The Leaders' Institute 2010

June 25–27 at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center

• Program Description 
• Nomination Process 
• Keynote Speaker, Tim Christen, CPA 
• Testimonials From Past Attendees 
• 2010 Sponsorship Opportunites & Sponsors 
• 2009 Leaders' Institute: A Look Back 

Program Description | Top

The Leaders’ Institute is a three-day all expenses paid leadership program developed by founding sponsor Baker Tilly (formerly Beers + Cutler) and the VSCPA Educational Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to attracting today’s best and brightest students to the CPA profession. The Institute seeks to bridge the gap between “student” and “young professional” and develop the future leaders of the CPA profession.

During The Leaders’ Institute, students develop interviewing, leadership and team building skills, while learning more about business etiquette, choosing the right employer, surviving the CPA Exam and managing personal finances. Students also enjoy access to potential employers, mentoring opportunities with young CPAs and networking opportunities with other academically-gifted accounting students.

In addition, attendees have the opportunity to gain valuable insight into the recruiting process from an employer's point of view with the Recruiter in Residence program, an optional one-on-one, 30 minute session with a potential employer! At the student's request, a Recruiter in Residence can conduct an informational interview, review a résumé, conduct a mock interview or answer general questions regarding searching for a job and career focus.

Nomination Process | Top

Educators may nominate students, and students may nominate themselves, for the 2010 Leaders’ Institute. (There is no limit to the number of students an educator may nominate, so feel free to nominate multiple students if you feel they are deserving.) To be eligible for nomination, students must meet the following qualifications:

• The nominated student should be a full-time student at an accredited college or university in Virginia with the intent to (or with an existing) major in accounting.
• The nominated student should have demonstrated leadership potential.
• The student must have completed 60–120 credit hours and be enrolled in the 2010–2011 academic year for at least one semester.
• The nominating educator should be teaching (or have taught) the nominated student.
• The student should not have attended previous Leaders’ Institute programs.

The nomination process is an easy, three-step process. All nominations must be received by the VSCPA no later than March 19, 2010:

1. Ask the nominee to complete the student nomination form (Step I) and return it to you.
2. Complete the educator nomination form (Step II)
3. Submit them both by Friday, March 19, 2010, in one of the following ways:

Mail completed nomination forms to:

Tara Pennington, Project Planner
Virginia Society of CPAs
4309 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060

E-mail completed nomination forms to Tara Pennington at tpennington@vscpa.com.

Fax completed nomination forms to Tara Pennington at (804) 273-1741.

The VSCPA will send invitations to the selected students after all nominations are submitted in early March 2009. If you have any questions, please contact VSCPA Project Planner Tara Pennington at tpennington@vscpa.com or (804) 612-9443.

Keynote Speaker, Tim Christen, CPA | Top

As CEO of Baker Tilly, ranked as the 17th largest CPA firm in the United States, Tim Christen's insights and advice will certainly be invaluable for the outstanding students gathered at The Leaders' Institute.

Tim Christen, CPA, is the CEO of Baker Tilly and chairs the firm’s Executive and Compensation Committees. In 2008, Baker Tilly ranked as the 17th largest CPA firm in the United States according to Public Accounting Report’s "Top 100." The firm expects the ranking will increase to 13th largest following the December 1, 2009 merger with Washington, D.C.-based accounting and consulting firm Beers + Cutler. Prior to being named CEO in 1999, Christen was the managing partner of the firm’s Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin offices.

An active member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), Christen was recently appointed to a three-year term as chair of the organization’s Major Firms Group. He is an active member of the AICPA and continues to serve as a member of its board of directors, working in conjunction with its national council to oversee management and services that impact the more than 350,000 AICPA members nationwide.

In addition to his involvement with the AICPA, Christen is a member of the Baker Tilly International Board of Directors and the Baker Tilly North American Regional Council. He has been recognized by Accounting Today as one of the “100 Most Influential People” in the accounting profession and as one of the five “Most Admired Peers” by fellow major firms managing partners, according to Inside Public Accounting.

Testimonials From Past Attendees | Top

“Thank you for planning and putting together the Leaders' Institute. I learned more than I could have hoped and had opportunities presented to me that I never imagined. I applied for a membership in the VSCPA, and I would love to help out for next year's Leaders' Institute if that's possible.”
— Sarah Martin, American University

“I was very impressed with the program as it was well planned, informative and fun. The Institute helped me to gain valuable insight into the accounting profession as I had the opportunity to speak with many professionals about their experiences. All of the team leaders were very personable and engaging. I am very excited to begin working in the accounting field, and the Institute reinforced my feelings. Again, thank you for making the opportunity possible.”
— Amanda Burns, George Mason University

“The conference was extremely helpful and I broadened my knowledge base pertaining to the accounting profession. The networking opportunities throughout the weekend were tremendous and offered a great deal of insight into the life of a young accountant.”
— Zach Morris, James Madison University

“I just wanted to say it was great being part of the Leaders' Institute. Not only did I have a great time meeting new people my age, but also got the chance to learn while having fun.”
— Miguel J. Vargas Montano, George Mason University School of Law

Thank you, 2010 Sponsors! | Top

Thank you to our generous 2010 sponsors who are making it possible for us to help the next generation of leaders in the CPA profession.

Founding Sponsor
Baker Tilly (formerly Beers + Cutler)

Cookout Sponsor
Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer

Valedictorian Sponsor
Cherry, Bekaert & Holland
RyanSharkey

Salutatorian Sponsor
Ernst & Young

Dean's List
Deloitte

Sponsorships are available for this fun and informative event! Please click here for more information on available sponsorships (.PDF) or contact VSCPA Project Planner Tara Pennington at tpennington@vscpa.com or (804) 612-9443.

2009 Leaders' Institute: A Look Back | Top

Thanks to everyone who attended the 2009 Leaders' Institute! You helped make it a fantastic event.

The VSCPA is pleased to present a look back at the Institute through this online photo album. You may download digital images for free, or if you wish, you may purchase a print of your favorite picture. Please consult the directions below or the Flickr help page if you have any questions about acquiring photos.

To download pictures from Flickr:

Select the photo and click the "All Sizes" button above it. Choose the size you want to download.

To order prints from Flickr:

1. Click the photo to get to the Photo page. (Make sure you sign in or create a free Flickr account. If you do not sign in, you will not be able to see the printing options.)
2. On the Photo page, locate the row of small buttons directly above the photo.
3. Click the "Prints & More" button.
4. A drop-down menu will appear with a variety of options from which you can choose the quantity and size of prints you would like to order. (There are also several options for ordering various specialty printed materials with your photos from other Flickr partners.)
5. Make your selections, then click "Add to Cart.” You will then have the option either to proceed to your Shopping Cart or continue browsing for photos to print. (You can always go directly to your Shopping Cart by clicking the shopping cart icon in the upper right corner of Flickr.)
6. When you proceed to your Shopping Cart you will have the option of receiving your prints through the mail (within the United States only) or picking them up at a participating Target store. Here you can also select matte or glossy finish and edit your quantity and size selections. Once you have made your choices, click "Check Out.”
7. Customers choosing the mail delivery option will then be asked to enter payment information (this part of the process is processed on a secure server). You will then be presented with a review of your order. If everything is correct, click "Send Order."
8. Enjoy.