Mark Rosen, CPA, CFP — 34

Professional Associations/Memberships: MSCPA, AICPA, Academy of Dental CPAs

Civic Involvement: Brain Tumor Research Annual Bike Ride & Cycle for Life Annual Bike Ride.

Hobbies: Spending time with my family (Jennifer, Jack (4), and Isabella (1)), golfing, biking and going to Red Sox games.

Cell phone: Blackberry Tour

Favorite app: No special apps on my phone, so e-mail, calendar and Internet are definitely used the most.

 

Do you embrace cloud computing? Yes, I think cloud computing is the way of the future given the ability to access the Internet from almost anywhere. However, at this time, it is not beneficial to my firm, so we have not implemented it.

How is cloud computing changing the accounting profession, and how concerned are you with the security issues related to cloud computing? I am not concerned at all about the security issues. I feel comfortable with the SAS 70 standards that have been put in place. I think over time cloud computing will change every profession, not just accounting.

Do you foresee the majority of firms still implementing servers for the majority of their computing in their offices five years from now or do you think they will be outsourcing this component to vendors who specialize in this area? I believe firms will continue to use servers until cloud computing is understood more by the general public and as the younger, more tech-savvy partners begin to take over in firms.

How many monitors do you have on your desk? Three

What operating system and version of Microsoft Office is installed on your work computer? Windows XP and Office 2003

How many hours of the day are you plugged in and responsive to client needs? And what tools/products make it possible for you to have flexibility? With a BlackBerry and Remote Access, I am plugged in 24/7. However, I am careful about how quickly I respond so my clients’ expectations do not become too unreasonable.

Are you using social networking (such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Facebook) as a marketing tool for your practice/business … or do you use such sites for personal use only? Have you gained any clients or seen other demonstrable benefits from the use of social networking? I am on LinkedIn for personal purposes, but we have discussed possibly implementing a Facebook page for our firm. I have not gotten any clients from the site, but it is only a matter of time.

What pitfalls or what unwritten rules of social networking etiquette exist, which are frequently missed by others in the profession? People need to be careful what they put on the Internet from their personal life, especially if they do not want clients or colleagues with whom they network to see or know about it.

Do you subscribe to a magazine and/or local newspaper? I do not subscribe to any magazines or newspapers since everything can be read online.

What ONE piece of technology could you absolutely not live without? My BlackBerry. I like being able to go into work everyday and know what e-mails are waiting for me. Being connected all the time has its ups and downs, but it does help eliminate the morning surprises.

NOT including your current employer, what company do you most admire and why? Every firm that is a member of the Academy of Dental CPAs (ADCPA). The passion and love for what they do and for their clients is truly amazing.

Do you use online resources like webcasts for CPE training? Yes, it is extremely convenient and saves hours of travel time.

Do you listen to podcasts? No, I have not gotten into them yet.

What are some ways your firm/business has gone “paperless” and/or “green” in the last two years? “Paperless” has always been our goal, but we have recently implemented procedures that will help us go “green” a little more by printing most documents double-sided and reviewing more tax returns on-screen.

What is an “old school” business practice or process you’d like to see changed in the next five years and why? Overall client communication: Clients want information in an electronic format, and it is cheaper and more efficient to provide it that way. Providing tax returns and financial statements through encrypted e-mail, portals and FTP sites are the means of communication I would like our firm to use, instead of mail and faxes.

What are some of your favorite books, movies, music, websites and TV shows? I am a die-hard Bruce Springsteen fan, so that is pretty much all I listen to. I love old school sports movies, like “Caddy Shack”, “Bull Durham” and “Hoosiers,” and the only TV show that I watch religiously is “24.” I admit, I am not a big reader, but “The Blind Side” is probably my favorite book in the last few years.

What sports team/championship event do you absolutely refuse to miss? The Red Sox, any game, but especially a World Series game … and The Masters, even though it occurs during tax season.