CEO’S MESSAGE SUSAN SPEIRS, CPA
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ime editor and film critic Richard Nelson Corliss once wrote, “Nothing ages so quickly as yesterday’s vision of the future.” How true this has been for many people as we’ve trailblazed through a global pandemic that has turned many aspects of our own personal worlds upside down. For our own organization, we forged ahead, updating and even changing our strategic plan, knowing that it is not static, and that as our membership evolves, so too will our plan. We also learned a few things; and some things did not change. For example, research has indicated that, for most organizations, the mission did not change. Thanks to many of our members and even non-members who participated in virtual focus groups, our mission remains: The UACPA Leadership supports and challenges members through advocacy, professional education, leadership development, networking, and community service, to help them succeed in a competitive and changing world. Research has also indicated that fundamental values don’t change in an organization due to something that is out of the organization’s control, i.e., the pandemic. This is good news, as it is difficult, at best, to change the fundamental values of an organization. We learned from our focus groups that our values of advocacy, professional education, leadership development, networking, and community service and outreach are still vital to the UACPA. The pandemic and all the side effects of remote working, an unstable economy, civil unrest, and change in power of the U.S. presidency has created several paradigm shifts that are causing many of us to rethink our business models. Our own professionals are beginning to have healthier conversations relating to the term work-life balance and
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how to turn off “work” when they’re working from home. The CPA pipeline and the need to hire individuals that will look like our community in the coming years is making it to the tops of many organizations’ strategic talks. Our students question the need of becoming a CPA, often wondering if we are remaining current with technology, sustainability, and equitable wages expected with a five-year degree. Although our four strategic imperatives have remained the same, they have been re-engineered to meet the needs of the current environment and prepare for a future that will incorporate much more outreach to our high schools, diverse populations and cultures, affinity groups and strengthen our current membership to navigate the course changes they need to make. We invite you to take some time to review our strategic plan and either incorporate some of the values in your own strategic plans or share with us how you can help us accomplish our strategic objectives. A huge thank you to our strategic planning committee and the outreach they conducted in their various assignments. We’re looking forward to working with you all over the next year as we continue to provide the services you expect and blaze new trails as we reach new populations and directives. n
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