PROFESSIONAL NEWS
New Board Members Eager to Serve, Guide
The new chair and members of the RISCPA Board of Directors bring a wealth of experience to their roles, along with a commitment to keep Society members informed of what is going on both locally and on a national level. They also see their leadership positions as a unique opportunity to have a positive impact on the Rhode Island economy.
Our new board chair, Martha Conn Hultzman, a principal at Lefkowitz, Garfinkel, Champi & DeRienzo P.C., has been a RISCPA member since 1984. She joined the board in 2005.
“I wanted to gain a broader understanding of the mission and services offered by the Society, as well as gain access to national resources offered to the Society by the AICPA,” she said.
As its chair, Hultzman considers communication imperative.
“On a national front, I am really excited about the prospect of accounting standards for private companies and am closely following the work of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Private Company Financial Reporting,” she said. “I would like to keep our members informed about the work of the panel and encourage them to provide input to the working group.”
”Locally, my responsibility as board chair is to drive our strategy so that we are relevant to our members, true to our mission, and remain fiscally strong,” Hultzman added.
A partner with Piccerelli, Gilstein & Company, LLP, John Mathias has been a RISCPA member for 33 years. Mathias relishes the opportunity to help shape the CPA profession here in Rhode Island.
“Hopefully, the experience that I have gained as a practitioner and a member of the Rhode Island Board of Accountancy for 10 years can be of value to the Society,” he said. “As a board member I would like to see the Society become a driving force in Rhode Island economic development.”
Mathias said he enjoys the intellectual challenge that the profession presents, with standards and laws constantly changing. Learning the concepts and applying them to real life situations, he said, represents a rewarding challenge.
Following a career in public accounting, Elizabeth A. Cannata has spent the past six years as an associate professor in the Department of Accountancy at Johnson & Wales University’s College of Business. A member of RISCPA since 1989, Cannata has served on the Cooperation with Educational Institutions Committee for many years. She sees that connection to tomorrow’s accountants as an important role for the society.
“RISCPA plays an integral role in attracting students into the profession and educating students on different career paths,” she said.
In the field of education, Cannata sees opportunity for the Society and its members. Educating both high school and college students about financial literacy as well as career opportunities in accounting is an issue that she would like to pursue.
“I would like to strengthen the relationship between RISCPA members and local schools,” said Cannata.
A principal of LUCIER CPA, Inc., David J. Lucier has been a member of the RISCPA since 1982 and has worked as a CPA and business advisor with hundreds of start-ups and emerging companies over the past 30 years.
Lucier sees this as a critical time for the RISCPA. The Society, said Lucier, must address the needs and challenges presented by a floundering economy. Lucier cited the increase in mergers among accounting firms and the move of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits to the web.
“The Society needs to quickly evolve to meet the rapidly changing needs of the economic environment,” he said.
