NASHVILLE, TN (January 14, 2011) –The Board of Directors of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) announced today that Ken L. Bishop will become President and CEO of NASBA, effective January 1, 2012, following the retirement of current President and CEO, David A. Costello, CPA.

Mr. Bishop currently serves as NASBA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, responsible for NASBA’s business and testing operations. He previously served as NASBA Senior Vice President and President of NASBA’s subsidiary, Professional Credential Services (PCS), having joined NASBA in 2007.

With Mr. Bishop’s guidance, NASBA has made significant strides in increasing the ability of CPAs to practice throughout the United States without the need to be licensed separately in each state. He has also been instrumental in the development of an international Uniform CPA Examination delivery model. Mr. Bishop has played a key role in NASBA’s efforts to enhance this comprehensive professional examination and maintain its high quality as one of the State Accountancy Boards’ essential requirements for CPA licensure.

Upon Mr. Costello’s announcement of his plan to retire, the NASBA Board of Directors formed a Selection Advisory Committee in April 2010, to recommend a successor. Following a careful review of top executives from across the country, the 10-member committee recommended Mr. Bishop to the Executive Committee of the Board.

“I want to commend the Selection Advisory Committee for their recommendation after completing a diligent search and evaluating numerous highly talented applicants,” said NASBA Chairman, Michael T. Daggett, CPA.  He added, “Mr. Bishop has proven to be an invaluable asset for NASBA. We are confident he will continue to lead the organization to greater accomplishments and provide even greater benefits to its members—the 55 Boards of Accountancy.”

“I am pleased that the Board of Directors selected Ken Bishop to succeed me as President and CEO,” said President Costello. He continued, “Ken’s rich experience in all aspects of the CPA Examination process, accounting egulation, business operations and professional relationships provides assurance of continuing progress for NASBA and the State Boards in the years ahead.”

Former Executive Director of the Missouri State Board of Accountancy, Mr. Bishop has over a decade of experience working in accountancy regulation. He served as chairman of NASBA’s CPA Mobility Task Force, CPA Examination Administration Committee and Executive Directors Committee. In addition to his service on numerous NASBA committees, he served on the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA) Board of Examiners.

A graduate of the Missouri State Highway Patrol Academy and the Federal Criminal Justice Academy, Mr. Bishop holds a Bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Missouri in Columbia and a Master’s degree in criminal justice. He is also a graduate of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government’s Executive Program.

About NASBA

Celebrating 103 years of service, the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) serves as a forum for the nation’s state boards of accountancy, which administer the Uniform CPA Examination, license over 650,000 certified public accountants and regulate the practice of public accountancy in the United States. NASBA’s mission is to enhance the effectiveness of state boards of accountancy in meeting their regulatory responsibilities. The Association promotes the exchange of information among the accountancy boards, serving the needs of the 55 U.S. jurisdictions.

NASBA is headquartered in Nashville, TN, with a satellite office in New York City and a Computer Testing Center in Guam. To learn more about NASBA, visit www.nasba.org.