We had a great turn out at our February Social at 310 Lakeside and had a very good donation drive for Dress for Success.  The rep for Dress for Success spoke to our group about their program and how we can help them by providing financial literacy classes and continuing to collect gently used professional clothing and accessories for their boutique.

We were also happy to welcome some members and representatives from Robert Half our new chapter sponsor for the remainder of our 2012-2013 year.  They were a big contributor to our clothing drive and we are happy to have them on board.

Please join us for our next event on Thursday, April 25^th at the Creative Canvas & Wine in Altamonte Springs.  Invitations will be sent out soon!  Thank you again and look forward to seeing everyone in April – Sheridan Smith, Chapter President

It's official.....we have a new name for our ASWA organization – We are now  Accounting & Financial Women's Alliance!　 This name change that was voted on by members of the organization will help improve our brand presence and open our member base to include more financial roles to increase our membership.　 This change has been a couple of years in the making and we hope that it will motivate new professionals to join.　 Each word of the new name change conveys something critical about the organization and the membership.　 See below for each words meaning.

• Accounting - Accounting is at the core of who we are and what we do, so this is the first word of our proposed new name.






• Financial - Adding "Financial" to our name clarifies who our members are and immediately broadens our appeal.






• Women - Moving forward as an organization first and foremost for Accounting and Financial professionals, it is still important to include the word "Women" to clarify the mission and membership.






• Alliance - An organizational identifier is needed to anchor the name. "Alliance" is a strong word with a contemporary sound. The definition of "Alliance" aligns with the organization’s goals: "An alliance is an agreement or friendship between two or more parties, made in order to advance common goals and to secure common interests."

Make sure you visit the new national website, www.afwa.org,　 "like" the new Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance on Facebook and "follow" us on Twitter, all sites will provide updates, news and events!

Spread the word on our exciting changes and we hope to see you at the next Central Florida Chapter event!

Sheridan Smith

AFWA – Central Florida Chapter President

CPA Survival Stories - The Comedy Edition

Wrap up your Monday with a little humor!  I conducted a brief, highly unscientific, survey of how people felt about the CPA exam.  Here are the results...

The CPA exam is worst than giving birth – Seriously

When you’re studying for the CPA exam there is a constant black cloud that hovers over you; therefore, don’t bother taking a break and doing something fun because you won’t be able to truly enjoy it because the exam will be in your brain the entire time.

When you’re studying for the CPA exam you can’t help but think bad thoughts about the people whose job it is to make up questions for the exam – like wanting to blow them all up. (Don't take this one seriously.)

We don’t get paid enough to take these stupid tests.

However with all this said, when I found out I passed the last one it was the happiest day of my life and I was confused as to why everybody didn’t throw me a party.  I deserved it damnit!  It should have been a federal Holiday. 

Sorry but this is a VERY sore subject for me.  I HATED it and almost lost my husband over it.  Not really, but it made home life very difficult.

Let me Google if I can switch careers at this point!

By studying this much, I could have been a doctor!

If I pass this cr**, I am going to Europe for a month!!

Passed all 4 parts in exactly one year (found out 1^st results and last results on exact day, 1 year apart). Do not recommend working while studying because restudying is horrible

Studying for the CPA Exam is probably the most stressful thing to deal with.  It is something that you never what to ever do again in your life.

Painful, Tiring, Stressful, Never-ending

If you are feeling discouraged - keep the faith.  You're not alone!  Have a good laugh and strengthen your resolve.  One day, you will be standing on the other side and will have some great stories to tell.  

Liz Gammage, Communications

And The Winner Is..

Comment # 4 - Cathy Schockweiler

You will be contacted to claim your $50 Target Gift Card.

Thank you to everyone who participated.  We are planning another give away in the future.  Please be sure to include an email address so that we have a way to contact you.

Tax Update Luncheon - January 16th, 2013

In case you missed our annual Tax Update Luncheon yesterday here are a few details...

Our first meeting of the new year was January 16th.  It was great to see so many familiar faces and a couple new ones.  Liz Gammage, a Tax Supervisor with Averett Warmus Durkee, P.A., presented our annual tax update.  She talked about the individual and business tax changes, what was extended, and what's new for 2013.  It was very informative and a great refresher before busy season.

Our next event is a social on February 21st at 310 Lakeside from 6-8 p.m.  We will be collecting donations for Dress for Success.  Dress for Success is a non-profit organization that provides professional attire to disadvantaged women who have a scheduled interview.  If you bring a donation, you will receive a free drink ticket.  It's time to clean out your closets!

Stephanie Gardner
Programs

Announcing Our First Giveaway...

... and you won't even have to pay taxes on it!

We like to reward our members who read our blog.  One lucky winner will receive a $50 Target gift card.  Who can't use a little extra dough these days?

TO ENTER

To enter the giveaway, just answer the following question in the Comments section of this post:

Are wages that are not paid in cash, such as fringe benefits, subject to Additional Medicare Tax? 

Employee wellness programs, tuition assistance, flexible medical or child-care spending accounts, etc.  How many of your clients will be affected by this tax?  Do you think your clients will cut back on fringe benefit programs?  Tell us about it!

THE RULES

One entry per person.

The contest closes on Thursday, January 17th at midnight.

The winner will be announced on Friday.

The winner will be randomly selected using Random.org.

Be sure to include your email address so we can contact you.

GOOD LUCK!

Subscribe (Outlook, iMail, Google Reader) to We've Got Assets to stay on top of all things ASWA Central Florida.  

Is Your LinkedIn Profile Missing a Picture?

First Friday Fotos at MacBeth Photography - Professional Headshots for $20

Head on over to MacBeth Photography (130 S Orange Ave. Suite 204, Orlando, FL) this Friday between 12 pm and 6 pm for their First Friday Fotos event.  The uber talented photographers at MacBeth will snap a headshot (using their rock star lighting) and apply light (aheammm!!!) retouching.  For all you busy working ladies and moms - no appointment is necessary (THANK YOU MACBETH!).  MacBeth hosts this event every month so if you are unable to make it, set your calendar for Friday, February 1st.  

For more information visit their website at http://www.macbethphoto.com/galleries/first-friday-fotos-2/ and/or you can follow them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/macbethphoto.

After you've received your headshot, check back in and tell us about your experience.  We can't wait to see the smiling faces of our members on LinkedIn!

Event Reminder: Tax Update CPE Luncheon

Don't forget to register for our first CPE luncheon of the year. Join us at the Citrus Club on Wednesday, January 16th from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm for our annual tax update. Attendees will receive 2 CPE credits. The cost is $30 for members and $35 for non-members. Debit and credit cards are accepted at check-in.  Please RSVP to Stephanie Gardner at aswacf@gmail.com.  We will see you there!

Member Spotlight - Jessica Fobbs

Hello everyone!  My name is Jessica Fobbs and I am currently a senior at the University of Central Florida.  I will be graduating in the Spring semester of 2013 with my BSBA in Accounting.  I was recently initiated as a proud member of Beta Alpha Psi, and I am also a student member of the Central Florida Chapter of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants.  When I am not focusing diligently on school, I enjoy spending time with my family and hanging out with my friends.  After graduating, my goals are to attend graduate school to receive my Masters in Accounting or Business Administration and launching a career in Internal Audit.


Thank you Jessica for submitting yourself for our member spotlight. ASWA members, please introduce yourself to Jessica the next time you see her at an event.  We are always looking for new member spotlights.  Please contact Marie Nelson at aswacf@gmail.com for information.

Member KUDOS!!! – Natalie Bleile: FAR Exam

Natalie received her FAR exam results on November 23 - PASSED IT! When asked about her next move, she states “I'm excited to get started on my studies for the next two to get that certification under my belt!” Congrats Natalie!

Have you recently passed an exam (CPA, CMA, CIA, etc.) or received a promotion? Tell us about it! We know we have a great bunch of talented members and want to recognize you for your achievements. Please contact Marie Nelson at aswacf@gmail.com.

CPA Survival Stories - Nancy DiSalvo, CPA

Our first post comes from our Vice President, Nancy DiSalvo, CPA. With over 20 years of experience in the accounting industry, she has learned the key to survival is surrounding yourself with successful people and developing those relationships.

I clearly remember my first accounting class. I was a senior in high school, and the year was 1986. Early in the year, we were given what would be one of our “projects” for the year. We were to maintain the books for a business named “Cycle Center,” everything from making bank deposits, writing checks to paying bills, and coding transactions to the general ledger all the way to reconciling our bank accounts and producing financial statements for our thriving business at the end of each month. Call me crazy, but I absolutely LOVED it! The debits and credits made perfect sense to me, and I liked to believe I was pretty good at it. After all, I loved math but only tolerated science, so accounting seemed like the best choice for me when it came to deciding on a major for college and, ultimately, choosing the career path I wanted to follow.

What I didn’t realize was my chosen path would not be easy, but I have never backed away from a challenge. 

When I started college, I knew from the beginning it would take me at least 5 years to make it through the program at UCF, as Florida was one of the first states to implement the 5th year requirement for CPA’s. I also knew the CPA exam had a reputation for being tough to pass, especially the first time. Being prepared for this was the biggest challenge in the beginning - at least until the next challenge came along. 

That is what makes this profession so intriguing to me….there is always something new around the corner, and you have to constantly prepare yourself for what is coming up next. This keeps me continuously moving and keeps my mind sharp, which also helps to keep me healthy in mind, body, and spirit.



Time has only solidified the wisdom of my career decision. Over the last 20 years, I have had the privilege of working with some of the best non-profit organizations, charter schools, and numerous small businesses from across the country. These are organizations making an unbelievable difference in the communities they serve, in the lives of the young children they educate, and in providing critical goods and services to the marketplace. My 20 years have been spent with the same accounting firm, which probably makes me an anomaly among 40-something professionals. I believe it also makes me better at what I do. I have served some of the same clients for many of these years and have come to specialize in their unique industries, which allows me to focus on their particular needs and provide the best possible client service. 

If you want to be successful in whatever career you choose, then surround yourself with people who are successful at what they do and develop meaningful relationships with them over time. It is these relationships that will serve you best in your career.

 Have you ever had that exhilarating feeling when you know you are in the right place at the right time doing what you were meant to do? I have been blessed enough to have that feeling for the last 20 years in the CPA profession, and I hope it lasts another 20.

Do you have a CPA survival story you would like to share with the association? Please contact Marie Nelson at aswacf@gmail.com.