Director of Professional Awareness Hits the Ground Flying

First, let me thank the Board of Directors for the opportunity to serve AAA in the position of Director of Professional Awareness. I have hit the ground….flying. First to Charleston for the PCPS Executive Committee meeting and then to Chicago for my first AAA Board meeting.

I have spent these first couple of meetings getting the lay of the land and trying to determine exactly what the Director of Professional Awareness should be doing. Quite simply, it appears that my job boils down to getting the important role we play in an accounting firm on a daily basis acknowledged and accepted by the accounting industry.  

We have made a good start under Bob Biddle’s leadership by partnering with the AICPA and the PCPS.  Bob has done a great job of getting involved and developing a rapport and relationship with both groups. You will see that partnership working this summer as we conference together in Orlando. I encourage each of you to embrace and take full advantage of what the conference has to offer.

I will continue to build on what Bob has started and further develop a strategy to accomplish our goal. I believe the first step in the process begins with you. Each day you go to your office, look for ways to add value to your firm. Make sure that each person in your firm understands your role and the value you bring. If you haven’t already, begin to cultivate relationships at the partner level, especially with the managing partner.  Look for opportunities in your community to give back, get involved with a charity or join a board. Consider writing articles for your firm newsletter, local business journals, trade magazines, or industry publications. Anything you can do to spread the gospel of the critical role we play in firm management will benefit all of us.

It seems to me, before we convince the profession they can’t live without us, we need to convince ourselves and our firms.