by
Sara Bailey, CPA
| Nov 07, 2022
It’s hard to believe we are nearing the end of 2022 already.
I’ve found the older my kids get, the quicker every year seems
to pass. One of the things I’ve spent time talking to members
about during the last couple months is the value of a WSCPA
membership. While the value of the Society is different for
everyone because of what resources they utilize, I thought I
would share a few reasons why I personally value the WSCPA.
Advocacy
One of the most important things the WSCPA does is play a
vital role in advocacy. The Society has spent years getting to
know legislators, building connections within the Department
of Revenue and cultivating relationships with the Washington
State Board of Accountancy (WBOA). There are many examples
of why these areas are critical to our profession, but here are
just a couple.
There are very aggressive efforts across the U.S. to eliminate
licenses for many professions. What most of us may not
immediately recognize is this type of legislation puts the CPA
license at risk because anti-licensure proponents frequently
do not consider the very technical, complex nature of the CPA
profession. The WSCPA monitors any proposed legislation that
could impact our profession and leverages relationships with
key legislators to ensure they understand the importance of
our CPA licenses. When we attend Hill Day in Olympia, this is
always a key talking point to discuss with legislators because
of the prevalence of these types of bills being put forward.
Another extraordinary advocacy-related accomplishment the
WSCPA has had in the last few years is establishing a scholarship fund for students entering the accounting profession. Most of us
remember the McCleary decision (McCleary v. Washington) in
the state. At that time, the WBOA had a surplus in licensing fees
that the state had earmarked to be swept into the general fund
to help with funding from the McCleary decision. The WSCPA
again quickly mobilized and worked with the WBOA and several
legislators to draft a bill for those funds to be moved into a
scholarship fund (the Certified Public Accounting Scholarship
Program), administered by the Washington CPA Foundation under
a contract with WBOA, for students entering the accounting
profession. Thanks to the bill sponsors and the many hours of
work from the Society, WBOA, and other volunteers, this bill
was successful. Those funds, along with generous donations
from individuals and firms, allow the Foundation to annually
award more than $500,000 of scholarships to more than 80
students in the state. As a result of this advocacy victory, the
Foundation is the largest accounting scholarship provider in
the state of Washington.
Community
Another area the WSCPA plays a critical role is creating a
community for CPAs across the state. The Society creates
opportunities for CPAs to connect with each other, provides
valuable resources to CPAs in all stages of their careers, and helps
students navigate from their academic journey to an accountingcareer. There are endless examples of how the WSCPA does
this. WSCPA staff spend time on university campuses across
the state. They talk to students about the profession, invite
them to events to meet others in the profession, and make
introductions as they look to start interviewing and exploring
intern and full-time career opportunities.
I had the opportunity to meet several accounting students and
new professionals over the summer who were well connected
with the WSCPA at a members’ reception. A few of them were
young mothers working or going to school while navigating
parenthood. I left feeling energized and inspired by each of their
stories and was so happy to have a setting where we were all
brought together to connect. It was also a great opportunity for
others in the profession to network in a low-pressure setting
with each other. Community and connection are so important,
and the WSCPA provides opportunities for us to get togetherwith others outside of our own firms or organizations.
Education
The last area the WSCPA provides significant value to its
members is in its Continuing Professional Education (CPE). You
may be most familiar with the WSCPA’s CPE. From in-person
conferences to online CPE (including new Flexcasts) and the
Prix Fixe CPE series, the quality and availability of CPE is tough
to beat. Whether you are in public accounting, at a non-profit
or in private industry, there are CPE events curated for your
area of expertise. There are also numerous non-technical CPE
events and courses available – from competencies and skills
required by virtual CFOs to a new DEI Training Series (starting
November 4) and Workshop (December 2). The WSCPA’s quality
of CPE is impressive and tough to beat.
These are just a few examples of why I value my WSCPA
membership and am excited to share with other CPAs in the
state. I hope you are all as proud of being a part of the WSCPA
and can share the importance of the Society with others in our
community and students who are considering entering the
profession. I also want to invite everyone to get involved – attend
your local chapter’s next event, register for a conference, or
check out a resource group! Hope to see you at an event soon!
Sara Bailey, CPA, is a partner at Moss Adams
LLP and WSCPA Chair. You can contact Sara
at sara.bailey@mossadams.com.
This article appears in the fall 2022 issue of the Washington CPA magazine. Read more here.