CPAmerica International, a Gainesville-based accounting association, celebrates its 40th anniversary on May 11.
Founded in 1978 under the name Accounting Firms Associated, the organization now has 76 member firms throughout the United States. CPAmerica primarily focuses on facilitating opportunities for members to get together and share. In fact, the association’s foundation is “Improving through Sharing.”
“CPAmerica was founded as an association of sharing best practices with each other,” Alan Deichler, president of CPAmerica International, said. “It’s why we exist.”
The accounting association is unusual in that it provides its members the benefits of a network and the independence found in an association. CPAmerica connected with Crowe Horwath International, the eighth largest global professional services network, in the late 90’s.
“We’re an association, but we’re part of a network,” Deichler explained. “Our association members get all the benefits of the brand, the size and the kind of business they do in a network, but being in an association, they’re independent and much more free of the risks.”
Member firms of CPAmerica enjoy many benefits, he said. Some of the benefits member firms value are expert services on retainer, training and discussion lists, which give members immediate access to the expertise of other CPAs across the United States. According to Deichler, two of the most popular services provided are the Practice Management Survey and the Visitation Improvement Program, or VIP for short.
About an inch thick, the Practice Management Survey measures an accounting firm’s key performance indicators. Hours worked, salaries, cost of operation, services provided, billing and collections are just a few indicators the survey measures, Deichler said. The completed surveys are shared between member firms to benchmark best practices.
The VIP sends members to other accounting firms to experience how the host accounting firm’s business runs. Visitors are matched with host firms based on a variety of qualities such as firm size, expertise and the number of locations a firm owns. Organizing 16 to 18 visits a year, CPAmerica has sponsored the VIP for five years. According to Deichler, the experience is mutually beneficial for both parties involved.
“This is not a consulting thing,” he clarified. “These are trusted friends giving their opinions of how you’re running your business.”
Although the accounting association will be commemorating its history and member firms in its 40th anniversary celebrations throughout the year, Deichler is looking toward the future.
“I think the future is bright for CPAmerica,” he said, “it’s bright for the firms that want to participate and it’s bright for those who don’t mind changing.”
He believes technology will bring about the most change in the accounting profession. Accountants will need to embrace advisory practices over compliance (completing tax and audit work only to meet the requirements of a job) practices, he said.
Deichler specifically mentioned the advancement in artificial intelligence. With the ability to constantly learn and adapt to scenarios, artificial intelligence will easily be able to complete the work compliance accountants do. However, he believes accountants can benefit from these technological advancements. No longer bogged down by hours of calculations and searching through accounts, accountants will be able to spend their time advising companies how to improve their business practices.
“Those who can’t see the future of advisory consulting are very likely going to find that the computers will take their jobs,” Deichler warned.
Overall, he anticipates the next five years will see many changes in the accounting profession. With so much change looming in the distance, he said it’s more important than ever to join an association. Becoming a member of an association like CPAmerica that has a strong emphasis on sharing will make treading the tumultuous waters easier.
“There will always be successful accounting firms,” Deichler said, “Just as there will always be successful people.”
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Mollee Jakubisin is a senior public relations student at the University of Florida with a concentration in English. She plans to travel through Europe in the near future. Until then, Mollee will spend her time reading, laughing with friends and family, and dreaming about the day she can finally afford to have her own puppy.