By Megan Killian, vice president – member relations

Spring brings with it a lot of activity, particularly here at the PICPA. As CEO Mike Colgan shared last week, we are gearing up for our local chapter events and statewide events like the annual meeting and Day on the Hill. But it’s also time to renew your membership! Renew now so (A) we don’t send you lots of annoying reminders, and (B) you retain access to all your PICPA benefits, some of which I will outline for you below.

We’ve been super busy this past year, making improvements to the CPE experience, adding lots of news and information content, and creating more ways to connect with your peers. Whether you’re a new member (Welcome!) or have been a member for many years (Congrats to all our milestone members!), I want to make sure you are aware of, and are taking advantage of, these PICPA offerings.

News and Information

Did you know that the PICPA was the first state accounting group to launch a podcast? We seek out experts on important professional topics and news, and have produced more than 50 episodes of our podcast series CPA Conversations over the past year. Since its debut, in 2016 there have been more than 70,000 downloads. This year we’re on the cusp of doubling last year’s download total.

PICPA Connect, PICPA’s member-only discussion board, continues to provide peer-to-peer advice and support. More than 2,000 members are now following the discussions on taxation, specialized industries, corporate finance, and the open forum.

While it may seem pretty old school in the LinkedIn age, the PICPA Member Directories remain a tried and true member benefit. Don’t forget that a fellow member is just a click away!   

Learning and Professional Development

Several new titles have been added to the library of complimentary CPE. As a PICPA member, you have access to more than $350 worth of free CPE each year, meaning your membership more than pays for itself. The complimentary programs include big data and cyber security, as well as personal development topics. Even more are being developed and added throughout the year.

We’ll be broadcasting all of our conferences and some of our more popular seminars throughout the year on a new webcast platform. The enhanced experience offers mobile and customized viewing options, better viewer interaction features, universal browser compatibility, and faster CPE confirmation.

The new and improved Value Pass Plus is now offered to PICPA members only, and includes unlimited self-study and webinars for $549. This product now aligns with the calendar year so it can be a better tool for acquiring and tracking your CPE credits in the reporting period. The Value Pass Plus is quickly becoming our most popular discount program for members.

Advocacy at the State and National Level

I should start here: What is advocacy? Not everyone is aware of the important role that the PICPA serves as the only group representing CPAs in Harrisburg. Last year was very busy, and 2019 is shaping up to be just as busy we prepare for state tax simplification, fixing the 1099-MISC withholding requirement, addressing the statute of limitations on collections, and guarding against anti-licensing proposals. Keep informed on all these issues by subscribing to PICPA’s Legislative Update.

Connections and Networking

In addition to the more than 10,000 registrations for in-person CPE programs, there were nearly 6,000 social event registrations this past year. From business networking, to sporting events, to panel discussions on career topics, PICPA’s local chapters host an array of events where you can connect with your peers and build your personal and professional network.

You can find all our events in the improved course catalog. We completely overhauled the catalog to add new keyword functionality, streamlined search functions, and quick-view price and credit details.

Check out some of these other benefits:

• Winter Wellness Campaign
• The digital-only issue of the Pennsylvania CPA Journal
• PICPA TV on YouTube, where you’ll find CPAs Tell Jokes, author interviews, career profiles, event highlights, and more
• Product discounts

When you renew your membership and retain access to these and other great benefits, consider a donation to the Pennsylvania CPA Foundation and CPA-PAC. The Pennsylvania CPA Foundation helps support future CPAs through scholarships and education, and the CPA-PAC supports the campaigns of pro-business legislative candidates.

As we prepare for 2019-2020, we look forward to another great year of support and engagement from our members. Thanks to all the members who continue to make the PICPA a well-respected, innovative, and strong organization.

I’ll leave you with this quote from a member who is celebrating his 50-year membership anniversary this year:

I have always been very proud to be a CPA. One of my most prized accomplishments is to be a CPA and a member of what I consider a group of truly honorable professionals.
-- Larry Logero, CPA (PICPA member since 1968!)

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