It is an honor to be the incoming president of the CalCPA SF chapter for the 2023-2024 year. I would like to express my gratitude to the past year's leadership team and all the CalCPA members who volunteered their time to make the previous year a success.

As we embark on this new term, I am excited about the possibilities and opportunities that lie ahead for us. CalCPA has a rich history of serving the accounting community, and it is our responsibility to carry forward that legacy and make an impact in the coming year.

I want to take a moment to share with you some areas of focus that I believe will help us achieve our goals:

Firstly, we need to increase our membership. There are many CPAs who are not actively licensed or working for public CPA firms, yet they desire to get involved with the CPA profession, such as participating in networking events and meeting other professionals. To attract more members, we can offer networking opportunities, volunteering events, and discounts on events and courses for non-members for them to learn about CalCpa. Additionally, we can create programs and events that specifically appeal to young professionals, who may be uncertain about what CalCPA has to offer. Implementing a referral program can also incentivize current members to refer colleagues, spreading the word about CalCPA and attracting new members.

Secondly, we should focus on attracting the new generation into the profession. While being an accountant may not be as glamorous as other careers often portrayed in the media, we can showcase the value and excitement of our profession. By reaching out to high schools and offering presentations on careers in accounting, we can inspire young students to consider pursuing accounting as a profession. I recall an instance where a student approached me after a presentation, expressing his newfound interest in majoring in accounting. Another time, during a mock interview, a young woman shared that she decided to pursue accounting after attending my presentation at her high school. These stories highlight the impact we can have by promoting the profession to young people.

Thirdly, we must prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion. We have incredibly diverse communities, particularly in the Bay Area, where people speak different languages and have distinct cultures, including Spanish, Chinese, Indian, and Russian. The question is, how can we attract individuals from these varied backgrounds to the accounting profession? One approach is to promote representation by including individuals with diverse backgrounds in our leadership positions. This will allow us to effectively engage with the public and demonstrate our commitment to inclusivity. Additionally, this will help bring the new generation with different backgrounds into the profession. It is crucial that we create an inclusive profession that accurately reflects and represents the communities we serve. By fostering a more diverse and inclusive organization, we will be better equipped to meet the needs of our public and attract the new generations into this profession.

As we embark on this new journey, I want to assure you that my team and I are dedicated to these priorities and are actively working towards achieving our goals. We will collaborate closely with our members to ensure that CalCPA remains a strong and effective organization.

I look forward to serving as the president for the upcoming year.