CPA Voice - January/February 2022

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

Are Ohio CPAs ready for accounting transformation?

Ohio sets example with 120/150 hour change

CPA guidance for resolving ethical conflicts

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

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BM

Business Management & Organization

RE

Regulatory Ethics

PD

Personal Development

TX

Taxes

Save the Date for These 2022 Learning Events We’ve made it easy for you to plan your CPE schedule for the whole year and equip yourself with the quality learning you need to move beyond compliance to competence. OSCPA’s thoughtful, carefully curated and planned learning opportunities feature state and national thought leaders to help you expand your knowledge and build skills in core competencies and emerging disciplines.

3/23

Strategic Finance and Accounting Virtual Summit This summit addresses top business issues and opportunities business and industry CPAs are navigating.

MULTIPLE

4/29

Employee Benefit Plan Audit Virtual Conference The largest firm-attended event of the year.

MULTIPLE

5/24

Hot Topics for CPAs Virtual Conference This spring conference takes on technical and essential trends you won’t want to miss.

MULTIPLE

7/21

Women’s Wealth and Wellness Support and empower the pipeline of women in the profession.

9/23

Fall CPE Day Virtual Conference A smorgasbord of learning to wrap up your year.

9/28

Virtual Ohio Professional Standards and Responsibilities A review of the expectations of CPAs from one of the top ethics providers in Ohio.

10/26–27 11/16–17

The Virtual Accounting Shows We gather the best minds in the profession to bring you more than 50 sessions at the largest, most comprehensive learning opportunity of the year.

MULTIPLE

12/8

Winter CPE Day Virtual Conference A smorgasbord of learning to wrap up your year.

MULTIPLE

12/10

Virtual Ohio Professional Standards and Responsibilities A review of the expectations of CPAs from one of the top ethics providers in Ohio.

RE

12/13-14

MEGA Tax Virtual Conference The largest tax conference of the year that addresses the ever-evolving tax landscape.

TX

To register, go to

my.ohiocpa.com 2 | CPA Voice

BM

PD

MULTIPLE

RE

CONTENTS JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

feature

Volume 14, Issue 1 EDITOR: Gary Hunt, CAE – ghunt@ohiocpa.com GRAPHIC DESIGN: Kyle Anderson – kanderson@ohiocpa.com EDITORIAL OFFICES CPA Voice 4249 Easton Way, Suite 150 Columbus, OH 43219

Tel: 614.764.2727 Email: CPAVoice@ohiocpa.com Website: ohiocpa.com

14 Are Ohio CPAs ready for accounting transformation?

CPAs are ready to navigate the accounting technology environment, yet many haven’t adopted the tools to do so.

in depth 2 CEO letter 3 Self-assessment exam Free for members!

4 Ohio sets example for other states with 120/150 hour change OSCPA’s continual work and investment to build Ohio’s accounting pipeline is paying dividends.

6 Unraveling the Ohio taxation of a sale of a business interest under current and future law Here are the facts on this ongoing debate.

10 CPA guidance for resolving ethical conflicts Doing the right thing should come naturally to CPAs, but the reality is not always that simple.

18 The top 10 tech tools for inclusive workplaces Boost your team's connectedness by using the right set of digital tools and platforms.

ADVERTISING For our display advertising rates or a copy of our media kit, contact us at sales@ohiocpa.com or by calling 614.764.2727.

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS We welcome submissions of analytical articles on issues relevant to Ohio CPAs. Desired length is 800-1200 words. Send an electronic copy with a cover letter to the editor at the email address above. Please note that CPA Voice is not a peer-reviewed journal.

SUBSCRIPTIONS/CIRCULATION Members of The Ohio Society of CPAs receive CPA Voice as a member benefit.

Nonmembers may subscribe for $39.95 annually. To update your mailing address or to subscribe to CPA Voice, contact your Member Service Center at 614.764.2727, option 2.

REPRINTS To order reprints of CPA Voice articles, or for reprint permission, contact the editor at the address above.

CPA Voice is the official magazine of The Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants.

CPA Voice’s purpose is to serve as the primary news and information vehicle for the nearly 26,000 Ohio CPA members and professional affiliates. Articles are reviewed for technical accuracy. However, the materials and information contained within CPA Voice are offered as information only and not as practice, financial, accounting, legal or other professional advice.

While we strive to present accurate and reliable information, The Ohio Society of CPAs makes no warranties regarding the accuracy of the information provided herein. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct appropriate research to determine the accuracy of the information provided and to consult with an appropriate, competent professional adviser before acting on the information contained in this publication. The statements of fact, thoughts, advice and opinions expressed in CPA Voice are those of the authors alone and do not represent or imply the positions, opinions, nor endorsement of The Ohio Society of CPAs or of its publisher, editors, Board of Directors, or members. It is our policy not to knowingly accept advertising that discriminates on the basis of race, religion, gender, age or origin. The Ohio Society of CPAs reserves the right to reject paid advertising in its sole discretion. We do not necessarily endorse the resources, services or products unrelated to The Ohio Society of CPAs that may appear or be referenced within CPA Voice, and make no representation or warranties about those products or services or the accuracy and claims regarding those products and services. Advertisers and their agencies assume liability for all advertisement content and responsibility for all claims resulting from such advertisements made against The Ohio Society of CPAs.

22 2021 Ohio CPA/PAC Annual Report

The Ohio Society of CPAs does not guarantee delivery dates for CPA Voice and disclaims all warranties, express or implied, and assumes no responsibility whatsoever for damages incurred as a result of delivery delays.

Your continued support led to a momentous year.

CPA Voice (ISSN 0749-8284) is published six times per year by The Ohio Society of CPAs, 4249 Easton Way, Suite 150, Columbus OH 43219, 614.764.2727. Subscription price for non-members: $39.95.

29 Why your to-do list might be holding you back A calendar allows professionals to be more objective and specific.

35 Learning events at a glance

Copyright © 2022 by The Ohio Society of CPAs; all rights reserved. No part of the contents of CPA Voice may be reproduced by any means or in any form, or incorporated into any information retrieval system without the written consent of CPA Voice. Permission requests may be sent to the editor at the address above. While care will be given to all materials submitted for publication, we do not accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, and they will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed postage prepaid envelope.

Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, OH and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: CPA Voice, The Ohio Society of CPAs, 4249 Easton Way, Suite 150, Columbus OH 43219.

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

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a wordfrom our CEO Trusting the process

When you’re deep in the process of bettering yourself, your work, or your company, it can be difficult at times to imagine reaching that end goal. Especially when the work is long, and you won’t see immediate results or feedback to assure you that you’re on the right path.

In the spirit of the New Year, I’m happy to tell you that while transformative work is by no means easy, it is well worth it. And to take it one step further, it’s essential to long-term survival. We see it in the accounting profession, as the business environment requires us to be more agile, more diverse and more tech-focused than ever before. And you’re likely seeing it in your work, as your customers and clients push for better results and more imaginative solutions.

At The Ohio Society of CPAs, we’re no strangers to transformative work. In our effort to better serve you, we’re offering a variety of ways to ensure you receive the most up-to-date and comprehensive learning necessary to succeed in your role. Find out the latest trends at a Town Hall (a complimentary member benefit), register for competency-based learning to continually strengthen your skill set or volunteer to assist our advocacy team in their legislative efforts. All these opportunities and more have been specifically created to ensure you become the best accounting professional you can be.

But like I’ve already mentioned, we know the work during this process is not easy. Mistakes will be made; roadblocks will appear and there will be times when you haven’t seen the progress you thought you would. But I urge you to keep doing the work, because the commitment you make this year will set you up for growth and success in the future. What are you working to transform

2 | CPA Voice

in 2022? Let me know at my contact information below. I look forward to bettering the profession and advancing the state of business together.

SCOTT D. WILEY President and CEO

swiley@ohiocpa.com | 614.321.2218 (office) | 614.546.9430 (cell) Twitter: @ScottDWiley | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/scottwileycae

Self-Assessment Exam

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022 Product ID: #56338 Online Instructions 1. Log in to my.ohiocpa.com 2. Search "CPA Voice" and then find the appropriate exam.

3. If you're a member, click "Enroll." If you're a nonmember, click "Add to cart" and purchase the exam.

Log in to my.ohiocpa.com, look up the exam using the product ID number above and answer the 12 required questions based on content in CPA Voice.

Cost Members Nonmembers

Free $40

Exams remain available online – and may be completed for CPE – through the same month of the following calendar year.

4. On the Confirmation Page click “Go to your learning center.”

5. The exam will be available under the "Current" section. Turn off pop-up blockers, then click "Launch."

Self-Assessment Exam Results Respondents taking the exam online receive their results immediately. Respondents who pass with a grade of 70% or better receive one hour of CPE credit in specialized knowledge, as approved by the Accountancy Board of Ohio.

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

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advocacy in focus

Ohio sets example for other states with 120/150 hour change

By Jessica Salerno-Shumaker, OSCPA senior content manager

Meaningful change within the accounting profession does not happen overnight, but OSCPA’s continual work and investment to build Ohio’s accounting pipeline is paying dividends.

Gov. Mike DeWine in January 2021 signed into law House Bill 442, legislation that allows students to sit for the CPA exam at 120 semester hours.

It has taken years of work to get to this point. The OSCPA Executive Board in 2017 formed a task force of educators and CPA employers, and the group reached a consensus in support of sitting at 120 hours while maintaining 150 for licensure. A subsequent deep dive in 2018-2019 by OSCPA’s Young CPA Board found strong support for the changes.

Ohio State University accounting major students in February 2020 testified at the Ohio Statehouse in support of the change, citing a statewide OSCPA survey of college student members stating that 58.5% did not want to wait as long as the Ohio law requires to take the exam and 89% would be more likely to transfer their scores back to Ohio if Ohio were to become a 120 state.

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During that testimony, OSCPA President & CEO Scott Wiley, CAE, told members of the House Commerce & Labor Committee that HB 442 also will help the Society’s goal of increasing diversity in the profession.

“For non-traditional students who need to work while finishing college – a scenario which disproportionately impacts minorities – supportive employers may help with tuition reimbursement or cover the costs of CPA review courses and the test itself. Other employers give a bonus when they become licensed.”

The profession – and Ohio – cannot afford to lose out on top talent or diversity. According to a 2019 AICPA Trends Report, enrollment in bachelor’s accounting programs has decreased 4%, and master’s enrollment has decreased 6%. Additionally, according to the 2020 AICPA and CIMA integrated annual report, there was a decline of almost 29% of candidates who sat for the CPA exam from 2017 to 2020.

The bill, sponsored by Reps. Bill Roemer, CPA, R-Richfield, and Thomas West, D-Canton, became effective April 7, 2021.

The new law is a major legislative victory for the accounting profession and was the result of lengthy discussion and research by OSCPA members and staff.

Barbara Benton, CAE, OSCPA’s vice president of government relations, said she was grateful to the bill sponsors and supporters who worked the law through to completion.

The bill also eliminates a punitive provision in Ohio law that doubles the experience requirement for those who start the exam process sooner than 90 days before completing their education; the requirement drops to one year, down from two.

ABO’s finalized rule change in October 2021 clarifies when future CPA Exam candidates may begin the exam process.

The rule, 4701-3-03 – which became effective Oct. 20 – will allow students who have completed at least 120 semester hours of education to start taking one or more parts of the CPA Exam after finishing at least 24 of the required 30 accounting hours and 24 business hours. The 24 hours must include coursework in auditing, financial accounting, management accounting or cost accounting, and taxation. All 150 semester hours, including all 30 accounting hours, still must be completed for licensure.

“This is an important move that will provide an incentive for young CPAs to stay in our state,” Wiley said. “We thank Ohio legislators and the Accountancy Board of Ohio for making this needed change a reality.”

Prior to the change, many Ohio students sent their CPA exam scores to other “120 hour” states that have lower or more flexible coursework requirements so that they can study for and take one or more parts of the exam while they are still in school, before graduating and starting a demanding job.

To become licensed in Ohio, those students had to deal with paperwork hassles and pay fees to transfer scores to the Accountancy Board of Ohio, which is a disincentive to license and work in Ohio.

After Ohio passed its legislation, Indiana and Nevada have also adopted 120-hour rules for the exam.

The change in Ohio comes at a fitting time for the profession, as CPA Evolution, a joint effort of NASBA and AICPA, will transform the CPA licensure model to recognize the changing skills and competencies required by updating the CPA exam in January 2024.

To learn how you can get involved and make an impact for the profession, go to ohiocpa.com/ advocacy.

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

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taxdevelopments Unraveling the Ohio taxation of a sale of a business interest under current and future law

By Debora Dardinger McGraw, CPA, JD, LLM

6 | CPA Voice

There is an ongoing debate in Ohio regarding whether the sale of a business interest, such as a stock sale or sale of a partnership or membership interest, generates business income or nonbusiness income for purposes of determining the tax due on an individual owner.

An individual that is an Ohio resident at the time of sale

The parties will brief the case and then the BTA will render a

generally wants the gain to be considered business income

decision. It will take a year or more before a decision is issued

in Ohio because a resident is taxed at 100% of their income

by the BTA. The BTA’s decision will likely be appealed to the

and a business gain will be eligible for the business income

Supreme Court, which could take another few years. There

deduction and the lower tax rate on business income, which

is one other case on the business income topic pending

has historically been an approximately 1.8% difference

at the BTA and many others still at ODT audit and appeals

and represents a 1% difference in 2021 and later years. A

division levels. There are also some variations on the issue –

nonresident wants the gain to be considered nonbusiness

including legal sales treated as asset sales for federal income

income in Ohio because nonresidents would not generally be

tax purposes and situations where a legal entity (versus the

subject to Ohio tax on the sale.

ultimate individual owner) sold the business interest at issue

Because of this dichotomy, recent audit activity and litigation has been focused on residents and whether the gain on the sale is subject to a significantly higher amount of tax. The Ohio Department of Taxation sent information requests and audited 200+ individual taxpayers that sold business interests. In many cases, assessments were issued and the taxpayers are at various levels of appeal. Only in a few rare fact patterns has ODT been willing to drop the audit or assessment. For sales transactions in 2020 and prior years, there are opportunities for taxpayers to settle or continue their appeals until the issue is resolved legislatively (both Senate Bill 247 and House Bill 515 are currently pending) or through litigation. Sales transactions in 2021 and later years also have this option but also have various planning options available and, in 2026 and later years, deductions may also be available, described below.

On Oct. 28, 2021, a hearing was held at the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals in Linehan v. McClain, Ohio BTA No. 2020-430.

The BTA is a tribunal that is the first level of appeal after the exhaustion of appeals at ODT of an assessment or denial of a refund. The BTA cannot decide constitutional issues. Any decision by the BTA in tax commissioner cases, such as individual income tax matters, are appealable by either party to the Ohio Supreme Court or to a local court of appeals.

The Linehan case is the first case at the BTA involving an Ohio resident that sold a business interest that considers whether the gain is business income or nonbusiness income.

– that may require litigation of additional fact patterns and the result may vary depending on the fact pattern.

Sales of business interests in calendar year 2026 and later years Am. Sub. H.B. 110, the state’s two-year operating budget, changed the tax brackets and reduced the highest marginal tax rate from 4.797% to 3.99% effective for calendar year 2021 and later years. The maximum rate a resident would be taxed on a nonbusiness capital gain starting in calendar year 2021 is now reduced by approximately 1%. Thus, the tax differential on gains from the sale of a business interest drops to an approximately 1% difference. The budget bill also provided two important deductions for the sale of a business, but these two provisions only apply in calendar year 2026 and later years.

Venture capital gain deduction: The budget bill adopted a new venture capital gains deduction. To qualify for the VC deduction a taxpayer must invest in an “Ohio venture capital operating company” (OVCOC). The VC deduction equals 100% of the capital gain received by the taxpayer in the taxable year from the OVCOC attributable to the company’s investments in Ohio businesses during the period for which the company was an OVCOC plus 50% of the company’s investments in all other businesses during the same period.

While “venture capital operating company” is defined by reference to federal tax regulations, the attainment of the

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“Ohio” prefix requires certification by the Ohio Director of Development that the company has met various requirements, including the management or capital commitments of at least $50 million in active assets and the Ohio residency of at least two-thirds of its managing and general partners. The OVCOC will have to apply to the DOD for certified OVCOC status.

To be considered an “Ohio business,” the business must be headquartered in Ohio and must employ more than half its full-time workforce in the state, measured on an annual basis. The VC deduction will require annual reporting by the OVCOC on forms to be submitted to both the DOD and the tax commissioner. The DOD will be able to issue a certificate qualifying the company as an OVCOC, stating what portion

1. The selling taxpayer either: a. Materially participated (as defined in federal regulations 26 CFR 1.469-5T (a)(1), (2), (3), (4) or (7)) in the sold entity for the five years immediately preceding the time of sale; or b. Directly or indirectly invested at least $1 million in the entity; 2. The entity is incorporated, registered, or organized in Ohio during the five years immediately preceding the sale; and 3. The entity is headquartered in Ohio during the five years immediately preceding the sale.

of the OVCOC’s investments were in Ohio companies, and

A limitation placed on qualifying payroll is that it does not

providing what percentage of gains or of distributed equity

include amounts paid to the taxpayer or the taxpayer’s

interests or securities is attributable to each qualified investor

spouse, parents, grandparents, children, or grandchildren.

in the OVCOC. A copy of this certificate would be necessary to claim the VC deduction.

If a taxpayer has multiple capital gains from the sale of interests in different entities during the taxable year, each

The VC deduction only applies to the sale of a business

capital gain must meet the requirements to be classified as

interest; it does not apply to transactions treated as asset

a “qualifying capital gain.” The lesser of the qualified capital

sales for legal purposes and potentially not to transactions

gain or deductible payroll is determined on an entity-by-entity

treated as asset sales for federal income tax purposes (e.g.,

basis. The deduction amounts related to each entity would

sale of a disregarded entity, an IRC 338(h)(10) election, etc.).

then be aggregated to determine the total qualifying capital

The difference in Ohio tax could be whether the highest tax

gain deduction allowed. By limiting the qualifying capital

rate of 3.99% applies or whether no Ohio tax applies to the

gain deduction to the lesser of the qualifying capital gain or

sale of a business. The various requirements (i.e., certification

deductible payroll, the provision is intended to keep the tax

from DOD, investment of $1 million or more) will likely limit

benefit from becoming out of proportion to the number of

the qualifying transactions to an exceedingly small group of

jobs created by the business. Lower payroll would amount to

sales transactions.

a smaller credit unless the gain amount is already smaller than

Even where the VC deduction applies to a transaction, the

the deductible payroll.

provisions may not apply to the portion of the gain on the

The qualifying capital gain deduction may apply to more

sale of a business interest that is recharacterized as ordinary

transactions than the VC deduction because it does not

income due to the federal hot asset and depreciation

require certification in earlier years, but the payroll limitation

recapture rules, which in some factual situations can be a

and the $1 million investment will likely limit its application.

significant portion of the gain. Thus, sellers attempting to take

The qualifying capital gain deduction also only applies to the

advantage of the VC deduction should carefully evaluate their

sale of a business interest (not the legal sale of assets) and

facts and compliance on an ongoing basis and particularly in

may not apply to any portion of the gain that is recognized

structuring the sales transaction.

or recharacterized as ordinary income for federal income tax

Qualifying capital gain deduction: Another new deduction available in taxable years 2026 and later years was added for capital gains from the sale of a business interest. The qualifying capital gain deduction equals the lower of the

purposes. Thus, sellers attempting to take advantage of the qualifying capital gain deduction should carefully evaluate their facts on an ongoing basis and particularly in structuring a sales transaction.

“qualifying capital gain” or “deductible payroll.” Qualifying

Sales of business interests by a resident in calendar years

capital gain means a capital gain resulting from the sale

2021 to 2025 and sales in 2026 or later years where gain is

of an interest in an entity reported for the taxable year as

not offset by deductions

reported for federal income tax purposes, to the extent not otherwise deducted or excluded in computing federal or Ohio adjusted gross income, provided that all three of the following conditions are met:

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As described above, the tax differential in calendar years 2021 and later years between business and nonbusiness income, such as the gain on the sale of a business interest,

will be reduced to 1%. Thus, there should be less Ohio tax

Another option is to become a resident in a no-tax state

at issue on the sale of a business.

before the sale. A change in residency has recently been

In situations where a resident is selling a business interest in calendar years 2021 through 2025 there are several planning options available. If the timing works, a seller may try to take advantage of the change in law in calendar year 2026 and later years and try to either push the sale date to those years or structure the sale to be recognized for federal and Ohio

simplified by changes to Ohio’s bright-line residency law, but advanced planning is prudent and should not be contemplated lightly. Further, it is important that sellers of businesses understand the potential risks that ODT may take a different position in some factual situations or may change its position in later years.

income tax purposes in those later years.

Conclusion

There are other options, which could also apply to sales of

Like a ball of yarn, the taxation of the sale of a business

business interest in 2026 and later calendar years where the

has become incredibly complex in Ohio. It is important that

gain is not offset by the deductions described above. The

potential sellers work with their tax advisors to thoroughly

sale could be structured such that all or some of the sale is a

understand the ramifications of a sale and the statutory or

legal sale of assets, which ODT agrees qualifies as business

planning options available.

income. If the sale of a business interest is necessary and the seller has to remain an Ohio resident, the seller should explore various planning options and the impact of the ongoing litigation and pending legislation. It may also make sense to negotiate the additional cost in the price of the deal.

Debora Dardinger McGraw, CPA, JD, LLM, is a member of the tax and legislative affairs groups at Zaino, Hall & Farrin, LLC in Columbus.

All these options are complicated and there are important legal and federal income tax implications that should also be evaluated as part of the process.

THREE THINGS 1.

There is an ongoing debate in Ohio regarding whether the sale

2.

Recent audit activity and litigation has been focused on residents

important now 3. Itthatis especially potential sellers work with

of a business interest generates

and whether the gain on the sale

their tax advisors to thoroughly

business income or nonbusiness

is subject to a significantly higher

understand the ramifications

income for purposes of

amount of tax.

of a sale and the statutory or

determining the tax due.

planning options available.

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

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ethics & professional standards

CPA guidance for resolving ethical conflicts

By Laura Hay, CPA, CAE, OSCPA executive vice president Doing the right thing comes naturally to CPAs, right? With

1. Identify the dilemma: Recognizing that there is an ethical

our training in higher order skills, including critical thinking,

dilemma can be the most difficult part. Keeping current on

skepticism and professional judgment, and our acceptance

the rules, implementing internal quality control practices and

of responsibility to the public interest, an understanding of

obtaining permitted consultation on matters can help clarify

our ethical and professional responsibilities is assumed in

that an ethical question exists.

the value the marketplace attributes to the work that we do.

2. What are the relevant facts? Identify the applicable

Reality, however, is not always that simple. The

rules, laws or regulations that apply to the dilemma. Is there

implementation of the codification of the AICPA Code

a question of CPA professional ethics involved? If so, is

of Professional Conduct in 2014 moved the profession’s

there a rule or interpretation of the Code of Professional

ethics rules to more principles-based considerations, but

Conduct that addresses the situation?

the project also codified a new decision-making framework CPAs can reference in addressing ethical dilemmas. The codification put in place two new conceptual frameworks: one for members in public practice, and one for members in industry, and also added new interpretations for addressing ethics conflicts.

The process can at times be circular, but let’s outline a flow in which there is a question of CPA professional ethics involved:

10 | CPA Voice

In the absence of an interpretation of a rule of conduct that addresses a particular relationship or circumstance, the member should apply the appropriate conceptual framework: Conceptual Framework for Members in Public Practice [ET 1.000.010] Conceptual Framework for Members in Business [ET 2.000.010]

3. Applying the conceptual framework: The conceptual

9. Consider your continued association with the

frameworks require a principles-based consideration in

organization or assignment: If the ethical conflict remains

which the member identifies threats to compliance with the

unresolved, the member may be in violation of one or more

rule of conduct, and whether sufficient safeguards can be

ethics rules and should consider whether they can continue

applied to eliminate or reduce those threats to an acceptable

their association with the firm, employer, engagement team

level.

or assignment.

4. Determining course of action: The member should take

Pressure to breach the rules

steps to best achieve compliance with rules and the law. In

Interpretation 2.170.010 provides further details on CPA

weighing alternative courses of action, the member should

responsibilities when facing pressures to breach the rules,

consider the:

including the internal and external parties with whom

•

Applicable rules, laws, or regulations

•

Established internal procedures

•

Ethical issues involved

the CPA may consult, specific rules relating to types of pressures (e.g., integrity, conficts of interest, due care,) and safeguards that may be applied.

Pressures may be explicit or implicit, and may come

The member should justify any departures they think were

from within the employing organization, from an external

appropriate in applying the relevant rules and law. If the

individual or organization, or from the need to meet internal

member is unable to resolve the conflict in a way that

or external targets and expectations.

permits compliance with the applicable rules and law, they may have to address the consequences of the violations.

5. Is there an ethical conflict? An ethical conflict exists

Detecting a possible illegal act As part of its international convergence efforts, in 2017, the AICPA Professional Ethics Executive Committee (PEEC)

when the member encounters obstacles to following an

issued an exposure draft proposing two new interpretations

appropriate course of action. Such obstacles might be

regarding responding to noncompliance with laws and

related to internal or external pressures, to conflicts in

regulations (NOCLAR). Due to feedback received, the draft

applying relevant professional and legal standards, or both.

was re-exposed in February 2021, and is expected to be

Guidance for addressing ethical conflicts is provided in

presented to PEEC with edits for approval in February 2022.

Interpretation 1.000.020 (for public practice) or 2.000.020 (for members in business.)

As proposed, the draft would add responsibilities for

6. Inside consultation: Before pursuing a course of action,

discovering a NOCLAR to:

the member should consider consulting with appropriate professionals within the firm or the organization that employs

CPAs providing financial statement attest services when

•

Obtain an understanding of the matter, including the nature of the act and the circumstances surrounding its occurrence.

•

Discuss the matter with the appropriate level of management, and if appropriate, those charged with governance.

•

Advise the client to take appropriate actions to rectify or remediate the NOCLAR, and, where appropriate, disclose the matter to an authority where required by law or

the member. Keep in mind the integrity rules that prohibit a professional from being associated with information they know is misleading, or from subordinating their own professional judgment to another.

7. Outside consultation: If the member decides not to consult with the appropriate persons within the firm or organization or the conflict remains unresolved after pursuing the selected course of action, the member should consider obtaining advice from an appropriate professional

regulation.

body or legal counsel. In obtaining external consultation, be

If the member determines that management’s response was

mindful of the confidentiality requirements for both members

not appropriate, the member would be required to consider

in public practice and members in business.

withdrawing from the engagement, unless prohibited by law

8. Document: The member should consider documenting

or regulation.

the substance of the issue, parties with whom the issue was

Members providing services other than financial statement

discussed, details of those discussions and decisions made

attest services would only be required to seek to obtain an

concerning the issue.

understanding of the matter, and to communicate the matter to the appropriate level of management and those charged

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 11

with governance, if the member has access to them.

Members providing services other than financial statement attest services would not be required to advise management to take specified appropriate and timely actions to address the NOCLAR, and would be encouraged to document, rather than required to document, certain aspects of the NOCLAR. The interpretation will not be applicable to a litigation or investigation engagement as defined in AICPA Statement on Standards for Forensic Services.

PEEC voted to request the Auditing Standards Board to consider requiring communication between predecessor and successor auditors if, at the time of termination of the assurance engagement, the predecessor auditor was aware of a client NOCLAR. That process as proposed would include obtaining client consent.

The exposure draft upholds that disclosure of a NOCLAR to an outside authority without the client’s consent is inconsistent with client confidentiality laws and regulations, except in certain circumstances where disclosure is required by law.

Laura Hay, CPA, CAE is executive vice president of The Ohio Society of CPAs and staff liaison to the Accounting Auditing and Professional Ethics Committees. She can be reached at Lhay@ohiocpa.com or 614.321.2241.

Virtual learning!

Ohio Professional Standards and Responsibilities March 16 or June 23 As a profession, CPAs must be able to identify, evaluate and address any action or situation that threatens the core values of the CPA profession: integrity, objectivity, independence, and due care. However, when it comes to making the best decision, there’s not always one perfectly right answer for every situation. Professional ethics is about looking at several solutions and choosing the best path.

This course will help you gain perspective on the wide breadth of issues facing CPAs daily: •

Describe the core ethical factors attributed to the CPA profession.

•

Identify the principles of conduct applicable to CPAs.

•

Describe factors contributing to ethical dilemmas.

•

Use the AICPA conceptual framework when facing situations where clear answers are not apparent.

Visit my.ohiocpa.com and search for “Ohio Professional Standards and Responsibilities”

THREE THINGS AICPA Code of Professional 1. The Conduct in 2014 codified a new decision-making framework – one for members in public practice, and one for members in industry – that CPAs can reference in addressing ethical dilemmas.

12 | CPA Voice

2.170.010 2. Interpretation provides further details on CPA responsibilities when facing internal and external pressures to breach the rules and safeguards that may be applied.

AICPA Professional Ethics 3. An Executive Committee exposure draft on detecting possible illegal acts is expected to be presented to the PEEC with edits for approval in February 2022.

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 13

FEATURE

By Donny C. Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA

Are Ohio CPAs ready for

ACCOUNTING TRANSFORMATION?

14 | CPA Voice

Poll responses at OSCPA's October Virtual Town Hall session indicated that attendees felt their teams were ready to navigate the accounting technology environment, yet many haven’t adopted technology tools.

As an advocate for accounting transformation, this dichotomy

Professional (CITP) will now be part of the base accounting

is one that I’ve seen many times – people saying that they are

curriculum. The CITP is a credential that represents a deeper

ready but haven’t taken action to ensure adoption of the new

knowledge of information management and technology

technologies and business practices needed to embrace this

assurance, combined with the business acumen of a CPA.

transformation.

The CITP will remain a specialty credential because it requires five years of experience and additional training, but the path

Readiness to navigate accounting technology changes

toward CITP will be much more prevalent in the Information Systems and Controls (ISC) path within the CPA Evolution

OSCPA President & CEO Scott Wiley, CAE, opened the

curriculum model – the path that is essentially the new audit –

Town Hall with a great explanation of the impact of emerging

focused path.

technologies and how CPAs need to embrace the coming changes both in their work practices as well as for their organizations. When he asked them “when it comes to accounting technology, how well is your team prepared to navigate the environment?” about 61% indicated a high level of readiness, saying their staff was well versed, a strategy

The curriculum changes recommended by CPA Evolution will also be incorporated into a revised CPA Exam starting in 2024. This mean that accounting graduates (i.e., entry level accounting staff) will have a much stronger technology skill base than many current practitioners.

was in action, or they were fully involved. Only about a third

The Town Hall poll indicates the path that CPAs should

said they were just getting started. Given that there were

consider is helping their teams be ready to assist in increasing

564 responses to this poll, this is a pretty significant sample,

adoption of technology in the profession. First, understand

and indicates a higher level of readiness then I have seen in

what differentiates accounting technology from “traditional IT”

most states.

– most of this will be in the form of business application and

When it comes to accounting technology, how well is your team prepared to navigate the environment?

35%

mitigating their associated IT-related risks (i.e., the need for better IT general controls). Second, start training your teams on the technologies and techniques needed to leverage accounting

32%

30%

technologies. Once your team is well versed in 27%

25%

accounting technologies and understands the changes they will bring to accounting processes,

23%

20%

develop a strategy for incorporating these technologies and business process changes into

15% 10% 5% 0%

11% 7%

the way your department provides its services – whether to clients (public accounting) or to other management colleagues (finance). Lastly, ensure that you have a continuous improvement

a. What’s accounting technology?

b. We’re just getting started

c. Our team is well versed

d. We have a strategy and are pursuing it

e. We are fully involved and advancing quickly

process in place to ensure that your team and organization stays abreast of new innovations and their implications.

CPA Evolution will require more accounting technology readiness by 2024

High readiness but low adoption

The AICPA and NASBA have released a new model

Another poll during the Town Hall, however, showed that

accounting curriculum where much of what was previously

while people felt they were ready to deal with accounting

considered the domain of an “IT specialist” or Certified IT

technology, there is actually a low number that have actually

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 15

adopted some of the key technologies. In fact, almost a third

their membership to increase their adoption of accounting

said they haven’t adopted cloud computing, robotic process

technologies. OSCPA is working to build out its accounting

automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI), or cryptocurrency.

transformation curriculum in 2022 and as the Inspiration

(Total response was 628 people.)

Architect for the Center for Accounting Transformation (www.improvetheworld.net), I’m pleased to

What technology tools is your organization using now?

be collaborating with the OSCPA team to bring more transformative programs to Ohio Society

350 300

members in the coming year. Keep your eyes

53%

open for more information and courses to help upskill your teams and transform accounting!

250

Donny C. Shimamoto, CPA,

200

CITP, CGMA, is the founder

30%

150

and managing director of IntrapriseTechKnowlogies

100 50 0

8% a. Cloud accounting

b. Robotic process automation (RPA)

LLC, a non-traditional CPA

10% 6% c. Arificial intelligence

0.2% d. Cryptocurrency

e. None of these

f. Not sure

firm focused on innovation acceleration and organizational development for small businesses, middle market organizations, and nonprofits. Additionally, he formed the

Just over half indicated they have adopted cloud accounting,

Center for Accounting Transformation, which provides

but only 8% have adopted RPA and only 6% AI. These

accounting professionals with a framework for utilizing

are fairly low numbers – especially with RPA and AI – and

innovations that are ready for adoption, the training and

indicate these would only be the “leading edge” adopters

resources necessary to apply the innovations, and an

who are using these technologies. Cryptocurrency had only

opportunity to engage the talent and community needed

0.2% adoption (one person). However, this is not surprising

to further the pursuit of innovative accounting practices

given the tax implications of transacting in cryptocurrency. I

that drive responsible and mindful business performance.

personally don’t think we’ll see high cryptocurrency adoption

Donny is a recognized thought leader and educator in the

until we see the US Treasury support a digital dollar that is

fields of accounting technology, innovation, IT-related risk

truly treated as currency.

management (including cybersecurity), and performance

Accounting transformation in 2022 The flipside of the results of the technology tools poll is there is a great opportunity for OSCPA members to leverage

16 | CPA Voice

management. He welcomes questions or comments about the article at: donny@intraprise.us.

Ohio CPA KnowledgeHub Publication Ad.indd 1

9/3/20 1:28 P

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 17

diversity equity + inclusion The top 10 tech tools for inclusive workplaces

By Kurt Merriweather, co-founder, The Diversity Movement

18 | CPA Voice

Organizations create and sustain winning cultures by fostering a collaborative environment where all team members are encouraged and able to contribute their best ideas. Teams that are intentional in establishing a shared sense of belonging are also more productive. Building connectedness is an important element of building workplace excellence and can be multiplied by using the right set of digital tools and platforms.

Our top-10 list of inclusive tech tools, included below, is

Diversity Movement was created with this fact in mind. Teams

based on the platforms our customers and partners use to

are able to engage in friendly competitions by participating in

create inclusive work environments and tools we use at The

30+ real-world actions that reinforce DEI learning concepts

Diversity Movement as well.

while building a sense of workplace community. Examples

1. Messaging – In a remote environment, messaging apps like Slack and Microsoft Teams have become the heartbeat of an organization to facilitate real-time conversation and

include watching a foreign-language film, dining at a restaurant with an unfamiliar cuisine, or learning more about unconscious bias.

connections among groups. To create a higher level of

5. Video conferencing – Online video is an essential

inclusion, many platforms enable customizations that support

element of inclusive technology as the COVID-19 pandemic

personalization. For example, Slack has enabled a pronouns

and increasing globalization of teams have shifted many

field to share personal pronouns more easily, and Microsoft

organizations into fully remote or hybrid workplaces. Using

has enabled more than 800 emojis with a skin tone chooser

chat or Q&A features enables team members who may not be

to expand the range of expression.

as verbal or extroverted as other team members to have an

2. Digital whiteboards – Digital whiteboards enable members of an organization to participate in brainstorming exercises and share their opinions, thoughts and ideas anonymously. These tools reduce the awkwardness of sharing publicly and enable members of a group to edit and collate ideas rapidly, helping to democratize inclusion. In

equal voice in all conversations. Popular video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet have become an integral part of having online meetings. Zoom’s marketplace has a robust set of apps to foster team inclusion like Otter.ai for transcription and Warmly to help build rapport more quickly.

the last two years, tools like Miro have seen rapid growth,

6. Anonymous interactive feedback – To make your

partially driven by the need to collaborate in hybrid and

meetings more interactive while also protecting anonymity

remote environments.

when discussing sensitive topics, Mentimeter provides

3. Virtual team gatherings – In order to reinforce culture and build a sense of togetherness, online video platforms can be used to build team camaraderie and a feeling of belonging.

Gatheround, formerly known as Icebreaker, has helped teams build culture while being in a remote environment. The platform includes short games and conversation starters to get people talking.

4. DEI Challenges – Learning inclusive practices is more effective when members of a team are given options for what they would like to learn. A study cited by Scientific American suggests that learning happens faster and more efficiently when learners are given options and control over their learning format, length, and environment. Connect by The

an opportunity for everyone in a virtual audience to have their question heard. Members of your meeting can upvote questions that they would also like to have answered.

Questions are asked anonymously, creating an open and safe environment for professionals and others who are conducting workshops or small group sessions.

7. Microlearning – Learning in the flow of work is critical to building the necessary skills that develop and sustain an inclusive work environment. Building inclusive language skills and inclusive leadership competencies require repetition over time. MicroVideos by The Diversity Movement is designed to deliver brief, to-the-point insights that teach individuals and teams how to speak, interact and lead respectfully and inclusively.

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 19

8. Inclusive Hiring – Building strong, high-performing teams

contribute in regular meetings or ensuring underrepresented

is a challenge for almost all organizations. And, if you want to

emerging leaders have an opportunity to grow. 15Five and

hire the very best talent, you need to focus on inclusive hiring

Performance Culture are two examples of organizations that

practices because unconscious bias is pervasive and sneaky.

have created feedback solutions that can be used to scale

Bias is often built into recruiting processes, starting with the

inclusive culture.

initial candidate screen. Knockri helps to solve this challenge.

Translated as the word “job” in Hindu, Urdu, and Punjabi, Knockri uses video assessment and machine learning to analyze just the interview transcript of an interviewee’s responses to remove bias from screening.

9. Disability Inclusion – It’s estimated that the annual discretionary spending of people with disabilities is over $200 billion. Serving customers well means ensuring that digital properties are accessible to all. In order to create new market opportunities and ensure team members who are living with permanent or temporary conditions can contribute fully, web properties should be assessed to ensure that they meet WCAG accessibility guidelines. Organizations like Ablr help companies assess and monitor digital properties to ensure that they meet the user experience needs of all audiences.

Did we miss a tool that your organization uses or is developing? Let us know! We’d love to learn more about which tech tools are moving the needle for your company.

Kurt Merriweather is a Certified Diversity Executive and thought leader on building teams through the integration of DEI and technology. Before co-founding The Diversity Movement, he was VP of Strategy and Transformation at Walk West where he was responsible for leading the consulting and strategy practice and developing new business concepts and ventures. He holds a bachelor of science degree in Electrical Engineering from The Ohio State University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

10. Performance Feedback – Providing and receiving timely feedback helps leaders and employees reinforce inclusive practices, whether it is ensuring all members of a team

of Thought Leads to Bold Innovation

OSCPA invites you to connect with learning that helps you tap the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace culture: • Recognizing & Neutralizing Bias • Socializing Inclusiveness Throughout Your Organization • Stories of Belonging: Equity & Inclusion in the Workplace • Inclusive Collaboration & Team Building • Inclusive & Non-Inclusive HR Practices • Inclusiveness Metrics & Measures: Where Are We Going?

• Sustaining an Inclusiveness Culture During Growth & Succession

Learn more at:

ohiocpa.com/CrossingBridges

20 | CPA Voice

VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE

PROGRAM Ohio Northern University has hosted its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for 42 years. The program provides both community service for area residents and career preparation for Ohio Northern students. It offers free tax help to people who generally make $55,000 or less who need assistance in preparing their tax returns. As part of the program, ONU students receive training and become IRScertified to help prepare basic and intermediate tax returns and identify special credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Credit for the Elderly.

“Our students are able to further develop the interpersonal skills, such as working with clients and communication, that support what they learn in the classroom and which are valued by employers,” said Professor of Business Administration Dexter Woods, who coordinates the ONU effort. “These types of practical learning experiences bridge the classroom and the workplace. Further, hiring someone to prepare their taxes can be cost-prohibitive for many individuals, so the VITA program provides a valuable service in that regard. In all, it is an outstanding service-learning activity.”

About 50 ONU students from ONU’s Dicke College of Business Administration are involved in the program each year.

It also provides invaluable practical training for the students.

Youngstown State University has offered its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for decades. Initially it was coordinated by the accounting honorary student organization Alpha Tau Gamma (which later became Beta Alpha Psi). Ray Shaffer became the coordinator (as well as the adviser to Alpha Tau Gamma) in the early 1990s.

“In the early days we prepared paper tax returns, and then eventually progressed into tax software loaded onto individual computers, and eventually where we are today with 'cloud' software,” Shaffer said. “Along the way, I got our VITA program approved for a credit-bearing course called ‘Income Tax Preparation 1,’ similar to an internship. This has been the most important change to the program, because it

greatly increased the number of students who participated and, along with software, allowed us to prepare many more returns. And the course for credit also exposed many more students to income tax preparation and VITA and gave them valuable experience.”

The program also benefits taxpayers in the community, including other YSU students who get their income taxes prepared and efiled for free.

“As I try to tell students when we recruit them into VITA, it is a win-win-win program,” Shaffer said. “The students get great practical experience, students get academic credit, and taxpayers get their taxes prepared for free.

“And the taxpayers love the program; some have been coming back for 10 and 15 years, and we get to know them. It is like a get-together of old friends.”

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 21

2021 Annual Report

Promoting and Protecting your Professional Interests

22 | CPA Voice

Dear Colleagues: We are pleased to report another momentous year on the legislative front. Once again, The Ohio Society of CPAs was able to leverage its considerable relationships to secure a number of significant legislative victories in 2021 that advanced our professional interests, promoted our credential and ensured a more competitive business climate in Ohio. This level of success would not be possible without your investment in OSCPA membership and your contributions to Ohio CPA/PAC. Both are essential to the effectiveness of our issue advocacy initiatives. We thank you for demonstrating your leadership and commitment to the profession through your generous financial support.

OSCPA’s government relations team is respected by legislators and Ohio business groups Scott D. Wiley, CAE

as one of the most influential and effective in the nation. That is due in large measure to the

President & CEO

strength of Ohio CPA/PAC, which enables us to build relationships with key lawmakers who are pro-business and whose views largely align with the CPA profession.

Candidates for elective office in Ohio regularly pursue OSCPA’s endorsement because of our profession’s strong reputation among the public and our thorough vetting process.

And lawmakers eagerly seek out our counsel because of our standing as trusted business advisors.

Your continued support of Ohio CPA/PAC is essential to the effectiveness of our advocacy efforts. When we join together, we truly can transform the state of business and ensure economic prosperity for all Ohioans.

Sincerely,

Mark LaPlace, CPA Ohio CPA/PAC Chair

Scott D. Wiley, CAE President & CEO

Mark LaPlace, CPA Ohio CPA/PAC Chair

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 23

Undeniable Impact

2021 OSCPA Legislative Wins OSCPA’s legislative victories in 2021 helped save taxpayers and businesses millions of dollars.

Preserved the Business Income Deduction

Secured PTE withholding rate reduction

$650M Annually

$31.6M in FY2023

Savings to Ohio business owners/shareholders

Savings to Ohio Pass-Through Entity owners

Spearheaded elimination of Ohio’s sales & use tax on employment & placement services

Pushed for permanent Commercial Activity Tax exemption on BWC dividends

$300M

$10M+ in CY2020

Savings to Ohio employers over the next two years alone

Savings to Ohio businesses

Backed using American Rescue Plan Act dollars to pay off Ohio’s pandemic-related federal unemployment loan

$658M Ohio unemployment payroll tax savings to Ohio businesses over a 3-year period

Additional significant OSCPA legislative accomplishments in 2021 included: •

Secured language that extends the application of the temporary municipal income tax withholding providing relief for employers through the end of 2021.

•

Championed the elimination of the NAICS code requirement when taxpayers claim the business income deduction (BID) on Ohio tax returns.

•

Pushed for clarifying language in Section 29 of H.B. 197, allowing qualified employees to apply for and receive a refund of taxes withheld in 2021 to a municipality where they neither lived nor physically performed services.

•

Spearheaded the effort to shorten from eight to six years the statute of limitations for actions on written contracts and from six to four years on contracts not in writing, improving Ohio’s civil litigation climate.

•

Prevailed in seeking an extension of the date taxpayers may opt in or out of the state-administered centralized collection process for municipal net profits tax to the 15th day of the fourth month after the beginning of the taxpayer’s fiscal year and requiring the Ohio Department of Taxation to notify cities when a taxpayer has opted in or out rather than businesses doing that themselves.

•

•

Advocated for the enactment of a 3% across-the-board income tax rate cut for taxable years beginning in 2021 and consolidation of the income tax brackets from current five to four by bringing Ohio’s top rate down to 3.99% on 2021 income greater than $110,650. The new law also increases the income level at which the first tax bracket begins, moving from $22,150 to $25,000 in 2021.

Backed state/federal tax conformity legislation that addressed a wide variety of issues, including deductibility of forgiven loan expenses from the Paycheck Protection Program and the American Rescue Plan Act that excluded from taxpayers’ income tax the first $10,200 of unemployment benefits received in 2020 if their modified adjusted gross income was less than $150,000.

•

Brought CPA Exam reform across the finish line, enabling Ohio students to sit for the Exam after completing 120 semester hours of education, including specified accounting and business coursework, rather than waiting until they have completed the full 150 hours.

24 | CPA Voice

The Pillars of Effective

Issue Advocacy

EFFECTIVE ISSUE ADVOCACY Professional Lobbyists

Ohio CPA/PAC Contributions

(funded by your OSCPA membership investment)

Your informed voice on issues at stake

Your membership investment combined with your contributions to Ohio CPA/PAC help fund the important work OSCPA does to protect your credential, advance the profession, and advocate for a competitive business climate in Ohio. And your educated guidance on the issues that matter enables OSCPA to generate the best outcome. All three are needed to ensure success.

Lifecycle of a contribution

Members voluntarily invest in Ohio CPA/PAC

Ohio CPA/PAC Board strategically allocates funds to legislator campaigns

Ohio CPA/PAC builds allies at the Statehouse who support OSCPA’s interests

Ohio CPA/PAC strengthens your voice and influence

The Power of Participation Jessie Wright, CPA, CVA, CGMA Schroedel, Scullin & Bestic, LLC

Adam Garn, CPA, Esq. Plante Moran

“I have always been impressed by OSCPA’s Government Relations Team and how they can keep a finger on the pulse of the legislative front to protect our interests as CPAs.”

“There are a lot of issues out there that do impact our profession. What better way to look at those issues and understand them than being a driver in helping OSCPA move them forward.”

Crystal Faulkner, CPA, CExP, MAFF Partner, Cincinnati Market Leader MCM CPAs & Advisors

Rep. Bill Roemer, CPA R-Richfield

“I would encourage all members to get involved in OSCPA issue advocacy. As CPAs, we add real value to our clients when we can work with legislators to help remove obstacles that stifle business growth.”

“Before I became involved in politics, I was not involved with The Ohio Society of CPAs other than being a member. But OSCPA is one of the most influential organizations and I really value their input and support.”

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 25

Advocacy in Action

For the second year in a row, this virtual program provided participants with an informative look at the legislative process and how OSCPA develops its legislative agenda. More than 100 people attended Advocacy in Action and heard from legislators and peers about the power of participation in issue advocacy. $2,035 Advocacy in Action proceeds added to The Ohio CPA Advocacy Fund The Ohio CPA Advocacy Fund was created to help pay for white papers, research, PR campaigns and other materials designed to support and advance key legislative initiatives. This fund is another tool in OSCPA’s arsenal to help protect your professional interests.

2021 Outstanding Legislator Award Winners

The Ohio Society of CPAs was pleased to recognize these leading state legislators who have been critical to OSCPA’s success on key issues of concern. These innovative individuals regularly work closely with OSCPA to help move our profession’s priorities forward.

26 | CPA Voice

Rep. Thomas West D-Canton

Rep. Bill Roemer, CPA R-Richfield

Rep. Derek Merrin R-Monclova Township

Sen. Kristina Roegner R-Hudson

2022 Legislative Priorities The Ohio Society’s nationally recognized government relations team continuously monitors the legislative landscape to ensure the profession’s interests are protected and advocate for a healthy and sustainable economic environment in Ohio. There are several key issues we’re pushing and others that we are monitoring, during the second half of the 2021-2022 legislative session, including: • Vaccine mandate bills: There are several bills pending that seek to limit the ability of business owners to respond to COVID-related threats. OSCPA is opposing them, not because of the vaccine aspect, but because they are an attack on free enterprise and the ability of Ohio businesses and business owners to run their operations from a health and safety perspective that works best for them and their employees/customers/ clients/patients.

• Business Income Deduction and Business Sales: OSCPA is working to clarify that gains from the sale of an ownership interest in a business is considered business income for Ohio income tax purposes, provided the sale satisfies either of the following: 1) the sale is treated for federal income tax purposes as the sale of assets; or 2) the seller was involved in the day-to-day management during the taxable year in which the sale occurred or during any of the five preceding years. Without this change, OH business owners will leave our state. Two bills are currently pending, S.B. 247 and H.B. 515.

• SALT Deduction Parity: OSCPA has provided proponent testimony on S.B. 246, which would authorize a PTE owner to claim a refundable credit against the owner’s Ohio income tax liability equal to the owner’s proportionate share of the tax paid by the PTE. • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: OSCPA is advocating for an expansion of Ohio’s anti-discrimination laws by including gender preference and sexual orientation under the list of protected classes to make Ohio a more welcoming and diverse state for employees and employers.

for taxable years 2020 and 2021 and for taxable years with a federal net operating loss (NOL) carryback from taxable years 2020 and 2021, the special provisions relating to Ohio’s “bonus depreciation” adjustments in years when a taxpayer has an NOL, thereby eliminating the potential for an unintended tax increase at the state level.

• Protect Municipal Income Tax Reform Laws: OSCPA continues to monitor developments and fend off attacks to hard won municipal income tax reform laws. We recently secured the enactment of H.B. 228 updating ODT's centralized collection process for the municipal net profits tax and we currently support H.B. 519 to place limits on late filing penalties.

• Limit Expansion of Sales Tax on Services: Though OSCPA has been successful in fighting off attempts to expand this tax to the accounting profession, the concept is under serious consideration in neighboring Indiana and Kentucky. If a neighboring state is successful in its efforts to tax professional services, you can anticipate that Ohio may try to follow suit.

• Caps on Non-Economic Damages in Civil Lawsuits: Nearly 20 years ago, OSCPA advocated for the successful passage of strong tort reform laws. One of those crucial tenets, a cap on non-economic damages, is under attack and now is before the Ohio Supreme Court—an issue OSCPA is actively fighting to defend. Erosion of this and other common sense civil justice reforms will result in rising insurance costs and increased frivolous lawsuits, which will cost Ohio businesses millions of dollars.

• Bonus Depreciation: OSCPA has worked to secure the introduction of H.B. 86, to temporarily suspend,

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 27

2021 Financial Overview $103,181

Amount Ohio CPA/PAC raised in 2021

724

$101,380

Amount Ohio CPA/PAC raised in 2020

Individuals who contributed in 2021

Contributions to Ohio CPA/PAC are voluntary.

No portion of OSCPA membership dues was directed to Ohio CPA/PAC.

$72,550

62

Amount disbursed to support campaigns of legislative candidates who support issues of importance to OSCPA and its members.

Candidates Ohio CPA/PAC supported

Your 2021 Ohio CPA/PAC Board The Ohio CPA/PAC Board would like to recognize trustee Sandra Pierce for her many years of service and welcomes new board member Owen Wyss.

Mark LaPlace, CPA Chair Retired

Jane Pfeifer, CPA Treasurer Clark Shaefer Hackett

Jeff Brooks, CPA, CGMA Trustee Apple Growth Partners

Ann Gabriel, CPA, PhD Trustee Retired

Ranjan Manoranjan, CPA Trustee 3SG Plus

Jacob Nix, CPA, CISM, CISA Trustee RISCPoint

Sandy Pierce, CPA Trustee Retired

Owen Wyss, CPA Treasurer Complete General Construction

Matt Yuskewich, CPA Trustee Winterset CPA Group

Laura Hay, CPA, CAE Executive Vice President

Barbara Benton, CAE Vice President, Government Relations

Your OSCPA Issue Advocacy Team Scott Wiley, CAE President & CEO

Gregory Saul, Esq., CAE Director, Tax Policy

28 | CPA Voice

Thank you to Our Contributors - 2021 Ohio CPA/PAC is a crucial part of The Ohio Society of CPAs’ successful issue advocacy arsenal. Without financial support from members like you, Ohio CPA/PAC would be unable to continue its stellar track record of legislative victories on the issues that matter most to our profession and Ohio’s business community. Your donations ensure that your voice is heard by those who can affect change.

2021 Ohio CPA/PAC Firm Contributors* $10,000 or above

$5,000–9,999

$1,000–2,499

Deloitte LLP Grant Thornton LLP KPMG PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Clark Schaefer Hackett & Co. Rea & Associates, Inc.

3SG Plus, LLC Apple Growth Partners GBQ Partners LLC Maloney + Novotny, LLC Mellott & Mellott PLL

$2,500–4,999 Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.

Contributions of $500 or more Joseph Bacon, Wilder KY John Barnes, Cleveland Daniel Borton, Cincinnati Jeffrey Brooks, Hudson Michael Colagiovanni, Cleveland Scott DeVenny, Cincinnati Crystal Faulkner, Cincinnati Robert Fay, Canton Todd Fentress, Westerville Eric Floriani, Twinsburg Thomas Freeman, Cleveland Patrick Gable, Mentor Ann Gabriel, Upper Arlington Michael Gebura, Cleveland Brian Gothot, Westlake Margaret Gothot, Westlake Cathleen Hare, Columbus Laura Hay, Galloway Matthew Jessup, Cincinnati Mark LaPlace, Columbus Ying Lee, Cincinnati Thomas Libeg, Avon Ranjan Manoranjan, Columbus Donald Mellott, Cincinnati Hannah Prengler, Cleveland Jay Moeller, Dayton Charles Mullen, Akron Jacob Nix, Cleveland Jeffrey Robinson, Strongsville Thomas Rudibaugh, Cleveland Anthony Schweier, Cincinnati Richard Sittema, Cleveland Robert Taylor, Cincinnati Stephen Thome, Cleveland Allen Waddle, Cleveland Edward Walsh, Columbus Scott Wiley, Powell Constance Woods, Vandalia

Contributions of $300 – $499

Barbara Benton, Delaware Kyle Bickhart, Columbus William Edwards, Mason Roy Fales, Cincinnati Herbert LeMaster, Dayton John Moster, Blue Ash Kerry Roe, Cincinnati Darrin Spitzer, Springfield John Venturella, Middletown Phillip Wilson, Canfield Ellen Wisbar, Hudson

Contributions of $100 – $299 Myles Abbott, Twinsburg John Ahern, Westlake Ron Antal, Stow Joseph Appelmann, Cary NC Melissa Ashley, Columbus

Christopher Axene, Dublin Robert Barkett, Solon James Bechtel, Columbus Chris Beiswenger, Cleveland Robert BeresfordvLoveland George Bethea, Uniontown Martha Bethea, Uniontown Francis Bezon, Salem Raymond Biddiscombe, Upper Arlington Tara Bollinger, Sylvania Michael Borowitz, Columbus Holly Bowman, Maumee Chuck Braddock, Cincinnati Paul Breen, Columbus Joseph Brenner, Port Clinton David Brink, Norwalk Bill Broadus, Manassas VA David Brockman, Fairlawn James Brocksmith, Naples FL Dixon Buehler, Worthington Barbara Bukovac, Cincinnati Stephen Bybee, Cincinnati Courtney Clark, Columbus Jesse Claypool, Toledo Kenneth Clifford, Medway Rachel Coleman, Cincinnati Maura Corrigan, Avon Gilbert Corwin, Lakewood Kenneth Couls, Hinckley Gregory Coward, Findlay Allan Crawford, Spring TX James Creeden, Cincinnati Tiffany Crosby, Dublin Melissa Crowley, Canfield Thomas D'Anniballe, Steubenville Kevin Davis, Dayton Robert Deimling, Mentor On The Lake Joshua DeMarco, Cincinnati Scott Deters, North Bend Christa DeWire, Columbus Mike Dickey, Delaware Dawn Di-Muro Rogers, Cincinnati David DiManna, Sylvania Robert Dobrowsky, Brecksville Nicholas Doland, Cincinnati Max Dorfmeister, Toledo Charles East, Cincinnati Roger Eberly, Centerville William Edwards, Mason Gregg Feltrup, Cincinnati Frank Festi, Medina Michael Fleitz, Norwalk CT Kathleen Fox, Grafton Brandon Gabel, Toledo Troy Gaerke, Plain City James Gero, Independence Timothy Gerspacher, Cleveland Thomas Giere, Troy

Jason Giha, Dublin William Giha, Sylvania Christopher Goodwin, Maineville Richard Graf, Dayton Stephen Green, Columbus Paul Gregory, Amherst Robert Guido, Terrace Park Peter Hackett, Springfield Lori Hallmark, Cincinnati Phillip Hann, Canton Richard Hargrave, Sandusky James Haubrock, Miamisburg Ann Hawkins, Cleveland Mark Heinrich, Avon Michael Herman, Columbus Okeva Hervey, Westerville Adam Hill, Cleveland Alan Hill, Mentor Cary Hines, West Chester Kenneth Hodges, Centerville Louis Homan, Dayton Katherine Hurley, Columbus Lowell Huth, Hinsdale IL Daniel Hursh, Medina Tony Ielase, Columbus Bruce Ireland, Cleveland Louise Jackson, Toledo Kimberly James, Powell Ann Johnston, Cincinnati Steven Julian, Westerville David Justice, Cincinnati Eric Kahrl, Cleveland Lori Kaiser, Columbus TR Kane, Cleveland William Kasch, Dayton Vaughn Kauffman, Cleveland Brian Kelly, Westlake Craig Keller, Columbus Kenneth Keller, New Franklin Sean Kelly, Cleveland William Keller, Columbus Brian Kennedy, Whitehouse James King, Lakewood Ranch FL Verne Klunzinger, Hinckley Jennifer Koder, Swanton William LaPlace, Cleveland David Lauer, Dublin Robert Lehman, Independence Christopher Linck, Cincinnati Eugene Logan, Columbus Nicholas Lombardo, Columbus Charles Macfarlane, Bay Village James Manley, Hudson Thorne Matteson, Avon Lake Keith Martinez, Delaware Suzanne McCann-Perry, Westerville Patrick McCormick, Hudson David McCarthy, Medina Richard McDonough, Harrison Dan McGill, Columbus

View the full list of individual contributors at

Plante Moran PLLC Sikich, LLP William Vaughan Company *In some cases, contributions are made by individual members and the organization is recognized for the total contribution. Ohio law prohibits the acceptance of corporate checks.

Mike McLaughlin, Cincinnati Scott McMillen, Cleveland Susan McPartlin, Cincinnati Jay Meglich, Columbus Russell Meyer, Columbus Randall Myeroff, Cleveland Douglas Michel, Cincinnati Tyler Mihaila, Cleveland Craig Miller, Lorain Jeffery Miller, Columbus Randall Misch, Twinsburg Gregory Muresan, Cleveland Robin Nichols, Columbus Michael Olecki, Olmsted Falls Stanley Olejarski, Cleveland Raymond Onderisin, Mentor Jordan Pace, Galena Jason Padley, Cleveland Jason Palus, Independence Anthony Perazzo, Cincinnati Michael Petrecca, Columbus Jane Pfeifer, Dublin Kenneth Phillips, Zanesville Cassandra Pierce, Marietta Raul Pina, Columbus Gary Pogharian, Columbus Raymond Polantz, Cleveland David Powell, Cleveland Melissa Pozniak, Aurora Michael Pratt, Hudson Clarke Price, Columbus Virgil Puthoff, Beavercreek Stephen Rabe, Cincinnati Andrew Reinsel, Cincinnati Michael Renzelman, Columbus Shawn Richardson, Wooster John Rife, Avon Lake John Rosan, Gahanna Blake Roe, Mason Robb Rose, Delta Gregory Rosko, Cleveland Mark Ross, Cleveland Brandon Roytberg, Richmond Heights Marsha Ruddle, Columbus Brian Rudzik, Chicago IL Benjamin Russell, Cleveland Laurence Santagata, Mayfield Village Greg Saul, Gahanna Dario Savron, Kirtland Joseph Sbrocco, Cleveland Carl Scharf, Columbus Michael Scheiding, Whitehouse Arthur Scherbel, New Albany Charles Schillig, Wakeman Michael Schmidt, Cincinnati Anthony Schweier, Cincinnati Michael Scurria, Dublin Sean Serba, Cincinnati Jewell Shane, Cincinnati

Janice Shannon, Beavercreek Catherine Sheets, Delta Robert Shenton, Dublin Daryl Sherred, Powell Lesa Shoemaker, New Albany Douglas Shriver, Cincinnati Robert Sielschott, Lima Charissa Simmons, West Alexandria Akshay Singh, Cleveland Donald Sinko, North Olmsted Erin Sleeth, Happy Valley OR David Smith, Akron Alan Solomon, Cincinnati Daniel Staley, Cincinnati Jon Stangel, Vandalia Betty Stargel, London Gregg Stark, Cleveland Thomas Steinke, Brunswick Bryan Stephens, Cincinnati John Stieg, Columbus Kevin Sullivan, Cleveland Daniel Sutherly, Troy Ryan Swincicki, New Albany Kevin Thomas, Cleveland Marvin Thomas, Cleveland Bradley Thompson, Cleveland Dave Tilk, Cleveland Douglas Torline, Cincinnati Walter Tornstrom, Kirtland Steven Tresppo, Cleveland Jarrod Trigg, Cincinnati Michael Urse, Cleveland Jami Vallandingham, Melbourne KY Chris Van Pelt, Cincinnati Tami Van Tassell, Upper Arlington Linda Velandra, Ottawa Lake MI Rahul Wadhawan, Cleveland Theodore Wagner, Twinsburg Matthew Wallace, Cleveland Joseph Waller, Mason Wilberta Warner, Fairfield Trevor Warren, Columbus Steven Weber, Sylvania Lawrence Weeks, Springfield Dale Welsh, Cincinnati John B. White, Holland James Will, Hudson Robert Woolley, Dublin Stephen Worth, Columbus William Wortzman, Beachwood Lee Wunschel, Holland Owen Wyss, Columbus Darin Yug, Cleveland Thomas Zaino, Blacklick Jonathon Zavislak, Westerville Adam Zelwin, Solon David Zentkovich, Columbia Station Erica Zoellner, Lebanon David Zuber, Cleveland

ohiocpa.com/Advocacy JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 29

Career Center Why your to-do list might be holding you back

By Jessica Salerno-Shumaker, OSCPA senior content manager

30 | CPA Voice

Brandon Fredericks, CPA, has opted out of the traditional to-do list, instead using his calendar to ensure he prioritizes the most meaningful work.

“We get so infatuated with checkmarks and scratching

Fredericks joined us recently on The State of Business

things off,” said Fredericks, a principal at Apple

podcast to discuss a blog post he wrote titled “The Death of

Growth Partners.

the To-Do List,” about how that isn’t the most efficient way to

“

prioritize important projects, how to use a calendar instead.

And I think sometimes we just get so caught up with completing something, that we're not really asking ourselves, what is it that we're actually trying to do? What's the impact that we're trying to make?

”

A calendar allows professionals to be more objective and specific when blocking off time for certain tasks or meetings, Fredericks said. It forces one to consider how to spend time in a meaningful way because there are limited hours in the day. A to-do list, in contrast, can be endless, making it easy to lose track of what matters most.

Each person has their own approach to scheduling what makes sense for them on their calendar, Fredericks said, but his approach is simple: if it’s important to you, schedule it.

He said this even extends to activities outside of work, like spending time with family or working out.

It can be difficult to decide what to prioritize, especially when there are different tasks competing for attention. To make this approach successful, Fredericks said to take some time to consider your role and what makes sense to focus on.

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 31

“Look at your role within your organization,” Fredericks said.

“

“To me, it's not so much about getting more done,” Fredericks said. “It's about the quality and what we're putting

Where do you provide the most impact or contributions? If you're a person providing client experience, you're going to need to look at your schedule and reserve time for those client meetings.

”

And for those worried that this means they’ll become overly scheduled, Fredericks said the intention here isn’t to schedule every minute. The calendar should be flexible, and it should bring intentionality and meaning to time.

32 | CPA Voice

forth to move forward. Whatever that objective or initiative is, my metric or evaluation criteria at the end of the day is, how did we move the needle?”

Listen to the episode now at ohiocpa.com/Pod11321

See What's Ahead at 2022's Largest Public Accounting Event—

Employee Benefit Plan Audit Virtual Conference No matter if you’ve been in the EBPA world for eons or you’re an eager rookie—this conference will get you up to speed for what’s on the horizon for employee benefit plan audits.

• Accounting and auditing standard update • Retirement legislation and economic update • Financial statement and disclosure refresher • Cybersecurity and fraud in EBPAs • Remote auditing developments • Risk assessment enhancements and nuances • Employee benefit plan audit bootcamp— a great learning opportunity for staff new to the EBPA world!

Register by April 1 to save $50 at

ohiocpa.com/EBPA22

April 29, 2022 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

8 credits AU

or call 614.764.2727.

The Future is in Their Hands. And Yours.

Support the future of the accounting profession by making a gift for The Ohio CPA Foundation or by contributing online at www.ohiocpafoundation.org.

Your generous support: • Welcomes the next generation to our profession • Introduces students to the benefits and values of becoming a CPA • Contributes to leadership development programs that enable students to enter the workforce prepared for success.

Thank you, your gift makes all the difference!

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 33

members in motion Brandon Miller, CPA, CGMA President & CEO, HW&Co. Left

Dave Shealy, CPA, CGMA Managing Principal, HW&Co., Mansfield Right

Daniel Kaminski, CPA

Cheryl Lanese, CPA, CCIFP

Michael Muniak, CPA

Brian Palisin, CPA, MT

Connie AugustineThompson, CPA

Moira M. Fair, CPA

Emilee R. Smrek

Kim Zagar, CPA

CANFIELD

COLUMBUS

Connie Augustine-Thompson, CPA, and Moira M. Fair,

Kaiser Consulting concluded 2021 with a trio of honors:

CPA, have been promoted to the position of senior manager

The firm was recognized the number one accounting and

at Schroedel, Scullin & Bestic, LLC.

advisory firm in the United States by The Accounting &

After serving two tax seasons as an accounting intern, Emilee R. Smrek has joined Schroedel, Scullin & Bestic, LLC, as a team accountant.

CINCINNATI Griffin Hurd, CPA has been promoted to Shareholder at

Financial Women's Alliance, in conjunction with the 2021 Accounting MOVE Project, on its annual Best Firms for Equity Leadership list. Kaiser Consulting also received the first-place honor of excellence for advancing women to top leadership positions on the 2021 Best Firms for Equity Leadership list. Finally, Kaiser Consulting led the

Ohio CPA Proud organization Brixey & Meyer.

nation on the 2021 Best Firms for Equity Leadership list,

CLEVELAND

percentages of women partners and principals.

Ohio CPA Proud organization HW&Co., a regional CPA and advisory firm with offices in Cleveland, Columbus and Mentor, has successfully merged in The Shealy Group, based in Mansfield. The Shealy Group, founded in 2001

by Dave Shealy CPA, CGMA, joins more than 120 HW&Co. professionals serving clients across Ohio and the United States, and its Mansfield location becomes HW&Co.’s fifth office.

Daniel Kaminski, CPA, has been promoted to principal; Michael Muniak, CPA, has been promoted to director, accounting & assurance group; and Brian Palisin, CPA, MT, has been hired as senior manager in the tax group, all at HW&Co. Brandon Miller, CPA, CGMA, president & CEO at HW&Co. was again named to Cleveland Magazine’s CLE500 list, a compilation of the most influential business leaders in the greater Cleveland community.

34 | CPA Voice

which recognizes accounting and advisory firms with high

DAYTON Tyler Carver, CPA has been promoted to shareholder; Nicole Kelly has been promoted to marketing specialist; Kendall Pegues has been promoted to senior accountant; James Trevino, CPA has been promoted to senior accountant; and Jonathan Trunk has been promoted to shareholder, all at Ohio CPA Proud organization Brixey & Meyer.

MENTOR Cheryl Lanese, CPA, CCIFP, has been promoted to office managing principal, Mentor; and Kim Zagar, CPA, has been promoted to principal, director of private business advisory, both at Ohio CPA Proud organization HW&Co.

learning eventsat a glance 02/24

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

2022 Town Halls

1 credit

MS

03/16

8:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Virtual Ohio Professional Standards and Responsibilities

3 credits

RE

03/24

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

2022 Town Halls

1 credit

MS

04/26

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Hot Topics for CPAs Virtual Conference

8 credits

MULTIPLE

05/11

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Financial Wellness Wednesday

1 credit

FI

05/24

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Hot Topics for CPAs Virtual Conference

8 credits

MULTIPLE

06/15

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Not-For-Profit Virtual Conference

8 credits

MULTIPLE

06/23

8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Real Estate & Construction Half-Day Virtual Conference

4 credits

TX

07/21

8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Women, Wealth & Wellness Conference

7 credits

PD

08/15

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Financial Institution Virtual Conference

8 credits

Strategic Finance and Accounting Virtual Summit

MULTIPLE

Employee Benefit Audit Virtual Conference

Mar. 23

Apr. 29

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | 8 credits

MULTIPLE

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | 8 credits

Negotiating Skills

Spring Advance

MULTIPLE

Accounting Show Replay

Complimentary for Members

May 10, 13, 18, 19 & 23 3 credits

On-Demand 2 credits

SK

Feb. 23 & Mar. 10 4-5 credits

PD

MULTIPLE

COMPETENCIES Financial Accounting

Audit & Assurance

Business Management

Technology

Ethics & Professional Standards

Tax

Risk Management & Fraud

Essential Skills & Prof. Development

Talent MGMT & Human Resources

Multiple

CREDIT TYPE AC

Accounting

RE

Regulatory Ethics

BL

Business Law

AG

Accounting (Government)

BE

Behavioral Ethics

EC

Economics

PR

Production

HR

Personnel/ Human Resources

SK

Specialized Knowledge

TX

Taxes

AV

Auditing (Government)

CA

Computer Software & Applications

BM

Business Management & Organization

CM

Communications & Marketing

ST

Statistics

Information Technology

AU

Auditing

MS

Management Services

FI

Finance

PD

Personal Development

MULTIPLE

IT

Register today + find more events at

ohiocpa.com/Events22 JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 35

SPECIAL INTEREST SECTIONS

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Unique communities. Targeted, relevant content.

Get timely, topical news, plus make valuable connections with industry professionals who share your challenges.

Select your interest: • Financial Accounting & Auditing • Tax & Financial Planning • Not-for-Profit • Health Care

• Financial Institutions • Risk Management & Fraud • Talent Management • Technology

Join today

ohiocpa.com/Sections or call Member Services at 614.764.2727

36 | CPA Voice

CPACharge ....................................................... 13

THE OHIO SOCIETY OF CPAs 2021– 2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR OF THE BOARD

Lori Kaiser, CPA, MBA, CGMA Kaiser Consulting Columbus

CHAIR-ELECT

Craig Marshall, CPA Ernst & Young Plain City

PAST CHAIR

PRESIDENT AND CEO

Crystal Faulker, CPA, CExP, MAFF Mountjoy Chilton Medley Cincinnati

Scott D. Wiley, CAE The Ohio Society of CPAs Columbus

VICE CHAIR, FINANCE

Chris Igodan, Jr., CPA Nationwide Insurance Columbus

DIRECTORS Keenan Cooper, CPA Grant Thornton LLP Cincinnati

A’Shira Nelson, CPA Apple Growth Partners Cleveland

Julie Wozniak, CPA NiSource (Columbia Gas) Columbus

Michael J. Elliott, CPA Camp and Park Accounting, LLC Burton

Aaron Swiggum, CPA/PFS William Vaughan Company Maumee

Rick Fedorovich, CPA Bober Markey Fedorovich Akron

Amy Vetter, CPA, CGMA, CITP The B3 Method Institute and Drishtiq Yoga Mason

Jessie C. Wright, CPA, CGMA, CVA Schroedel, Scullin & Bestic, CPAs and Strategic Advisors Canfield

Nancy Juron, CPA Deloitte LLP Windermere, Fla.

Ellen Wisbar, CPA CBIZ Cleveland

lately

Jon Zavislak, CPA, CGMA Thrasio Westerville

and wherever you get your podcasts!

on the pocast The Ohio Society of CPAs podcast “The State of Business” releases new episodes on Wednesdays, covering the latest news impacting accounting professionals.

Episode title: How to stay focused while working through the latest COVID surge From the episode: “Steady as we go. The initial uncertainty when this started in 2020 has subsided. And by and large, the business community has navigated how to handle and manage and work through the impacts of COVID-19 by putting their people first. And certainly, we've seen that in our profession.”

OSCPA President and CEO Scott Wiley, CAE

ohiocpa.com/Podcast JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022

| 37

Transforming Through Education & Advocacy Since 1908

No matter where you are in your career or your role in your organization, OSCPA has what you, your team (and maybe even your boss) need to excel.

MEMBERSHIP Members and growing; together we transform careers, business, legislation, and lives.

LEARNING Of your peers attended and connected through Town Halls and Advance to stay on top of hot topics in the profession.

ADVOCACY Savings to taxpayers through OSCPA-backed income tax bracket reductions and rate cuts.

PIPELINE Was gifted to The Ohio CPA Foundation, which allowed us to create one of the largest student pipelines in the nation!

NEWS Original and curated news stories were provided two times a week through Takeaways and LegUp to keep you in the loop on the ever-changing business and tax environment.

Renew today by calling 614.764.2727 or going to

ohiocpa.com/Renew22