The road to becoming a certified public accountant is one filled with bumps, curves, detours and even a few roadblocks for aspiring young professionals.
San Diego CPA Leslie LaManna knows that road all too well, and she plans to change it. As the recently elected president of the San Diego chapter of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA), LaManna plans to focus more on student participation as well. After receiving an accounting degree, students must pass a state exam to move closer to receiving a license. Once the test is passed, they have to work for a CPA for two years and earn a minimum of 500 audit hours. That’s where the major roadblock is encountered, according to LaManna. “Most firms practice income tax,” LaManna said. “Audit is not a big part of the firm, so it’s hard for people to get licensed.”
LaManna joined CalCPA in 1996, in part, to ease the way for students looking to get into the profession. Currently there is legislation being proposed to do just that.
Accountancy Act To Affect Students
The Uniform Accountancy Act, which has been approved in 48 states, will change California regulations by requiring students to work only one year under a CPA. They will also be able to earn income tax hours, instead of just audit hours. “That was one of my goals in getting involved in the society, and I think we are getting there,” LaManna said.
LaManna’s commitment to student achievement in the field was felt long before her recent election as president of the accountancy group. As former chair of CalCPA’s candidate and new members committee, LaManna was a part of a team that changed the state chapter’s bylaws to allow for student membership. So far, in the San Diego chapter, about 125 students from San Diego State University, the University of California San Diego Extension, and the University of San Diego have become involved.
“This will give them a head start,” LaManna said. “I think the public sees our profession as kind of boring and stuffy. This gives them a chance to see the exciting things we do, and learn there are different aspects they can go into, not just the big firms that do audits.”
Programs To Attract Members
During the coming year, LaManna plans to guide the chapter through a series of programs designed to increase membership, involve student and CPA candidate members and improve relations with local legislators.
To meet these objectives, the San Diego chapter plans to offer Continuing Professional Education courses, appoint CPA candidate and student members committee co-chairs and host a “meet the candidate” night, a forum of candidates seeking statewide political office.
A CPA and financial professional for more than 20 years, LaManna is an adjunct accounting professor at UCSD Extension and received the extension’s Outstanding Instructor of the Year Award in 1998. Last year, she received the U.S. Small Business Administration Accountant Award for San Diego County. LaManna and her husband, Sal, own LaManna and Associates, a firm that provides individual and small business tax services in San Diego.
Ward is a free-lance writer for the San Diego Business Journal.
