Why we acquired Don Farmer’s education business

In the fall, we announced a VSCPA first: the acquisition of revered tax education provider Don Farmer, CPA, PA. Some of you may wonder: Why would the VSCPA decide to make this move? What was the impetus behind the acquisition and why? 

For a few years, the VSCPA Board of Directors has had a task force investigating areas of non-dues revenue that could supplement the Society’s income and provide fiscal sustainability for the organization — with the goal of business model innovation to grow resources to better serve members and customers now and into the future. All member organizations are challenged to stay relevant and continue to provide cutting-edge education and benefits, and we are no exception. 

The foreshadowing of Don Farmer’s retirement and our desire to expand our education offerings to CPAs and finance and business professionals nationwide coalesced last year. Over the years, Don had begun to cut back working with as many state CPA societie because of the amount of travel and the challenges of running his own business. With Don also planning to retire, we didn’t want his loyal following across the country to lose his unique brand of tax seminar “edutainment,” so well-loved by CPAs for decades. 

The acquisition made sense for us, for our members, and for Don. With Don’s help, we are taking over his business and will expand classes, develop new speakers, offer new delivery methods, and more. VSCPA members will continue to receive the education they trust, and we (as well as Don’s other state society clients) will maintain a valuable revenue stream to support other member services. Don will be able to see his legacy continue, as we plan to continue using the Don Farmer brand. He will stay on as a consultant and continue to teach and write in 2024, while mentoring other content authors and presenters. 

The spirit of the acquisition also dovetails with our commitment to thinking creatively and making big, innovative decisions. We challenge ourselves to constantly evolve, offering more value to our members and customers in addition to bringing the same level of commitment to advocacy for CPAs as we have for 110+ years. 

The VSCPA 2030 strategic vision is coming together, and innovation is a big part of our framework — woven throughout our goals and strategic planning processes each year. We’ll unveil VSCPA 2030 after the Board of Directors approves the final plan early this year.  

Need info on the Don Farmer acquisition? Find everything you need on our website. I’d love to hear any feedback you have on the acquisition or VSCPA 2030. Email me at [email protected].