A New Year of Opportunities

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Chairman’s Message

By TXCPA Chairman Sheila Enriquez, JD, CPA-Houston, CFF, CVA

Sheila200xIt’s a new year at the Texas Society of CPAs! I’m honored and excited to serve as your chairman this year. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to learn more about what we’ll be doing together in the coming year by reading this issue’s cover story on page 16. It is with the support of this dynamic community that we will make an impact and best serve, promote and protect our profession.

Your TXCPA leadership has set new goals for 2022-2023 under our three pillars of success: community and connection, professional excellence, and advocacy. In addition to our ongoing delivery of benefits to members, we’ll be focused on a few new opportunities.

Under Community and Connection, we plan to grow our community, engage next generation CPAs and deliver an exceptional member experience that will be evident in an increased member satisfaction rating.

Our Professional Excellence goals focus on expanding the number of members who experience our TXCPA CPE programs, and providing valuable and timely new resources for our firms that participate in peer review.

Advocacy is one of the greatest benefits for members. We’ll expand the reach of our promotion of the CPA brand, as well as the influence of the CPA-PAC through higher member involvement and support.

YOU are critical to our success as a community, and I encourage you to find your place to get engaged and involved in these and other valuable efforts at the state level and in your local chapter. The TXCPA team stands ready to help you find your fit. We have a place for every member to feel connected and have a voice in how we serve our profession. If you’re not involved yet and want to be, email the TXCPA team at membership@tx.cpa or give them a call at 800-428-0272.

Thank you for your membership and your trust in TXCPA!

I'd love to hear from you!

I’d love to hear your feedback and answer your questions. Drop me a note at chairman@tx.cpa.

 

 

 

  • Download Full September-October 2026 Issue (PDF)

    View Article
  • Mentoring Matters: Strengthening the Future of the Profession

    Mentoring is a cornerstone of the accounting profession. From supporting students and CPA candidates to accelerating the growth of experienced professionals, mentoring strengthens confidence, preserves institutional knowledge and prepares future leaders. TXCPA's Mentor Match program is designed to help members build meaningful professional relationships that support their career growth and development.
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    Workforce Development
  • IPR&D

    CPE: Intangible Assets – ASC 350

    FASB’s recent targeted GAAP improvements address the accounting and reporting of internally developed software. ASU 2025‑06 replaces development‑stage rules for internal‑use software with a “probable‑to‑complete” capitalization threshold.
    View Article
  • Leadership, Innovation and Momentum Take Center Stage at TXCPA's Annual Meeting

    TXCPA’s 2026 Annual Meeting brought more than 200 leaders together to celebrate organizational achievements, discuss emerging trends and shape the future of the organization. As the organization enters the final year of its Strategic Plan, the meeting emphasized momentum, collaboration and continued involvement in TXCPA and the accounting profession.
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    volunteer leadership
  • TXCPA Accounting Opportunities Month

    Expanding the CPA Pipeline: An Important Joint Initiative for CPA Firms and K-12 Schools

    CPA firms, universities and professional organizations are using coordinated efforts to expand the future CPA talent pipeline by reaching students much earlier in the K‑12 system. Because many students choose career pathways as early as 8th grade, the authors emphasize shifting outreach toward freshmen and sophomores already inclined toward business studies.
    View Article
  • Mentorship, Momentum and the Future of the Profession

    Strong connections are essential to the future of the CPA profession. This CEO's Message highlights the power of mentorship, TXCPA’s efforts to strengthen the accounting pipeline, and the many ways members, volunteers and chapters are helping build opportunities for the next generation of CPAs.
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    Workforce Development
  • volunteer leadership

    Outstanding Chapter Awards Recognize Achievements in Leadership and Service

    TXCPA’s Outstanding Chapter Awards recognize small and medium-sized chapters for excellence in leadership, member service, innovation and community involvement. The 2025-26 recipients, TXCPA Rio Grande Valley and TXCPA East Texas, were honored for their strong student outreach initiatives, professional development opportunities, scholarship fundraising, member engagement and community service.
    View Article
  • Beyond Tax and Audit: Shedding Light on Alternative Career Pathways

    Accounting offers far more career opportunities than traditional tax, audit and financial reporting roles. By introducing students to the diverse ways accounting skills can be applied, educators and practitioners can help the next generation of CPAs see the many possibilities an accounting career can offer.
    View Article
    Workforce Development
  • TXCPA Chapters

    What’s Happening Around Texas - September-October 2026

    TXCPA chapters across Texas are strengthening connections through student engagement events, legislative conversations, member appreciation gatherings, and strategic planning sessions. From Corpus Christi’s student bowling mixer and to Southeast Texas’ celebration with Lamar University to El Paso's and San Antonio’s focused planning meetings and Victoria’s community‑building event, each chapter is fostering momentum, collaboration and professional growth.
    View Article
  • Is Accounting Academia Still a Good Career Option for CPAs? An Updated Perspective

    Is accounting academia still an attractive career path for CPAs? Although demand for accounting Ph.D. graduates has declined despite earlier predictions of faculty shortages, accounting professors continue to enjoy strong compensation, work/life balance, tenure stability and summer flexibility.
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  • Strategic Planning

    Spotlight Article: Leading Beyond the Numbers

    Eric R. Alexander discusses the lessons behind his book “Stewardship Leadership for Stinkin' Accountants: Serving as the CFO” and how a servant mindset, wisdom and relationships create a lasting impact. He explores why trust, accountability and communication are essential to effective financial leadership, especially as AI transforms the profession.
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  • Assessing Materiality of ESG Risks: Guidance for CPAs

    This article explains how CPAs can assess and disclose material environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks that may affect a company’s financial position, operations and stakeholders. The concept of double materiality is introduced, which considers both the financial impact of ESG risks on a company and the company’s impact on society and the environment.
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    Sustainability reporting
  • Private Company Council

    PCC Addresses Priority Private Company Issues in Q2

    This update summarizes the Private Company Council (PCC) activities for the second quarter of 2026. During its June meeting, the council prioritized improving financial disclosures for Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) and targeted lease accounting simplifications for private companies, and discussed FASB's decision to add a project on subjective acceleration clauses and debt default disclosures.
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  • Leading the Way: TXCPA Thanks Our 2026-2027 Faculty and Student Ambassadors

    TXCPA celebrates and thanks our 2026–2027 Faculty and Student Ambassadors, whose leadership and enthusiasm bring our programs, resources and opportunities directly to campuses across Texas. Their commitment strengthens our connection to future professionals and fuels the growth of the CPA pipeline statewide.
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  • valuation

    Profitable Is Not the Same as Valuable

    A profitable business is not necessarily a valuable or transferable one, as enterprise value depends on organizational architecture rather than dependence on the owner’s involvement. The central message: profitable operations generate income, but only well‑structured businesses build equity that can be sold, transferred or relied upon for retirement.
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  • A New Era for CPA Licensure in Texas – and a Look Ahead

    Texas has entered a new phase of CPA licensure with the implementation of Senate Bill 262 on August 1, 2026, creating an alternative pathway that allows candidates to qualify with 120 hours of education and two years of experience, alongside the traditional 150‑hour route. As the 2027 legislative session approaches, TXCPA is preparing to protect strong licensing standards, monitor deregulation efforts and engage newly elected lawmakers.
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    Workforce Development
  • TXCPA Member Insurance

    Take Note

    In this edition of Take Note: A Legacy of Mentorship - A Tribute to John Baines, CPA-Dallas; Accountants Confidential Assistance Network (ACAN); CGMA® Designation; TXCPA Member Insurance
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  • Classifieds

    The Classifieds section of Today's CPA provides a one-stop destination to find practices for sale, connect with buyers, and access services that support growth, transition and market expansion.
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    Virtual Accounting

 

CHAIR
Angela Ragan, CPA

PRESIDENT/CEO
Jodi Ann Ray, CAE, CCE, IOM

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Melinda Bentley, CAE

EDITORIAL BOARD CHAIR
Derrick Bonyuet-Lee CPA, CGMA

MANAGER, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Peggy Foley
pfoley@tx.cpa

MANAGING EDITOR
DeLynn Deakins
ddeakins@tx.cpa

CLASSIFIEDS
DeLynn Deakins
ddeakins@tx.cpa

Texas Society of CPAs
14131 Midway Rd., Suite 850
Addison, TX 75001
972-687-8550

 

 

EDITORIAL BOARD
Derrick Bonyuet-Lee, CPA-Austin;
Drew Chumley, CPA-Fort Worth;
Adam Dimmick, CPA-Houston;
Julia Frink, CPA-Fort Worth;
Baria Jaroudi, CPA-Houston;
Jeffrey Johanns, CPA-Austin;
Brian Johnson, CPA-Central Texas;
Michael Kraten, CPA-Houston;
Lucas LaChance, CPA-Dallas;
Shilpa Boggram Sathyamurthy, CPA-Houston.

CONTRIBUTORS
Melinda Bentley; Kenneth Besserman; Holly McCauley; Shicoyia Morgan; Craig Nauta; Triniti Patterson




 

10:00 Acting as Manage