Taking the Next Step: From AAA to CPAFMA

There is nothing permanent except change. – Heraclitus

The CPA firm administration field has changed and grown dramatically since AAA was founded 31 years ago. It is time for the Association for Accounting Administration to take the next step in supporting those dedicated to CPA firm practice management.  We are now the CPA Firm Management Association (CPAFMA) and we are excited about what the future holds!

The Association of Accounting Administrators was founded on January 1, 1984, to enable accounting firm administrators to communicate with one another and provide each other with the benefits of everyone's experiences in what was a new and emerging profession.

Through a combination of local meetings and seminars, and national conferences, publications and surveys, AAA, an individual membership society, has offered maximum benefit to members at minimal cost for more than three decades.

The Association has been the one representative voice of the profession. Many of our members have put forth a great deal of effort toward educating the public accounting profession about the benefits of hiring professional firm managers to run the business affairs of their respective firms. They have also largely shaped the profession, determined the direction for manager career pathing, and have been on the cutting edge of developments in our profession.

To continue the momentum led by our founders, the Association for Accounting Administration (our name changed in 1994 to be more encompassing of the firm administration profession) is transitioning to the CPA Firm Management Association. Our service and support to all of you will increase.  This new name will allow us to better reflect the work you do and will do, and become even more inclusive for everyone who manages accounting firms.

This process has been a while in the making, with initial discussions taking place more than two years ago.  The new name will better represent the organization and our members’ roles within their firms by tying to our mission and vision.  The new name represents the value that firm managers and others in management roles contribute to accounting firms.

Our mission is to be a recognized leader in CPA firm practice management delivering valuable education and collaboration opportunities for those interested in elevating their practice and strategically growing their firms.

We will achieve our mission by providing our members with expert thinking, support, education, inspiration and advocacy.

By 2018, CPAFMA will be a strategic enabler of relationships and provider of valuable connections, resources and education to support holistic CPA firm practice management in the areas of strategy/partner issues, human resources, technology, finance, marketing and business development, in-firm communications, client service and operations and facilities.

The CPA Firm Management Association, its leaders and members are committed to:

• Expertise and Learning – Developing and honing our unique expertise in firm practice management, conducting research and providing members access to expert thinking, education, guidance and resources in CPA firm strategic planning, operations, finance, technology and human resources.
• Professionalism – Attracting members who manage their firms with the utmost professionalism and adhere to a set of guiding principles when executing their roles.
• Lasting Relationships and Collaboration – Providing our members meaningful collaboration and networking opportunities and encouraging them to develop deep and long-lasting relationships.  These relationships allow members to truly collaborate by identifying areas of similarity, sharing best practices, supporting and encouraging each other to learn and grow.

A new journey begins today. This is a journey of redefining our brand, changing our name, and widening the path to a future that will be determined by the work you do managing the CPA firms of today and tomorrow. Accounting firm management is absolutely at the core of this new identity. It’s the foundation of the profession and the basis of our organization. We recognize the scope of our members' roles within their firms and its impact is so much broader than what our founding fathers imagined for the association in 2015, and that now is the time for the organization to adapt to meet you where you are.

One step on this path is a new name, which is the CPA Firm Management Association, and our acronym is CPAFMA.

As the Association for Accounting Administration transitions to the CPA Firm Management Association, we remain committed to providing our members with the services and benefits expected and hope to work with each of you to customize your experience.