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July-August 2021

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In this issue:

Chapters

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2021-2022 TXCPA Chapter Officers

Abilene Chapter

Elijah Anderson, President
Hope Wegrzynowicz, President-elect
Mary Beth Kouba, Vice President
Sharmon Daley, Secretary/Treasurer

Austin Chapter

Paul Matthews, President
Tracie Miller-Nobles, President-elect
Tracy Howard, Manager
Bryan Morgan, Manager
Larry Stephens, Manager
Angie Hardy, Secretary/Treasurer
Mark Franklin, Secretary/Treasurer-elect

Brazos Valley Chapter

Logan Kendrick, President
Alan Dock, President-elect
Jade Engel, Secretary
Kyle Cox, Treasurer

Central Texas Chapter

Scott Wiseman, President
Connie Berry, President-elect
Lindsey Skinner, Vice President
Cheyenne Tanner, Secretary
Shelly Spinks, Treasurer

Corpus Christi Chapter

Jeff Smith, President
Brittin Stange, President-elect
Anne-Marie Lelkes, Vice President
Natalie Klostermann, Secretary/Treasurer

Dallas Chapter

Sharon Lukich, Chair
Kenny Broom, Chair-elect
Max Duplant, Treasurer
Donovan Miller, Treasurer-elect

East Texas Chapter

Tom Seale, President
Misty de Wet, President-elect
Heather Sanders, Vice President
Alana Perdue, Secretary/Treasurer

El Paso Chapter

Abraham Valenzuela, President
Imelda Moreno, President-elect
Myrna Ortiz, Vice President
Omar Rodriguez, Vice President
Sarah Robertson, Vice President
Kerry Lore, Secretary
Daniel Gomez, Treasurer

Fort Worth Chapter

Sandra Bembenek, President
Tram Le, President-elect
Kim Knox-Lewis, Vice President
Stephanie Shaner, Vice President
Katelyn Woods, Vice President
Phillip Hernandez, Secretary
Gary Tonniges, Jr., Treasurer
Josh Willson, Treasurer-elect

Houston Chapter

Kelly Hunter, President
Charlotte Jungen, President-elect
Adam Dimmick, Vice President
Brad Elgin, Secretary
Tim Adler, Treasurer
Katherine Rodriguez, Treasurer-elect

Panhandle Chapter

Jacob Young, President
Russell J. Artho, President-elect
Heath T. Cochran, Vice President
Johnny Terra, Secretary
Preston R. Branch, Treasurer

Permian Basin Chapter

Kate Devey, President
Derby Gallo, President-elect
Catherine Speer, Vice President
John Michael Jaramillo, Secretary/Treasurer

Rio Grande Valley Chapter

Gladys Martinez, President
Deborah Gonzalez, President-elect
Mike Overly, Vice President
Josh Longwell, Secretary
Bill Gonzalez, Treasurer

San Angelo Chapter

Michelle Perkey, President
Adam Hallmark, President-elect
Megan Solsbery, Secretary
Samantha Armstrong, Treasurer

San Antonio Chapter

Bryan Edwards, President
Jeremy Crow, President-elect
Anette Flores, Vice President
Brandon Howard, Vice President
Joshua Wagner, Vice President
Marina Polanco, Secretary/Treasurer

South Plains Chapter 

Greg Mason, President
Jon Anders, President-elect
Will Sanders, Vice President
Staci White, Secretary/Treasurer

Southeast Texas Chapter

Jeremy Triska, President
David Rose, President-elect
Megan Gallien, Vice President
Jane Whitfield, Vice President
Morgan Birdwell, Secretary
Ricardo Colon, Treasurer

Texarkana Chapter

Tara Houck, President
Kelly Birdwell, Vice President
Jay Hoy, Secretary/Treasurer

Victoria Chapter

Adam Baucom, President
Wesley Janecek, President-elect
Elizabeth Bonorden, President-elect Nominee
Teri Ressmann, Secretary/Treasurer

Wichita Falls Chapter

Kathy Kabell, President
Kayla Heuring, President-elect
Miranda Harvey, Vice President
Alex Pappas, Secretary
Mikayla Schreiber, Treasurer

 

 

 

March-April 2026

Flipbook

In This Issue

  • Large Language Models

    AI in Accounting 2026: From Practical Automation to Strategic Advantage

    AI in 2026 is integrated into accounting workflows, moving from simple assistance to agentic systems that automate document intake, data extraction, exception management and review-ready outputs. CPAs spend less time on manual tasks and more on judgment, oversight and communication. Organizations that adopt AI deliberately gain efficiency and quality while those with weak processes see their gaps exposed.
    View Article

  • CPE: AI-Powered Tax Compliance, Part 2

    Machine learning is becoming central to sales and use tax operations, improving taxability classification, reducing manual review and strengthening auditability through NLP, dual‑threshold controls and human‑in‑the‑loop review. Case studies show ML reducing false negatives, cutting coding hours and accelerating reconciliation with anomaly detection. With strong governance and expert oversight, ML enhances accuracy, efficiency and compliance while allowing tax professionals to focus on higher‑value advisory work.
    View Article
    LLMs
  • LLMs

    Beyond Compliance – The Ways CPAs and CMAs Can Embrace the AI-Powered Future

    AI is shifting accounting from routine compliance work to higher-value analysis and advisory roles. CPAs and CMAs can use GenAI to automate repetitive tasks, improve risk analysis and forecasting, and streamline onboarding and documentation with custom GPTs and low-code tools. To adopt AI responsibly, professionals must understand its limits, verify outputs and start small - improving one workflow at a time while maintaining strong judgment and ethical oversight.
    View Article

  • Leading Together in an Evolving Profession

    Rapid technological change, especially AI, is reshaping how CPAs serve clients and employers, and this issue of Today’s CPA focuses on helping members lead through that evolution. It features articles on AI in accounting, corporate governance and AI-powered tax compliance, along with statewide chapter updates and a preview of Accounting Opportunities Month. The message emphasizes engagement, lifelong learning and the shared responsibility to strengthen the profession and inspire future CPAs.
    View Article
    TXCPA Accounting Opportunities Month
  • Universal Proxy Card Rules

    Activism Amplified: How Universal Proxy Rules Are Reshaping Corporate Governance

    Universal proxy rules have shifted power dynamics in contested board elections, lowering barriers for activists and increasing pressure on boards to perform, communicate clearly and govern transparently. Companies that fail to proactively engage shareholders, maintain strong internal controls and align strategy with investor expectations face greater risk of disruptive and costly proxy contests - even if activists do not ultimately win board seats.
    View Article

  • Bridging the Skills Gap in ESG - How CPAs Can Prepare for a Growing Service Area

    As ESG reporting becomes mainstream, CPAs are increasingly expected to measure, report and assure nonfinancial data. This article outlines the key competencies needed for ESG roles. By building these capabilities now, CPAs can prepare for one of the fastest-growing areas of the profession.
    View Article
    Sustainability reporting
  • Texas Legislature

    Advocacy Never Stops

    TXCPA is continuing its advocacy momentum after the successful passage of SB 262 and SB 522 in 2025, which created a new CPA licensure pathway and modernized mobility. As rules for the bachelor’s pathway are finalized, TXCPA is actively engaged with TSBPA. The 2026 election is expected to bring major turnover Texas Legislature. The Society is preparing to educate new lawmakers and defend against deregulatory efforts that could weaken licensing standards.
    View Article

  • Momentum and Vision: Key Takeaways from the 2026 Midyear Leadership Council and Members Meeting

    TXCPA’s 2026 Midyear Leadership Council and Members Meeting brought members together in College Station for financial and governance updates, a discussion of proposed Bylaws changes, news on AcctoFi’s launch, and more. The meeting also showcased major advocacy achievements, technology upgrades, continued progress in strengthening the talent pipeline, and long‑term trends shaping the profession. The event closed with a dynamic advocacy panel and an invitation for members to stay involved ahead of the June 2026 Annual Meeting.
    View Article
    TXCPA Bylaws
  • TXCPA Accounting Opportunities Month

    Inspiring the Next Generation - Accounting Opportunities Months

    TXCPA’s Accounting Opportunities Months connect CPA volunteers with Texas students through career talks, financial literacy presentations and community outreach. Volunteers showcase accounting as a dynamic, impactful profession while helping students build essential money management skills and explore diverse career paths. TXCPA is aiming to expand the impact to students statewide, strengthening the future of the CPA profession through education, mentorship and community connection.
    View Article

  • Understanding the Stakeholder Model of Corporate Social Responsibility

    Corporate Social Responsibility continues to evolve amid political, regulatory and resource pressures, yet most business leaders still view it as essential to long-term success. Although balancing diverse stakeholder needs can be challenging, opportunities exist to measure impact, improve engagement and integrate ethical practices into decision-making. Understanding and prioritizing stakeholder expectations remain critical drivers of sustainable organizational growth.
    View Article
    State of Corporate Purpose Report

  • What’s Happening Around Texas

    Chapters across Texas have been actively engaging their communities through service, celebration and connection. Highlights include Austin’s support at the TSBPA Swearing-In Ceremony, Corpus Christi’s successful toy drive, Dallas’ holiday gatherings and service projects, Fort Worth’s large Santaccountant toy collection and scholarship fundraiser, and Houston’s lively Mix and Mingle social. Together, these activities highlight the statewide spirit of service, networking and support within TXCPA.
    View Article

  • Take Note

    In this edition of Take Note: TXCPA’s All New Mentor Match Program; Unlock New Opportunities with the CGMA® Designation; ACAN Delivers Confidential Support When You Need It Most; 2025-2026 AcctoFi Scholarship Recipients
    View Article
    Peer Assisatance

  • Classifieds

    The Classifieds section provides a centralized place to find practices for sale, buyers seeking to acquire firms and specialized services, helping members efficiently connect with opportunities to expand, sell or pursue niche markets.
    View Article

CHAIR
Mohan Kuruvilla, Ph.D., CPA

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

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Melinda Bentley, CAE

EDITORIAL BOARD CHAIR
Jennifer Johnson, CPA

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

MANAGING EDITOR
DeLynn Deakins
ddeakins@tx.cpa

COLUMN EDITOR
Don Carpenter, MSAcc/CPA

DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALIST
Wayne Hardin, CDMP, PCM®

CLASSIFIEDS
DeLynn Deakins

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

 

Editorial Board
Derrick Bonyuet-Lee, CPA-Austin;
Aaron Borden, CPA-Dallas;
Don Carpenter, CPA-Central Texas;
Rhonda Fronk, CPA-Houston;
Aaron Harris, CPA-Dallas;
Baria Jaroudi, CPA-Houston;
Elle Kathryn Johnson, CPA-Houston;
Jennifer Johnson, CPA-Dallas;
Lucas LaChance, CPA-Dallas, CIA;
Nicholas Larson, CPA-Fort Worth;
Anne-Marie Lelkes, CPA-Corpus Christi;
Bryan Morgan, Jr, CPA-Austin;
Stephanie Morgan, CPA-East Texas;
Kamala Raghavan, CPA-Houston;
Amber Louise Rourke, CPA-Brazos Valley;
Shilpa Boggram Sathyamurthy, CPA-Houston, CA
Nikki Lee Shoemaker, CPA-East Texas, CGMA;
Natasha Winn, CPA-Houston.

CONTRIBUTORS
Melinda Bentley; Kenneth Besserman; Kristie Estrada; Holly McCauley; Craig Nauta; Kari Owen; John Ross; Lani Shepherd; April Twaddle; Patty Wyatt