Mission and History

Mission Statement

Advance the interests of CPAs and the accounting profession through advocacy, access to knowledge, community connections, and career development.

History

The story of TXCPA began in 1915 in Fort Worth, when Daniel Harvey Kernaghan and William Preston Peter led a determined effort to secure a legally recognized identity for the accounting profession from the Texas Legislature. Over the decades, TXCPA has grown beyond its founders to become a thriving community of professionals — individuals who have dedicated more than a century to building a profession grounded in ethics, competence, and a commitment to the public good.

The journey hasn’t been without challenges. Securing a legally defined and protected professional identity in 1915 was no easy feat — and maintaining it still requires vigilance today. What started as a traditionally male-dominated field has evolved alongside American society, embracing progress toward greater racial and gender equality. At the same time, rapid technological advancements and increasingly complex standards have continuously reshaped the profession.

In its early years, TXCPA served only those in public accounting. But today, its membership spans a wide array of sectors — from business and industry to government and education. Members include CEOs and CFOs, entrepreneurs and professors, working across Texas’s vast 268,820 square miles. They drive innovation and integrity in fields such as oil and gas, finance, manufacturing, health care, retail, and real estate — contributing to almost every facet of the state's economic landscape.