There is something powerful, impressive and inspiring when you walk the halls of the state Capitol building. As cynical as I am about politics these days, I was again magically transformed into an optimist for CPA Day at the Capitol Jan. 18.

It was an impressive turnout of more than 200 individuals, including approximately 15 students, from across the state. The morning began with a live feed of the governor’s state of the state address, which really helped get the juices flowing. Whether you agree or disagree with his statements and proposals, Gov. Brown does know how to write a speech that gets his point across in a relatively short amount of time.

My group then called upon the freshman Assemblyman Luis Alejo from the 28th District (Salinas area) and Sen. Mark DeSaulnier representing the 7th District (Walnut Creek Concord area). The two issues we focused on in our meetings were mobility and potential sales tax on services.

Each representative was personable and engaging, and appeared to be empathetic to CalCPA’s positions, asking pertinent questions to get a clear understanding of the pros and cons and the nuances of these important issues.

At the end of the day I was left with a sense of hope and plan on bringing a few of my staff to the event next year. I would ask you all to do the same. It’s quite a sight to see more than 200 CPAs flooding the halls of the Capitol. Image what 500 would look like—and the influence it would bring.

The CalCPA Council meeting provided comfort that CalCPA remains dynamic and financially solid. I am looking forward to the new program for creating online communities, as well as efforts to foster membership growth.
An impressive radio advertisement for CalCPA was piped in during the meeting, and there was much discussion on innovative ways to increase both the student and professional membership levels. However, I believe the most effective way to increase and maintain membership is for current members to remain active and sell to nonmembers. If you know CPAs who aren’t members, share the benefits and ask them to join. Please do your part to continue making CalCPA the largest state CPA society in the U.S.

Congratulations to Charlie Burak for taking home the inaugural East Bay Chapter Emerging Professional of the Year award. Charlie is chapter chair of the Information and Technology Committee, and a frequent speaker at chapter events. A personal thanks to Charlie for all he does for the chapter—and all that he will do in the future.

More than 100 CPAs and attorneys attended the Litigation Committee’s annual Tax Issues in Divorce Mini-Conference Jan. 19. Thanks to Leslie Dawson and her committee for all their hard work and delivering another excellent program.

The votes are in so congratulations to the 2012-13 board. Thanks to all of them for volunteering their time to serve the chapter. We look forward to their installation in the spring.

Hope to see you at a chapter event soon.

Download your copy today and keep it nearby as you go through this busy season.

Review the qualifications and download nomination forms online. The nomination deadline for all awards is March 30.

If you are interested in volunteering, contact program manager Minnie Sage and include your firm, email, postal address and phone number.

Date: Thursday, Jan. 26

Register online.

Date: Thursday, Jan. 19

Register online.

This is the highest award presented by the chapter and it recognizes a chapter member for his or her service to the profession of public accounting, to the community or both. The award is a memorial to LeVerne W. Garcia, who contributed extensively to the profession, including serving as chapter president and secretary of the California Board of Accountancy. Garcia also participated in numerous civic and professional organizations and was the founder of Garcia, Erwin, Nishi and Kawasaki, CPAs, now Timpson Garcia, LLP. Mr.Levy, a Walnut Creek CPA, joins an esteemed group of award winners.

Levy began his almost 40 years of experience as a CPA with Ernst & Ernst (now Ernst & Young) in San Francisco. He has worked as a sole proprietor is now a partner in Levy & Chambers, LLP in Walnut Creek. As his involvement in the traditional CPA practice winds down, Levy is starting a practice specializing in financial planning where he is part of the Paraklete Financial network.

Among his accomplishments, Levy has written and taught professional education courses for the California, Washington, Nevada and Oregon CPA societies, IRS, University of California and others. He received the California CPA Education Foundation’s Instructor Excellence Award in 1995 and has also contributed his time and talents to teach multiple classes for the chapter’s Low Cost Education Committee.

Levy has served as chapter president and CalCPA vice president. He continues to serve on CalCPA’s A&S, Technology, Personal Financial Planning and Estate Planning committees. Levy, a member of the AICPA and its Personal Financial planning Section, also was one of the founding members of CPAs for the Reform of the Profession, or CROP, a CPA advocacy group. Levy also joined others in the chapter to teach financial literacy classes at the high school level

Levy has also been active in community organizations. He has served as treasurer for the Far West Division of the National Ski Patrol and he served as NSP Outdoor Emergency Care Instructor for many years. He also served a minimum of 10 days for the Donner Ski Patrol for many years. He is active in his church, where he is a lector and lay minister of the Eucharist, and has spent eight years on the Mount Diablo Pilots Association board of directors.

Levy and his wife Beverly have three children.

The award will be presented Jan. 26 at the chapter’s Honorees Night.

I am going to work out more, eat healthier, work less, spend more time with my family, stop smoking, drink fewer adult beverages, stop swearing, stop gambling, travel to Europe, call my mother more often, be kinder to strangers, conserve more energy, finish that room remodel I started two years ago. Wait … who am I kidding?

How’s this for a new year’s resolution you can actually keep: I will attend more chapter events!

January is a good time to start. Events include the Divorce Mini-Conference Jan. 19 and Honorees Night Jan. 26, where we will honor students, present the LeVerne W. Garcia Award for Outstanding Achievement and the first Emerging Professional of the Year Award. And the really big-ticket item: CPA Day at the Capitol Jan. 18. It is extremely important that members support this event. Getting up close and personal with our legislators is a priceless experience, and if we can get significant participation, it will have a tremendous amount of influence on the decision making process. If you don’t show up, you can’t complain about the outcome.

Here is wishing everyone had a wonderful holiday season.

Nominate someone today.

Help legislators understand the issues facing California CPAs and sign up to attend  CPA Day at the Capitol. How can your presence help? Take a look at our successful 2011 advocacy efforts for an idea and read the experience of past participants.

Don’t underestimate the importance of your presence!