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VSCPA Celebrates 115th Anniversary

October 8, 2024
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For Immediate Release 

Tina Bates, VSCPA 
(804) 612 -9416 
[email protected] 
X: @vscpanews 
 

Richmond (Oct. 9, 2024) — The Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA) marks 115 years as the professional organization for CPAs in the Commonwealth of Virginia — more than a century of membership, fellowship, connection, advocacy, leadership, and a commitment to serve citizens as their trusted business and financial advisors. 

The VSCPA began as a modest assemblage of 19 men (lead by founder W.P. “Pop” Hilton) who answered the call to represent their profession by drafting regulatory legislation in 1909. Today, the VSCPA comprises nearly 12,000 members who work in public accounting, corporate finance, government and education.  

“At the VSCPA’s 50th anniversary celebration, now 65 years ago, Pop Hilton told attendees that the occasion was not a time to look backwards, but instead look forward and embrace what was to come,” said Stephanie Peters, CAE, VSCPA president & CEO. “I think he’d be proud to see where we are now: A vibrant, member-driven organization committed to embracing change and the future of work, while still honoring the integrity and service inherent in the CPA designation.” 

Through the years, the Society marks a number of successes, including: 

  • Hiring its first executive, Patricia P. Koontz, in 1965, followed by CEO Thomas M. Berry Jr. in 1977. Berry served for 30 years, passing the torch to Peters in 2007, the VSCPA’s first woman president & CEO. 

  • Building a 10,000 square foot office facility in Glen Allen, Va., in 1984, where it stands today. The building underwent a major renovation in 2020 and is now a state-of-the-art, modern and professional space. 

  • Forming the VSCPA Educational Foundation in 1984 — 501c(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting accounting education and rewarding academic excellence. The Foundation now awards more than $70,000 in scholarships each year, including several to assist minorities enter the accounting profession. 

  • Several advocacy-related wins, such as supporting establishing the Virginia Board of Accountancy as its own agency in 2001 rather than under Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation supervision, and successfully pushing for rolling income tax conformity in Virginia in 2023. 

While Willard Scott of Today Show fame is no longer alive to wish us a happy anniversary, we had the honor of his recognition on the show’s Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, live segment for our Centennial. 

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ABOUT THE VSCPA 

The Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA) is the leading professional association in the Commonwealth dedicated to empowering the CPA profession to thrive. Founded in 1909, the VSCPA has nearly 12,000 members who work in public accounting, corporate finance, government and education. For more information about the VSCPA, visit vscpa.com, email [email protected] or call (804) 612-9416. Connect with us on Facebook: Facebook.com/VSCPA; X: @VSCPANews; and Instagram: @VSCPA.