IMPORTANT NEWS...
State, Accounting Association Reveal Judging Panel for Student Video Contest to Combat Unlicensed Activity
November 8, 2012
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA) today revealed the judging panel that will be evaluating videos submitted in “The Impostulators” student video contest. The contest aims to educate consumers on the dangers of doing business with unlicensed accounting professionals and engages the student community in an issue that impacts their profession. Cash prizes will be awarded to the teams who produce the best videos about the importance of using a licensed certified public accountant (CPA).
The seven-member judging panel will consist of professionals representing DBPR, the FICPA, the Florida Board of Accountancy, the field of public relations and an accounting program at a Florida college. Ken Lawson is the Secretary of DBPR and has served the public for more than 13 years in numerous regulatory positions. Deborah Curry, CGMA, is President/CEO of the FICPA. Veloria Kelly serves at DBPR as the Director of the Division of Certified Public Accounting. David Dennis, CPA, is an FICPA member and serves on the Florida Board of Accountancy, chairing their Finance and Budget Committee. Scott Price, CPA, serves as Chair of the FICPA and is the managing director of A-lign CPAs, a national provider of regulatory and compliance services. Jim Hunt is Vice President of Moore Communications Group, a Tallahassee-based public relations firm, and leads the agency’s digital media and business development efforts. Terri Walsh is the Program Manager of Accounting at Seminole State College and has been a Florida-licensed CPA for 26 years.
The deadline for students to submit videos is midnight on November 12, and phase one of the judging will occur the following week. After this phase, the top videos will advance to phase two for public voting. Videos that advance to phase two will be posted online between November 27 and December 14 so the public may vote for their favorite video.
The team that wins first place will receive a grand prize of $1,000 with an additional $350 contribution to their accounting school. Second place will receive $500 with a $250 school contribution, and third place will receive $250 with a $150 school donation.
Founded in 1905, the FICPA is a Tallahassee-based, statewide, professional association representing member-CPAs throughout Florida. With a membership of more than 18,500, the Institute’s mission is to promote the value of its members and serve their diverse needs; enhance members’ competency and professionalism; support professional standards; and advocate on behalf of the profession. For complete information about the FICPA, visit www.ficpa.org, follow @FICPA on Twitter and visit Florida Institute of CPAs on Facebook.
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. The Department licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals ranging from hotels and restaurants, real estate agents and certified public accountants to veterinarians, contractors and cosmetologists. For more information, please visit www.MyFloridaLicense.com.
More information about DBPR is available online at www.myfloridalicense.com. Also, follow @FloridaDBPR on Twitter or Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on Facebook for updates about license cycles, events and other important news.