Association Updates

The Engagement
Emmaus needed a paperless solution to streamline operations, force consistency
between campuses and allow anytime/anywhere access to information via the Internet.
Alexander was determined to find an experienced consultant with project management
skills, experience working with mental health organizations, and a strong IT
background to aid in the selection and implementation of the new solution. “As
a not-for-profit organization, we had limited internal experience with a project
of this scope,” says Alexander. After an exhaustive six-month search,
she began to doubt whether the person she was looking for really existed. “I
truly thought I’d have to refine my expectations.”

Enter Jeff Ward, CPA.CITP of Stone Carlie & Company, LLC. Ward’s
credentials provided evidence of his business acumen and a strong technology
background, and Alexander’s experience with Stone Carlie reassured her
that Ward would be able to provide knowledgeable and unbiased recommendations
based solely on Emmaus’ unique business needs.

“Jeff was an active listener with my team, making sure he understood
our needs,” says Alexander. “He then validated what he heard and
assisted us in selecting the solution that best fit our environment. His technical
skills were critical to ensuring that we did not select a solution that we could
not afford over the long term or was too complex for my staff to use.”

Leveraging the CITP Credential
“Possessing the CPA.CITP was very helpful in demonstrating to Emmaus that
I had the skills and experience that was needed, and gave Alexander added comfort
as she made her decision to seek our help,” says Ward. He achieved his
CITP in 2000 in order to make his IT specialty clearly identifiable. With the
CPA.CITP credential after his name, future clients learn Ward’s background
immediately upon introduction.

Visit www.aicpa.org/citp
to find a CITP in your area, or to learn how you can become a CITP.

————————————————-

NSA To Offer Crash Course & Exam For ABA

Accountants looking to earn the Accredited Business Accountant (ABA) credential
now have a way to jumpstart their study preparation and take the exam when they
are most prepared to tackle it.

The National Society of Accountants (NSA) is offering the “ABA Crash
Course and Exam” August 13-15, 2007, at the Portland Marriott Waterfront
in Portland, Oregon, immediately preceding the NSA Annual Meeting.

The program includes a two-day cram course covering the five topics to be
tested on the exam. Participants will have an opportunity to take a sample exam,
receive tips and tools from expert facilitators, and build the body of knowledge
needed to successfully pass the ABA exam. The ABA exam will be administered
on the third day by the Accreditation Council for Accounting and Taxation (ACAT),
the credentialing organization that offers the ABA credential. Though registrations
will be accepted until July 31, 2007, NSA encourages anyone interested to register
by May 1, 2007 to allow themselves sufficient preparation time.

NSA Past President Helps Reshape EA Exam
The past president of the NSA, Wanda Samek, EA, ATA, recently participated as
a member of a Subject Matter Expert Panel in a special workshop to review and
update examination requirements for Enrolled Agents. The workshop was sponsored
by the IRS, and the panel included a group of seven EAs and representatives
from Thomson Prometric, a company hired to administer the Special Enrollment
Examination.

Professionals holding an EA credential are “Enrolled to Practice Before
the Internal Revenue Service” on matters that include representing clients
in audits, appeals and other matters. The panel offered input on the IRS’s
new exam format, analyzed questions and answers, determined a cut score, and
helped ensure that those passing the exam are qualified to practice federal
taxation.

“I was honored to be chosen to participate in this workshop on behalf
of NSA,” said Samek, who is an EA and leads her own tax firm, Custom Business
Service, in Denton, Texas. “NSA has thousands of Enrolled Agents in its
membership who deal with multiple facets of federal tax law on a regular basis.
It’s a complicated area, and fine-tuning this exam is one of the best
things we can do to make sure all Enrolled Agents are fully prepared to represent
their clients.”

NSA offers a preparatory seminar for practitioners planning to take the exam,
and it is available as a live course or as a self-study course. NSA also offers
a variety of programs with which to meet the continuing education requirement.
More information on the NSA is available at www.nsacct.org.