2012 Annual Meeting/International Forum Recap

Author: Cassandra Gray, NASBA Communications Manager
Posted: November 20, 2012

All roads led to Orlando, Fla., home of Disney, for NASBA’s 105th Annual Meeting, held October 28-31. More than 400 meeting attendees, representing 49 Boards of Accountancy convened for a week of networking and informative sessions –all designed to aid state boards in successfully pursuing their mission of protecting the public.

This year’s agenda welcomed speakers from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), Global Accounting Alliance (GAA), Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and Federation des Experts Comptables Europeens.

Paul B.W. Miller, Ph.D., CPA, and University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Professor, kicked off the meeting by delivering an informative presentation on “The Process and Politics of Standard Setting.” The focus of his presentation centered on the implications for state boards of international standard setting and setting of standards for private companies.

Additional plenary presentation topics included:

• “Future Plans from the AICPA”
• “10 Years After SOX: PCAOB Update”
• “Looking Ahead: Matching Regulation to Future Services”
• “What Can Your State Do to Reduce Ethics Problems?”
• “Legislative Challenges: Key Issues”

In addition to the plenary session presentations, members of NASBA’s 2012-13 Board of Directors were formally installed. Gaylen R. Hansen, CPA, of Denver, Colo., acceded to the position of Board chair for the 2012-13 year. NASBA’s annual award recipients were also honored during the Annual Meeting. This year’s distinguished honorees include: Michael D. Weatherwax, CPA (recipient of the William H. Van Rensselaer Public Service Award), Charles W. Taylor, Ph.D., CPA (recipient of the NASBA Distinguished Service Award) and Robert N. Brooks (recipient of the Lorraine P. Sachs Standard of Excellence Award).

State board representatives and NASBA leaders also had the opportunity to exchange dialogue and ideas during a series of regional breakfast meetings and forums. These settings proved beneficial as they allowed meeting participants to share their views with colleagues from other jurisdictions and also consider ways in which Boards of Accountancy can continue to be responsive in addressing the public’s needs.

NASBA’s International Forum was held in conjunction with the 105thAnnual Meeting, October 31-November 1. GAA Chair Anton Colella delivered the opening forum address, speaking on the topic, “Riding the Global Culture Coaster.” Forum attendees also gained insight on topics such as, “Corporate Sustainability,” the “PCAOB International Division Report,” “Uniting the Accounting Profession in Canada,” and “Goldilocks is Dead – Who Will Drive the Economy?”

NASBA was pleased to welcome all Annual Meeting and International Forum attendees, including His Excellency Riyad Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Accountability Authority (ADAA) as a guest during both the Annual Meeting and International Forum. The ADAA is an independent body mandated to oversee transparency and accountability across Abu Dhabi Government.

The 106th NASBA Annual Meeting will take place October 27-30, in Maui, Hawaii.

Video footage, presentations and photos from the 105th Annual Meeting are available in the Meetings & Events section of our website.

> Read about the 2012 Center for the Public Trust auction