Almonte leads CPA academy

CHICAGO – R.I. Auditor General Ernest A. Almonte recently piloted the first American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Leadership Academy intended to teach young CPAs skills that will allow them to be leaders in the profession.
Twenty-eight CPAs under age 35 from around the country gathered for three days of workshops. Almonte attended, too, because he serves as the national chairman of the AICPA, a trade group that represents 330,000 CPAs nationwide.
“As the premier national association for CPAs, the AICPA takes very seriously its charge to help the profession continue meeting its responsibility to the public,” said Almonte. “To accomplish that mission, we have decided to identify and develop people who not only have superior technical skills but also have the ability to shape our future. The 28 professionals we’ve selected have that potential.”
The participants who attended the AICPA Leadership Academy were divided equally between men and women who work in public accounting, business and industry, government and academia.
“In the past two years, more people have entered the accounting profession than at any other time in history,” said Barry Melancon, AICPA president and CEO who led roundtable discussion groups with Almonte at the academy. “Because accounting is an especially desirable career path, it is all the more imperative that we begin developing tomorrow’s leaders today.”
The AICPA was expected to assign each academy attendee to either an AICPA volunteer committee or a state society volunteer committee in the participant’s home state. Former institute chairs, members of its board of directors and governing Council will serve as personal mentors.
The Institute selected the 28 participants from more than 100 candidates sponsored by their employers, state CPA societies or both. AICPA senior leadership reviewed and evaluated each candidate, a selection committee recommended the participants, and all were approved by Almonte.