrupting others
• Being a good listener
• Maintaining a positive attitude, especially when things get hard
My own life is an excellent example of the importance of developing strong soft skills. I am rarely the smartest person in the room, but I’m smart enough, and I consistently work very hard to achieve results. However, some of my greatest strengths are various soft skills. Soft skills have been the true secret of my success.
Based on my experience of 30+ years at firms like Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, PIMCO, and now DU, I’m convinced that developing good soft skills is even more important than my other two requirements for success. I’ve
seen people’s careers made, plateaued, and even broken based on their strength or lack of soft skills, and sometimes an extreme deficiency of just one of them has caused careers to stall or crash.
Achieving success is not easy, but it is simple. To me, it comes from trying to be our best selves every day. It comes from consistently working hard to improve our technical knowledge and our ability to work effectively with others.
We all want to succeed, but success comes at a steep price. The only question is, “Are you willing to pay it?”
With substantial experience in both public accounting and industry, Tom Hall, CPA, CFA, is an Associate Professor of the Practice with the University of Denver School of Accountancy, and a regular contributor to NewsAccount. Reach him at tom.hall@du.edu.
The COCPA Emerging Professionals Initiative Committee (EPIC) unites students and emerging professionals through events, resources, and programs to support your professional growth. For more information, visit COCPA's EPIC homepage .
Reframing AI and the Evolution of the CPA’s Role
BY SARAH FLISCHEL, CPA, ANDREW JORDAN, CPA, AND DR. CHARLES W. (BILL) WOOTTON
Artificial intelligence (AI) has garnered significant attention in the accounting profession in recent years. To better understand its potential impact, it is useful to reflect on lessons from past technical advancements in the field. With this foundation, we can shift our focus to how AI can reshape current practices and the practical steps that firms can take to integrate it into their operations while managing associated risks.
LESSONS FROM INNOVATION
As the saying goes, “there’s nothing new under the sun,” especially when it comes to technology that is predicted to disrupt accounting jobs. History offers several examples that illustrate this point. Consider the following.
Double-entry accounting was first described by Luca Pacioli in 1494. From that time until the 1900s, there weren’t a lot of major changes in technology used by the profession. Better paper and pen were still, at the end of the day, just paper and pen. The first technology that had a major impact on accounting was the invention of the 10-key in 1914. Before this time, specialists who could add numbers quickly and accurately, called human calculators, were used to calculate sums quickly, and some of those jobs were likely eliminated by this new technology. For most accountants, 10-keys drastically improved their speed and accuracy.
The invention of the 10-key also saw the increase of women in the profession. Before 10-keys, almost all accountants were men, but using 10-keys was viewed as a mechanical process like sewing and, thus, considered appropriate for women. While
women entered the profession as second-class citizens, making half or less what their male counterparts made and limited in the aspects of accounting that they were allowed to perform, technology opened the door for women in the profession.
When QuickBooks was launched in 1992, there was a concern that accountants would lose their jobs since the software could maintain business’ books. As we learned first hand since that time, accounting software still requires that accountants use it properly. That said, QuickBooks did eliminate certain parts of our work by automatically posting transactions to subsidiary and general ledgers, automatically adding numbers, and speeding up other aspects of bookkeeping.
Penmanship, which was crucial for hundreds of years with handwritten ledgers, was no longer a key part of the profession. This was a major change that in some ways destroyed the job of a bookkeeper manually keeping ledgers, but the profession pivoted and thrived, adopting this technology and growing. It also wasn’t long ago that tax research meant going to a physical book and looking up code sections. There was a significant learning curve and even an art to this process of looking up all
the potentially relevant code sections or sections of commentary. That evolved into subscriptions with updates delivered by CDs (and the ability to search for keywords) to online tax research tools and now AI-powered solutions like BlueJ. Getting to the right answer on a tax matter still requires expertise and an understanding of the relevant context that applies in a given situation. Tax research is now easier with AI, eliminating the need for manual cross-referencing and specific search methods.
A LOOK AHEAD
In light of these historical advancements, it is clear that technological innovations have consistently enhanced our profession rather than diminished it. As we stand on the brink of another significant transformation with AI, it is important to recognize both the opportunities and the continuity within our roles. Below, we explore how AI can be integrated into daily practices to further elevate our work and address today’s challenges. When faced with a big change, it is often helpful to acknowledge both what is changing and what isn’t. At the core of our profession, our purpose remains the same: We continue to serve our clients, manage relationships, maintain the public trust, and ensure compliance with standards, rules, and regulations. However, the tools that we use to achieve these goals are evolving. By leveraging these new tools, we can enable staff to perform higher-level work and discover innovative ways to serve our clients beyond what we have ever imagined.
As talent pipeline pressures increase and compliance regulations become more cumbersome, you may wonder how to keep up with the workload. This is where technology can help alleviate the pressure.
Carla McCall, AAFCPAs managing partner and AICPA chair, wisely noted, "I’ve seen the incredible impact that a commitment to innovation can have on both individual careers and the profession as a whole. By integrating the opportunities that technology offers, we are positioning the accounting profession for a future that brings continuous value.”
TRANSFORMING YOUR PRACTICE
The hardest part of implementing new technology and creating change is getting started. Consider the following use cases for those just beginning to use AI.
Treat AI like an intern. Instead of creating content or performing research yourself, start by asking AI to provide a draft or answer a question. This allows you to step into a reviewer role rather than a preparer, saving time and elevating your work. Additionally, you can still add your human touch to the final product, whether it’s delivered to a client or used internally to support your conclusion within your workpapers.
Identify red flags. AI now enables staff to conduct year-overyear analysis, a task that previously required experience. Start by uploading or pasting a two-period anonymized trial balance into AI. (Tip: To anonymize the data, remove
the client’s name and generalize any specific trial balance account names.) Ask AI to review the data for red flags or concerns, identify why the fluctuation may be concerning, and suggest next steps to better understand each issue. This helps less experienced staff quickly learn to identify trends and red flags, understand the reasons behind fluctuations, and determine appropriate actions.
Document summarization. If you are analyzing a long contract or agreement, AI can quickly assist in summarizing it for you. The challenge lies in writing the prompt so that AI provides exactly what you need. One tip is to ask AI what terms and conditions may be relevant or required in footnotes for a specific type of agreement. Use that answer to help write the document analysis prompt. Remember to anonymize any information, e.g., remove client names or addresses, when not working in a closed or private environment.
Assist with writing. Here are a few examples of how AI can assist with writing:
• Single-audit findings using language to fulfill all required elements.
• Difficult communication such as providing feedback or terminating a client or vendor relationship.
• Communicating complex tax or accounting regulations in lay terms.
• Generating insights on market trends.
• Identifying potential client risks based on location and industry type.
As with any change, the more you practice, the better you become. Find time to experiment with AI, include several team members in the process, and schedule regular meetings to discuss and share ideas. Leverage each other’s experiences to inspire additional ways to use and benefit from AI.
While AI comes with a cost – whether a monthly subscription to use Copilot or ChatGPT or an increased fee for the AI version of software you’re currently using – consider how much time it will save you. When you compare the cost of AI to the time saved multiplied by your billable hourly rate, AI costs become very reasonable.
ADDRESSING RISK
While we’ve discussed the benefits here, it is crucial to recognize that beyond the financial investment, there are other significant considerations. The most notable of these is the heightened risk that accompanies the use of this technology. Using 10-keys came with the risk of it failing and the user lacking a good backup. Bookkeeping software came with the risk of computers crashing and losing data, and the shift to the cloud exposed us to the risk of hacking.
The good thing about risk is that our profession is good at managing it. So, how do we mitigate the risks that come with artificial intelligence?
Keep in mind that when you are using AI, you are using a tool. It might sound like a person but it does not actually
TECHNOLOGY
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think for itself. Similar to how an intern might blindly follow what you said to the letter, lacking the context to know whether the work they produced didn’t make sense, AI doesn’t have common sense or judgment like you do.
There is a real risk that people in your firm are using AI in ways that you don’t know about. We don’t suggest banning these tools, because they are helpful enough. So, people will often find workarounds like using a personal phone to access these tools. A better solution is to understand how and why tools are being used in your firm and invest in good-quality, secure options for everyone to use.
Many people don’t understand the risk of using public AI solutions like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini for confidential client work. Train your team on best practices for using secure tools and define what is and is not acceptable to enter into AI. Having clear boundaries that are reasonable will increase compliance significantly, limiting the risks of using this new technology within your firm. By looking at the past and understanding how technology has historically affected the accounting profession, we can confidently embrace AI as a tool that will enhance our capabilities, not threaten our jobs. The future of accounting is bright, with AI helping us to work smarter, not harder.
Sarah Flischel, CPA, is the director of Audit Transformation and Training at AAFCPA. She is based in Denver and on May 1 will begin serving as a COCPA Educational Foundation Trustee. Andrew Jordan is an owner of Jordan CPA Services, Carthage, Mo., and Dr. Charles W. (Bill) Wootton is a retired Eastern Illinois University professor of accounting whose career spanned several decades.
MEMBER RESOURCE
Visit the members-only COCPA Resource Center to access the article, “How AI Can Help Accountants Gain Efficiency: Three Practical Examples,” from COCPA Silver Partner Netgain. Netgain is a Denver-based company that builds state-of-the-art software tools to automate accounting. For more information, contact Casey Stewart at cstewart@netgain.tech.
GET INVOLVED
Looking for an opportunity to connect with your COCPA colleagues to discuss technology, its impact on the accounting profession, and future trends?
Click here or contact Stacy Svendsen at stacy@cocpa.org to learn more about the COCPA Technology Users Group.
PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY
Welcome, New COCPA Members
Welcome, New COCPA Members
The COCPA welcomes the following new members, who joined between December 2024 and February 2025.
The COCPA welcomes the following new members, who joined between September and November 2024.
FELLOW MEMBERS
Know any of these members? Reach out and welcome them to our community!
Know any of these members? Reach out and welcome them to our community!
Visit the COCPA Member Directory at cocpa.org/member-directory
Visit the COCPA Member Directory at cocpa.org/member-directory
STUDENT MEMBERS
FELLOW MEMBERS
Simon Alger
Anna Bauch
Michael Attridge
Thomas Bauer
Lillian Avery
Michelle Brumfield
Andy Avila
Kari Barber
Terry Bryan
Courtney Barratt
Melanie Burgess
Shaniah Caldwell
Christopher Barratt
Scott Barry
Ashley Chambers
Danielle LeBaron
Jordan Leone
Bill Evert
Yilin "Elaine" Liu
Laura Flynn
Marissa Miki
Matthew Folgers
Sherri Kuhn
Suraj Kumar
Will Lanehart
Jamey Arter
Tristan Belleville
Tammy Nelson
Ashley Brown
Emily Newton
Paige Brown
Jessica Ng Loo
Dennis Muharemovic
Nhi Nguyen
Cole Siders
Thu Nguyen
Ryan Swift
Justin Oglevie
Anna Tam
Dayne Devlyn
Megan Bartsch
Shane Bohlender
Jennifer Dykema
Jordyn Elkins
Stephanie Cantrell
Grace Carlson
Rachel Everidge
Blake Chidester
Luke Farrell
Patrick Funk
Campbell Cooksey
Vincent Coppola
William Fusillo
Heather Crum
Michael Hammerl
William Daniel
Clara Hawkins
Carl Daugherty
Natalya Hodge
Nicholas DiLuca
Kaycee Dolan
Blake Johnson
DeDe Jones
Katherine Doyle
Daniel Lang
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Giselle Abundez
Chase Brown
Jennifer Baird
Jesus "David" Compean
Julie Navarro
Travis "TJ" Garhart
Kevin Gay
Michael Noyd
Shannon O'Phelan
Christopher Gentry
Monica Gerard
Amber Pinard
Michael Gibson
Matthew Poston
Stephanie Grasic
Jessica Prefume
Emilee Gribben
Nancy Radic
Christie Guthrie
Michelle Rod
Darlene Hartmann
Michelle Rouillard
Katie Hettinger
Theresa Laurienti
Brian Lawrie
Lauren Levy
Megan Lewis
Oliver Little
Jessica Long
Cecily Lopez
Tingwei Ma
Julianne Malek
William "Travis" Sadler
Stephen Mann
Joshua Bryant
Jason Nicholson
Sofia "Sofy" Carter
Jonathon Noolas
Amanda Christiansen
Christine O'Connor
Kristina Oswald
Chandra Christiansen
Elle Otten
Jasiyah Cilianu
Matt Palen
Andrew Clair
Debra Patterson
Jack Cruise
Jessica Perez
Jacqueline Dawson
Seth Phillips
Vito DiGirolamo
Gabriel Quezada
Zaw Oo
Margaret Thayer
Sonya Pfeiffer
Jennifer Todling
Sara Rivera
Sydney Turner
Matthew Robinson
Jennifer Ulrich
Jose Vega Cancel
Chelsea Rodriguez
Nicholas Vehorn
Deja Rowe
Dyess Verfurth
Joshua Rowsey
Emily Visaez Andarcia
Kelsey Walla
Drake Rutherford
Sierra Wallace
Austin Sand
Jennifer Sanchez
Megan Hollingsworth
T Holman
Cindy Sandusky
Jaclyn Holowecky
Qingqing Shan
Nicole Jackson
Michael Swansen
Deborah Jackson
Jada Jacques
Christopher Manuszak
Meredith Marchand
Lance McMahon
Ryan McNamee
Jerrod Monsees
Bobette Sylvester-McCarroll
Danielle Keen
Steve Trojan
Caitlin Wildgen
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Erin O'Connor
Tianna Poeck
Emma Schwarz
Erin Louet
Michael Moran
Willie Mullin
Alexander Ritter
Christopher Dunn
Todd Roberts
Emily Erickson
Caden Robinson
Johanna Franco
Tessa Schneider
Marina Fredrickson
Andrew Schulz
Juan Garcia
Danielle Shafer
Rebecca Gardenhire
Kimberly Sheahan
Jasmun Hendrick
McKenna Hladik
STUDENT MEMBERS
Mason Kellar
Jenise Alexander
Holly Bacon
Leila Boland
Mary-Margaret Koch
Daniel Graney
Mark Lachowitzer
Jarec Henderson
Meredith Sell
James Welch
Caitlin Sicard
Julia Wilcox
Lukas Wilson
Lyndsi Snyder
Mark Wise
Jacob Soderlin
Liuzhe Zhang
Taylor Spangle
Nicole Zichterman
James Spidel
Claire Tannen
Samuel Teel
Grace Tirado
Rebecca Tse
Tanner Rozek
Sydney Turner
Kristal Sandoval
Courtney Hunt
Fred Milord
Serenity DeFrancesco
Margaret Bradford
Aaron Coffeen
Matthew Farley
Sajit Khadka
Kennedy Davis
Lucien Layne
John Dundon
Kierstyn Leo
Bobby Eckles
Oscar Lomeli
Terrence Hopkins
Sydney Skiles
Amanda Morelli
Erica Talley
Adna Tipura
Garrett Phillips
Elisha Titre
Ali Vance
Jack Ranson
Brooke Thomas
Vince Viruni
Tron Welch
Callie Lembke
Victoria Cardona Meza
Elizabeth Cihacek
Jasmine Cook
Rachel Cox
Christopher Dawson
Samantha Lents
Kiersten Johnson
Jayden Luong
Ryan Kertz
Camille Lamarque
Kyser Martinez
Kendall Madine
Jenna Maxwell
Benjamin Michaels
Kyle McDowell
Justus Vaccaro
Vivian Siewert
Kelby Vieth
Avrahm Skor
Michael Vrlenich
Alleepra Stutzman
Kacey Walisundara
Kawika Watt
Thomas Whittle
Alexander Wolterstorff
Mabrion White
Marty MacCallum
Denise Jordan
Katelyn Miller
Cheng-chi "Rebecca" Ku
Anas Nafie
Julie Lacrampe
Brianna Weatherspoon
Jessica Worley
Delaney Whalen
Tristan Zimmer
Jonathan Wintenburg
Madeline Duffield
Isenia Fregoso
Beverly Zimmermann
Nicole Gaynor
GET INVOLVED GET CONNECTED
Michael Portman
Sarah McPeek
Thomas Rauchut
Karissa Meidal
Kristen Wylie
Kathleen Wortman
Amaki Yeboah-Afari
Janette Rodriguez Ibanez
Blake Monsees
Madison Wright
New members, are you looking for a way to get involved, meet others, and connect with your new professional community? Whether your passion is serving on a committee, participating in a special-interest group, or bettering your community, find the opportunity that speaks to you and join in! For more information on volunteering, contact Stacy Svendsen at stacy@cocpa.org
UNITING the Profession to Strengthen the CPA Talent Pipeline: Part 3
BY NATALIE ROONEY
In the final installment of a three-part series highlighting efforts by the COCPA and its members to strengthen the accounting profession’s future amidst challenges to its talent pipeline, Society members share how their experiences have shaped them and what they’re doing to make a positive, lasting impact.
The article series has focused on the findings of the National Pipeline Advisory Group’s (NPAG) July 2024 Accounting Talent Strategy Report, which analyzes the root causes of the accounting talent shortage and organizes recommended next steps into six themes:
1. Make the academic experience more engaging
2. Address the time and cost of education
3. Grow support for CPA Exam candidates
4. Prioritize strategies to expand access for underrepresented groups
5. Enhance the employee experience by evolving business models and cultures
6. Tell a more compelling story about accounting careers
Here, we focus on the two remaining NPAG report themes: Grow support for CPA Exam candidates and prioritize strategies to expand access for underrepresented groups.
NPAG RECOMMENDATION: GROW SUPPORT FOR CPA EXAM CANDIDATES
The number of candidates taking the CPA Exam has continued to decline. In 2022, there were 67,336 exam candidates, a 22% drop from 2018. In a national survey by the Illinois CPA Society, exam candidates cited challenges such as “workload
time commitments to study for the exam” and “personal time commitments to study for the exam” as their top hurdles to becoming a CPA. “Navigating the exam application process” and “overall cost of the exam application, review course, and exam fees” were also rated as top barriers to becoming a CPA.
Firms and companies throughout Colorado are finding ways to help and encourage their CPA Exam candidates throughout the process.
Madison Donnafield, human resources generalist at DWC CPAs and Advisors in Grand Junction, says the firm recruits and hires extensively at Colorado’s colleges and universities, bringing on an average of 35 new hires a year, some of whom will go on to earn their CPA license.
“We know how important it is to support these candidates,” she says.
The firm will reimburse candidates for any review materials, for up to two years, to cover the cost of study materials, review courses, and registering for and taking the exam itself – with no upper limit. “The candidates can select whatever review materials they want,” Donnafield says.
Internal support comes via the partner group, whose members provide advice and share their own experiences with the
“My mom was on government assistance due to mental illness. Going to college was a dream that I didn’t know how to make happen. I didn’t have people around me to support and encourage me, so the idea was scary.”
– Stephanie Daniels, CPA
candidates. Additionally, Donnafield says that some employees study together, creating groups to support each other throughout the process. While the majority of studying and prep work is done on candidates’ own time, they can book quiet space for these activities within the office as needed.
As the candidates begin their journey, there’s an added incentive: DWC offers a bonus to those who pass all sections of the exam within two years of their hire date.
“We want to help them with this great achievement,” Donnafield says. “It’s important to them and to the profession. The more CPAs we have, the more it benefits the work, and not only shows others in the pipeline that this is a good path to follow, but it’s manageable. They can get the experience they need and hear from those who have been through the process.”
COCPA Initiatives
The COCPA has launched or collaborated with other entities to support several initiatives that aim to support CPA Exam candidates, including the following:
• Beginning on Dec. 30, 2023, the CPA exam window was permanently extended from 18 months to 30 months, a move that the COCPA supported through its advocacy efforts.
• COCPA members can receive discounts on their CPA Exam prep materials and review courses. The COCPA website also includes many articles with tips, advice, and additional resources for candidates .
• To help provide more transparency into exam readiness, the COCPA and Surgent CPA Review have partnered to offer four free simulated CPA practice exams for the section of the candidate’s choice. Simply search “COCPA Virtual Mock CPA Exam” in the online COCPA course catalog and sign up for the event of your choice.
• In recent months, COCPA employees have been making presentations to firms’ interns and new hires to outline the exam and licensure process, share the benefits of pursuing CPA licensure, and spotlight the resources and support that the Society can offer both during the licensure journey and thereafter.
NPAG RECOMMENDATION: PRIORITIZE STRATEGIES TO EXPAND ACCESS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS
In 2009, Stephanie Daniels, CPA, was a single mom with two kids. She operated a successful housecleaning business but wondered if this was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. An old friend, who is now her husband, encouraged her to go back to school, something that wasn’t really on Daniels’ radar.
“I was the first generation in my family to go to college,” she explains. “My mom was on government assistance due to mental illness. Going to college was a dream that I didn’t know how to make happen. I didn’t have people around me to support and encourage me, so the idea was scary.”
Daniels began by taking two classes at a time at Front Range Community College. A military aptitude test had said she would be good at accounting, so she focused on those courses, but she realized that only taking two classes at a time would mean a long journey to her degree. She switched to a full-time course load of 12-15 semester hours, working part time during the day and attending class in the evening. Eventually, she earned her associate’s degree.
“And then I just kept going,” Daniels says.
When it was time to attend Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU), Daniels made another life-changing decision: moving instead to Greeley after a family member broke into her house. She forfeited her scholarship at MSU not knowing what might be offered at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), but it ended up being a fortuitous decision: she was awarded UNC’s Stryker Scholarship – a participation award that required her to take monthly classes on topics completely removed from the business world.
“I gained a perspective that I never would have had. It really rounded out my education,” Daniels says.
One revealing experience came when Daniels participated in a “privilege walk.” This experience had students stand in line and take steps forward when positive experiences were read out, or take steps back when negative experiences were read out, based on whether they’d personally experienced these things. When
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FUTURE OF THE PROFESSION
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23
it ended, she was standing at the very back. “I didn’t realize all of the things I had gone through compared to other people,” she reflects. “That was a very eye-opening experience for me.”
After earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Daniels was ready to pursue a career in public accounting, but she found it difficult to make inroads in a system that’s designed with younger professionals in mind. She was rejected by six public accounting firms because of her age but finally broke through with RubinBrown. “I’m so grateful to them for opening that door for me,” she says.
After earning her CPA, her career took on a life of its own, including building experience across public accounting, government accounting, and corporate work. Not even a kidney transplant took away her opportunities. “Over the years, I’ve been able to have all of these choices and options to do accounting no matter where it was,” Daniels says.
Now, Daniels says it’s time to address some of the hurdles that keep people from choosing the profession. She adds that her own situation as a non-traditional student and job candidate is becoming more common.
“I’d interview with people who were younger than I was. They looked at me and thought, ‘She’s older. I don’t want to work with someone like that.’ That was so discouraging. Having more open-mindedness when it comes to recruiting non-traditional students is huge.”
Daniels relied on scholarship money from the COCPA Educational Foundation and UNC. “When the Educational Foundation granted me a scholarship, I thought, ‘Wow, they see me,’” she reflects. “They see how hard I’m working.”
Today, Daniels is giving back in her role as 2024-25 president of the Educational Foundation of the COCPA. “What I love most about what I do is calling someone and telling them they were granted a scholarship,” she says, relaying the story of another single mother trying to work and attend school full time.
“She cried when I told her she was receiving a scholarship. She said, ‘You believe in me.’ I think having a mentor who’s been through the same situations you have is huge.”
New Country, New Opportunities
Astride Mukabagula, CPA, is the first person from her family to earn a college degree, thanks, in part, to her determination, hard work, and a scholarship from the Educational Foundation of the COCPA.
As a teenager growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mukabagula owned a small boutique, and she could see that accounting was the language of business. “I wanted a better job to secure my future,” she says. “Now, I’m one of the only people from Congo who does what I wanted to do. I want to set an example for others.”
After her parents died, Mukabagula left the DRC to escape political persecution, applying for asylum for herself, her nine siblings, and her aunt, ending up as a minor in the refugee program. After several years in the U.S. foster system, Mukabagula became a U.S. citizen.
At the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs, Mukabagula took her education very seriously, and the Educational Foundation
scholarship helped her defray the costs. “I didn’t have to worry,” she says. “Others like me don’t want to end up with so much debt. I really wanted to graduate debt free, so the scholarship helped me a lot,” she says.
“Promoting diversity in accounting is so important,” Mukabagula says. “Many students can rely on their parents or family support systems, but I didn’t have anyone who could help me pay for my education. Without having that support, it’s hard to make it.”
Mukabagula notes that as the COCPA continues to help underrepresented students through the scholarship and mentorship programs, “it will help the whole profession to become more diverse and help these students achieve greatness. I never take my opportunities here for granted,” she says.
“I know what it’s like to be poor, to be overlooked. People will look at me and maybe perceive me as not competent because of how I talk or look. That makes me want to work harder.”
COCPA Initiatives
The COCPA continues to create opportunities to help underrepresented students on multiple fronts, including financial opportunities and by spreading the word about the accounting profession. New efforts include:
• Creating a community college-specific scholarship to address educational access for under-represented groups.
• Attending the Adams County Education Consortium Career Expo, with COCPA members and staff engaging in one-on-one conversations with eighth-grade students from several school districts. Nearly 8,000 8th grade students from eight districts attended the 2024 expo.
• Facilitating the COCPA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee’s free, online series, “See Me: Stories of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” whose recordings are available on cocpa.org . These sessions provide an opportunity for students and others to explore the many faces of the accounting profession and hear experiences and stories that may resonate with them.
IT’S TIME FOR A DIFFERENT APPROACH
Daniels predicts that the keys to success in improving the profession’s talent pipeline lie in overhauling hiring models. “We need to expand our thinking about who we hire,” she says. “Firms are missing out on so much talent. If they could reconsider only hiring traditional full-time students who are graduating right out of college in their early 20s, things might look different.”
Whether it’s supporting accounting students while they’re still in school or as they prepare to sit for the CPA Exam, change is necessary, with a wider lens toward diversity, Mukabagula says.
“The real issue is how to solve this problem. There aren’t a lot of people of color. Providing scholarships, encouraging them to get involved in the COCPA, and getting out and talking to people and groups interested in the profession, letting them know, ‘It’s ok, we’re here to support you.’ COCPA members can help do that.”
Best-selling Authors’ Uncomfortable Conversations Offer History, Insights on Judaism
YJUDY THOMAS, CPA (RETIRED)
Uncomfortable Conversations With a Jew, by Emmanuel Acho and Noa Tishby, is a thought-provoking journey into the history, culture, myths, and stereotypes about Judaism and the Jewish people.
ou might ask yourself why a former NFL linebacker and bestselling author, and a noted Jewish activist and bestselling author are having a conversation about what it means to be a Jewish person and the impact of antisemitism in the United States. Amid rising tensions in the Middle East and here in the United States, it is a good time to have this conversation.
Those who have read Acho’s 2020 book, Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man, are familiar with his no-holdsbarred style. His goal in writing the book with Tishby is to deepen our understanding of Judaism, the Jewish people, and antisemitism. His questions are hard-hitting: Did the Jews kill Jesus? Do Jews have white privilege in the United States? Why do the Jewish people believe that Israel belongs to them exclusively?
Tishby is a New York Times bestselling author in her own right. Her 2022 book, Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth, describes the history of Israel, mixing personal stories into her narrative. The book has both detractors – who feel that it is highly biased – as well as supporters. Reading Uncomfortable Conversations With a Jew, you may feel that Tishby’s commentary is biased, but in her conversations with Acho she provides an authentic, readable narrative about the history and beliefs of the Jewish religion.
In this book, Acho and Tishby engage in a genuine dialogue to help the reader understand more about Jewish history and the nuances of being a Jewish person. The Jewish religion is the first religion to recognize one God. Judaism’s foundation is built on a covenant between God and Abraham, forming the basis of land that belongs, arguably, to the Jewish people.
The book discusses the four basic sects of the Jewish religion, from the highly conservative to the more liberal ones. This gives rise to a discussion of what Judaism requires in order to be considered a Jew. Tishby describes the symbolic ceremonies associated with the religion and the holy writings that Jewish people generally follow.
When asked if Judaism is an ethnicity or a religion, Tishby responds with “both and neither.” She guides readers through these seemingly contradictory statements with understandable and simplified – yet relevant – explanations, helping to demystify some of Judaism’s complexity.
The book dives into Jewish stereotypes and antisemitism throughout history, eventually giving rise to the “uncomfortable conversations” noted in the book’s title. Tishby offers examples of the persecution that the Jewish people have suffered from the birth of their religion. The dialogue between Acho and Tishby adds new knowledge and insights to what the reader may or may not already know about the Jewish faith. While the two authors don’t always agree, they are both hard-hitting and willing to challenge each other in order to provide an honest analysis of their viewpoints.
Whatever side of the conversation resonates with the reader, Uncomfortable Conversations With a Jew is well worth reading.
Judy Thomas, retired chair of Regis University’s accounting department, continues as an affiliate faculty member of Regis’ Anderson College of Business and Computing. She is chair of the COCPA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Reach her at jathomas@ix.netcom.com. To learn more about the committee’s activities, contact Stacy Svendsen at stacy@cocpa.org
Bondi Family Business Scholarship Helps Accounting Students Finance Their Futures
BY NATALIE ROONEY
As part of his commitment to giving back to both the accounting profession and his alma mater, COCPA Life Member Bert Bondi created an endowment to help students from Colorado and Wyoming pay for their accounting degrees at the University of Notre Dame. Meet some of the “Bondi Scholars” who make up the future of the profession.
In 1963, Wyoming high school student Bert Bondi was thinking about his options for the future. With just one four-year university in Wyoming, he was considering schools outside of his home state. “I loved Wyoming, but options were limited,” he says.
Living in the small town of Sheridan and not having attended college themselves, Bondi’s parents didn’t feel equipped to guide him through the college selection process.
One of his teachers was encouraging Bondi to consider Harvard University or the University of Michigan, neither of which caught his interest. But then, an acquaintance of Bondi’s parents mentioned the University of Notre Dame as an option and suggested that Bondi and his parents meet with an alumni group in Billings, Mont., to learn more. So, off the family went to Billings, where Bondi says, “They all did a sales pitch.”
The pitch must have been a good one, because Bondi did choose to attend Notre Dame, as did his two sons in future years, one of whom became a CPA.
When Bondi arrived in Indiana, the Notre Dame student body was made up of primarily East- and West-Coast private high school graduates, and it was open only to men. “I was from a public high school in Wyoming. I’d been driving since I was 15. Suddenly, there were no cars and no women. It was a hell of a cultural shock,” he laughs. Despite the lack of cars and women, Bondi describes Notre Dame as a very special place for his formative years. He spent many hours sitting in dorm rooms, talking, and establishing lifelong friendships.
BUILDING BONDI’S SCHOLARS
Upon graduation, Bondi entered the military and served in Korea. After his discharge in 1970, he began his professional career with Price Waterhouse in Los Angeles, eventually making his way to Denver, where he founded his own CPA firm. Thirty-five years later, the sale of Bondi’s firm provided the seed money to create the Bondi Family Business Scholarship at Notre Dame.
“I certainly hadn’t been dreaming for decades of establishing a scholarship,” Bondi chuckles. But his ties to Notre Dame have remained strong through the years, and in retirement, he was looking for something new to do.
Bondi is a frequent fall visitor to South Bend during football season. On one of his fall trips, he visited Notre Dame’s entrepreneurial program and was asked to help students in the program develop business plans for new startups. “I said yes, not knowing what I was getting into,” he says.
He’s still sharing wisdom and offering advice and guidance to aspiring young business owners, having served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at the school for more than a decade.
Through the entrepreneurial program, Bondi became familiar with the school’s financial aid mission: Notre Dame states that no student
Bert Bondi and his son join some friends to cheer on the Fighting Irish at a University of Notre Dame football game.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27
should have to decline an offer to attend the university for financial reasons. He saw a way he could help with that mission.
“From there, it seemed natural to create an endowment that would be very specifically designed for students from Colorado and Wyoming who choose to major in accounting or marketing at Notre Dame,” Bondi says.
It was an opportunity to give back to a profession – and a school –that has brought so much to his own life.
Bondi’s $1 million donation, generated from the sale of his firm in 2011, was used to create the Bondi Family Business Scholarship.
Since 2012, 36 students have received money from the scholarship fund, which has grown to $1.8 million. Bondi credits the university’s investment team for the fund's growth. The fund is managed entirely by the university. Students apply and are chosen through the school’s office of financial aid.
SCHOLARSHIP SUCCESS STORIES
Ian Johnston, CPA, CVA, University of Notre Dame class of 2013, is a Wyoming recipient of the Bondi Family Business Scholarship. A Jackson native, he found himself drawn to Notre Dame’s combination of academics, faith, and sports, but the timing was a challenge.
“I was applying for college during the Great Recession,” he says. His family experienced a dramatic financial loss after the family business went under. “My dad wrote a letter explaining how he’d love to send me to Notre Dame, but we didn’t have anything at all to contribute to tuition.”
Behind the scenes, the school put together a package of scholarships, including the Bondi scholarship, to cover the cost.
“I was very lucky to have that support,” Johnston says. “I wouldn’t have been able to attend Notre Dame if not for that.”
Johnston started out in the school of engineering but found a better fit in the college of business, especially his accounting classes. “I was good at it, and it made sense,” he says.
Johnston stayed on campus for five years, earning his Master of Science in Accountancy before moving to Detroit to work for PwC in audit. After two years, however, he knew city life wasn’t for him. After a brief stint in Catholic seminary, he returned home to Jackson and went to work for a small public accounting firm.
Johnston switched things up again by earning the Certified Valuation Analyst credential and launching his own firm, Johnston CPA LLC.
“I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to study accounting and attend Notre Dame,” Johnston says. “It set me on the path to an awesome life. I’ve been able to move back to my hometown and become an entrepreneur just like my dad.”
In his free time, Johnston volunteers with the local search and rescue team. “It’s a good balance,” he says. “I sit and do tax returns all day and then help with rescues.”
Parker King, CPA, University of Notre Dame class of 2012, says his path to Notre Dame was driven by an amazing high school experience at Coronado High School in Colorado Springs. “I wanted a great education, school spirit, athletic events, and place that matched my Catholic faith and values.”
He found all of that and more at Notre Dame. “It was almost surreal how many boxes Notre Dame checked,” he says. “It seemed like the perfect fit.”
King was right – it was a perfect fit. He stayed on to earn both his bachelor’s degree in accounting and a Master of Science in Accountancy.
He began his career in Chicago at a small firm, launched by several former Arthur Andersen partners, before making the jump to Deloitte, which he describes as “an invaluable experience with great mentors.” When King had the opportunity to move back to Colorado, he jumped at the chance, transferring to Denver.
In April 2024, King made an exciting career move, becoming the senior tax accounting manager at Sierra Space, a company building a new commercial space industry with its headquarters in Louisville, Colo. King had actually started his education in Notre Dame’s science college before moving to the college of business. “This career move felt like a great fit,” he says. “It was the amalgamation of technology, science, and engineering with my business background.”
King says attending Notre Dame helped him fulfill his ultimate career path. “The Bondi Scholarship is really unique,” he says. “Not a lot of people from the west go to Notre Dame, so the scholarship felt personalized. It was nice to have the support from someone back home. There are so many times you feel like Notre Dame is really a family, and people are looking out for you. The Bondi scholarship is the perfect example of that.”
“I’m so appreciative of the scholarship and where it’s led me,” King says. “It’s nice to be back in Colorado, working at a company I’m excited about.”
A PROMISING FUTURE
Diego Godinez, University of Notre Dame class of 2026, is the first member of his family to attend college. He says he didn’t know much about Notre Dame before beginning his college search while attending Harrison High School’s International Baccalaureate program in Colorado Springs.
“All I knew about Notre Dame at first was how great its football program is,” Godinez says. “When it came time to apply, I didn’t put much thought into schools outside Colorado.”
Notre Dame jumped onto his short list because of a scholarship opportunity, and after a visit to South Bend, Godinez was impressed. “Everyone was genuine,” he says. “I felt welcome.”
Godinez decided to apply for restricted early decision status at Notre Dame, which meant if he was accepted, he would have to forgo any other offers. “I was more than happy to apply and rescind my other offers if I got accepted,” he says. “The familiarity, the academics, and the school’s ethics and Christian morality were all important to me.”
Godinez already had a feeling that accounting would be a good fit, thanks to some high school classes. “We discussed the importance of accounting and how it’s the language of business,” he says. “It piqued my interest.” He entered Notre Dame as an undeclared major, but after his first year, “I was fully in.”
He is currently a third-year accounting student with minors in both Poverty Studies and Latino Studies.
While looking for additional scholarship opportunities through the college of business and the financial aid office, Gondinez found out about the Bondi Family Scholarship. “It aligned with my career goals, and there just aren’t that many people attending Notre Dame from the western United States,” he says. “That helped guide me to it so I could pursue it.”
Godinez says receiving the scholarship has alleviated a lot of financial burden, especially as a first-generation college student. “Now, my parents don’t have to take out loans or use their savings so that I can attend,” he says.
He’s currently in the process of interviewing for summer internships and hopes to secure an opportunity with a Big Four
firm in Chicago. He’s leaning toward audit and assurance, drawn by the wide range of applications.
And while he hopes to spend some time in a larger city for his internship, Godinez would like to eventually return to Colorado and give back to his local community.
He’s grateful for the Bondi Family Scholarship. “I would like to thank them for providing this opportunity to students like me to attend Notre Dame without having to take on a major financial burden,” Godinez says. “I hope to have the opportunity to give back when I graduate.”
The Educational Foundation of the COCPA provides scholarships to college students who are pursuing an accounting degree at Colorado colleges and universities. Applications for junior, senior, or graduatelevel merit-based scholarships are open through June 30, 2025. Click here to learn more
Updates and Opportunities Related to COCPA Committees, Working Groups, and Boards
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE
As part of its ongoing “For Me” offerings, the COCPA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee last month launched a new fourpart series, “Account for Your Health,” featuring COCPA member and certified nutritional therapist Kaitlin Borncamp, CPA, NTP.
It’s not too late to sign up for any or all of the remaining three sessions (June 26, Sept. 18, and Dec. 4), all free to COCPA members and offering one CPE credit.
As the demands of the accounting profession grow, so do the challenges of stress, burnout, and metabolic decline. “Account for Your Health” is designed to help you take control of your well-being with practical, simple, science-backed strategies for better health and performance.
Join us to explore the powerful connection among nutrition, mental health, and cognitive function, and learn how to build sustainable habits that enhance energy, resilience, and productivity, even during the most demanding times of the year.
Click here to see more from Kaitlin on what the Account for Your Health series offers.
See page 26 for DE&I Committee chair Judy Thomas’ article, “Best-selling Authors’ Uncomfortable Conversations Offer History, Insights on Judaism.”
Visit the DE&I Committee web page for more information .
MEMBER CONNECTIONS COMMITTEE
A special thanks to all who joined us at the February Mix and Mingle event at Odell Brewery Five Points, hosted by the Member Connections Committee (MCC). Lots of great conversations took place, with new connections made among colleagues.
Make plans now to join MCC's 2025 Summer of Fun , featuring unique experiences and opportunities for connection throughout the summer. Up first in May and June:
Sip and Socialize wine tasting at Bigsby’s Folly Craft Winery and Restaurant in Denver’s RiNo District, May 28
Colorado Rockies baseball game vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field, June 23
Visit the MCC web page to learn more about this group .
NONPROFIT WORKING GROUP
Office Hours: Ask a CPA: The Nonprofit Working Group continues to partner with the Colorado Nonprofit Association to present the quarterly online program, “Office Hours: Ask a CPA.” Our thanks to COCPA volunteers Tiffany Knight, Patrick Lewis, and Nathan Oberle, who presented to members of the nonprofit community on how to prepare for an audit, and opened the remaining time for individual questions and answers.
CPAs Give Back: COCPA members Brittany DeMino and Tiffany Knight, along with guest Lonnie Martinez, showed their ongoing commitment to their community by joining COCPA staff members Tiffany Carson and Stacy Svendsen to volunteer on a snowy Saturday morning in February at the Food Group of the Rockies. As part of a larger group of volunteers, they packed 1,050 boxes of food, weighing 34,650 pounds and providing 28,875 meals to those in need. Amazing work; we are so grateful for these efforts!
TECHNOLOGY USERS GROUP (TUG)
The Technology Users Group (TUG) continues to provide highlevel technology-focused presentations at its online monthly meetings. Join TUG today to be part of this insiders group, led by COCPA Board Treasurer and technology enthusiast Jim Gilbert.
Visit the TUG web page for more information, along with details of the group's upcoming free, quarterly online CPE events .
SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE!
Get Involved with Committees, Groups, and More
The COCPA offers numerous opportunities for members to grow their professional and personal networks with like-minded colleagues through committees, groups, roundtables, and special programs. Get involved to help shape the future of the COCPA and enhance your professional experience. Click here to learn more.
WESTERN SLOPE LUNCH AND EVENTS
COCPA members on the Western Slope have been busy meeting to enhance their learning, share solutions, and connect with colleagues in the area.
Many thanks to Eide Bailly’s Doug Cash, who in January presented “Fraud Inquiries: Reading Between the Lines,” and to members Michael Brooks and Gary Hypes, who planned the event.
In February, Colorado Mesa University (CMU) faculty members G. Suzanne Owens-Ott, CPA, DBA , and Michael Philipp, CPA, CVA, BCA, CDFA , presented “Let’s Talk About Ethics.” Eleven CMU accounting students were among the attendees at this interactive session, allowing them to foster connections with local members of the profession. Attendees rounded out the day with a Thirsty Thursday event at Devil’s Kitchen.
COCPA staff are working with regional member champions to plan post-busyseason gatherings across Colorado. Watch cocpa.org for details.
Click here to learn more about becoming a regional member champion to welcome new members and help bring programming and connection opportunities to your area. Contact Stacy Svendsen at stacy@cocpa.org for more information.
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Thomas Bryan, CPA, MBA, was named executive director and CEO of the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, Denver.
Tyler Linnebur, CPA, has launched Linnebur Consulting PLLC, in Centennial, providing part-time bookkeeping, assurance, and financial and economic advisory services. Reach him at info@tylerlinnebur.com.
Patrick Lytle, CPA, CGMA, was promoted to senior vice president –accounting with SM Energy Company, Denver.
Trevor Neill, CPA, was named a shareholder with Soukup, Bush & Associates, CPAs, P.C., Fort Collins.
Ron Seigneur, CPA, ABV, ASA, CVA, was named an AICPA Accredited Business Valuation (ABV) Champion for Colorado. Seigneur is a founding partner of Seigneur Gustafson LLP, CPAs and Advisors, Lakewood.
CLASSIFIEDS
DWC CPAs and Advisors, announced the following staff promotions: Seth C. Knighton, EA, to tax manager; and Sydney R. Trichler, CPA, Ana Carbajal Barahona, and Diane E. Petelo, to audit seniors. Additionally, DWC’s Rachel M. Schlepp, CPA, and Megan S. Loberg, CPA, have each earned the U.S. International Tax Certificate, awarded by the AICPA in association with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Congratulations to the following COCPA members, who were recently named to Forbes’ inaugural America’s Best-In-State CPAs list: Angela Appleby, CPA, Plante Moran, Denver; Melissa Bigler, CPA, Anderson & Whitney, P.C., Greeley; Craig Chaney, CPA, Brock and Company, CPAs, P.C., Boulder; Toby Clary, CPA, Soukup, Bush & Associates, CPAs, P.C., Fort Collins; Sarah Flischel, CPA, AAFCPAs, Denver; Jamie Kilcoyne, CPA, K Financial Inc., Louisville; Mark Moore, CPA, Hanson and Company, CPAs, Denver; Tammy Rivera, CPA, Forvis Mazars, LLP, Denver; Christopher West, CPA, DWC CPAs and Advisors, Grand Junction; and Omar Yassine, CPA, Forvis Mazars, LLP, Denver.
IN MEMORIAM
SELLING YOUR PRACTICE IN 2025 OR LOOKING TO PURCHASE A PRACTICE? LET’S TALK!
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We extend our sympathies to the family and friends of the following COCPA members and former members.
Herbert “Herb” G. Allen
Denver, member since 1973
Ira C. Brenner
Greenwood Village, member since 1978
Larry D. Fetzer
Sterling, member since 1973
James F. Jagger
Denver, member since 1969
Michael Sczekan
Englewood, member since 1984
Earn CPE Credit for Reading NewsAccount!
The COCPA is pleased to begin offering CPE credit for NewsAccount readership. To take advantage of this free member benefit, simply read the spring issue and register for the NewsAccount CPE selfstudy opportunity Once logged in, you’ll be asked to complete the following online quiz, which reflects the content of the issue.
Please note, question language and sequence may vary slightly.
Participants must earn a score of 70% or higher in order to receive CPE credit. NewsAccount exams are worth one credit hour each, for a maximum of four credit hours annually.
1. What is a key issue that Alexandria Romero emphasizes for the future of the CPA profession?
a. Ethics and public trust
b. Increased tax regulations
c. Decreased demand for CPAs
d. Outsourcing of accounting jobs
2. Which Board of Directors nominee highlights the importance of CPAs adapting to AI, machine learning, and emerging technologies?
a. Tiffany Knight, CPA
b. Paul Elggren, CPA
c. Dana Lambert, Ph.D., LPC, LPT
d. Alexandria Romero, CPA, MPAcc
3. What leadership experience does Tiffany Knight, CPA, bring to the COCPA Board of Directors?
a. Former chair of the AICPA Emerging Professionals Committee
b. Former audit regulator for the PCAOB
c. Founder of a public accounting firm
d. Former vice president and trustee of the COCPA Educational Foundation Board of Trustees
4. According to University of Denver professor Tom Hall, which of the following is NOT one of the three key ingredients for career success?
a. Being smart enough
b. Having a strong personal brand
c. Working hard
d. Developing good soft skills
5. Why does author Tom Hall emphasize the importance of soft skills in achieving career success?
a. Without them, deep technical skills and a strong work ethic will only take you so far
b. They replace the need for hard work and intelligence
c. They are only necessary for leadership positions
d. They can be developed without effort over time
6. What major challenge did Julie Affleck face when searching for her first job after graduation?
a. Lack of available accounting positions
b. Concerns from employers about a potential pregnancy
c. Difficulty passing the CPA Exam
d. Insufficient technical skills for the accounting field
7. What was the primary challenge cited by CPA Exam candidates in a national survey by the Illinois CPA Society?
a. The complexity of the exam questions
b. Lack of interest in the CPA profession
c. Workload and personal time commitments to study for the exam
d. The requirement of a college degree
8. How does DWC CPAs and Advisors support CPA Exam candidates financially?
a. Reimbursing the full cost of study materials and exam fees with no upper limit
b. Providing a monthly stipend for study time
c. Offering free in-house CPA review courses
d. Paying for candidates to retake failed exam sections
9. What does Stephanie Daniels suggest firms should do to expand the accounting talent pipeline?
a. Focus on hiring only traditional, full-time students
b. Reconsider their hiring models to include nontraditional students and professionals
c. Require CPA licensure before hiring entry-level accountants
d. Limit hiring to candidates from top-tier universities
10. According to the article, “Reframing AI and the Evolution of the CPA’s Role,” what was the first major technological advancement that significantly impacted the accounting profession?
a. QuickBooks software
b. The 10-key calculator
c. AI-powered tax research tools
d. Cloud-based accounting systems
11. How should AI be treated when integrating it into accounting practices?
a. As a replacement for accountants
b. As a tool for creating initial content and analysis
c. As an infallible tool that eliminates human oversight
d. As a secure and risk-free solution
12. What is one of the primary risks associated with using AI in accounting?
a. AI replacing all accounting jobs
b. AI developing independent thought and decision-making
c. Employees using unsecured AI tools without proper oversight
d. AI eliminating the need for professional judgment in tax research
13. What was the primary motivation behind Bert Bondi establishing the Bondi Family Business Scholarship at the University of Notre Dame?
a. To support students from low-income families nationwide
b. To encourage students to pursue military service before entering college
c. To promote Notre Dame’s entrepreneurial program
d. To give back to the accounting profession and assist students from Colorado and Wyoming
14. How has the Bondi Family Business Scholarship fund grown since its establishment in 2011?
a. It has remained at its original amount of $1 million
b. It has increased to $1.5 million through additional donations
c. It has grown to $1.8 million due to university investment management
d. It was discontinued after awarding scholarships to the first group of students
