RD342 - Virginia Board of Accountancy Biennial Report 2013-2014


Executive Summary:
I am pleased to present the Virginia Board of Accountancy’s Biennial Report for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2014. As in past years, the VBOA continues to be blessed with extremely dedicated, engaged and active Board members. Many of our current and former Board members, as well as myself, are active with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Our involvement helps to ensure that Virginia remains active in, and on top of, subject matter that guides the accounting profession and the CPA exam. Virginia is well respected for its members’ involvement at the national level! The Board members dedicate hundreds of volunteer hours in serving the Board and is evidenced by our significant accomplishments these last two years.

To effectively communicate important and timely information to our CPA exam candidates, licensee candidates, licensees and the public, the Board continues to improve its communications efforts through the website, social media and newsletters.

In summary, over the past several years the VBOA has: continued to hold at least one board meeting each year on a Virginia college or university campus; redesigned and renamed its electronic newsletter (Accrued Interest); introduced a new logo; launched the use of social media (Facebook and Twitter); implemented a fee increase (the first in more than 20 years); participated and won the two Governor’s Bowl, a state agency competition supporting local food banks; implemented two new licensee statuses: Active – Renewal Fee Delinquent and Active – CPE Exempt to more accurately reflect a licensee's status to the public; made changes to the requirements regarding the 2015 and beyond Virginia-Specific Ethics Course; approved the use of a new online CPE tracking system for all licensees, which launched in October 2014; continued to update and modify a user friendly website; and utilized an annual online customer service satisfaction survey to ensure the VBOA’s commitment to provide outstanding customer service to Virginia’s exam candidates and licensees.

Accomplishments are important to recognize and are a reflection of where we have been and where we are today. However, the improvements will not stop here! As we move forward, we the Board and staff will continue to enhance our operations, customer service and delivery of key services. The VBOA will also continue to enhance its communications efforts to ensure our CPA exam candidates, licensees and the public are kept up-to-date on the issues that are of most importance from a regulatory board viewpoint.

We also have plans to update or replace our existing exam and licensing database system that will provide a more comprehensive and user-friendly experience. We have made tremendous progress during the past two years and look forward with great anticipation to the plans we have developed for the future of the VBOA.

Wade A. Jewell, VBOA Executive Director