Professor Elam:

San Antonio Accounting Societies

Financial Executives international FEI San Antonio
There are 113 local members of this prestigious voluntary group of financial executives. I am a member.
San Antonio Chapter of Management Accountants
San Antonio Chapter of Institute of Internal Auditors
I am on the Board of SA IIA which boasts over 600 members. Its membership has doubled since SARBOX was passed.
San Antonio CPA Society
This is the local chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs. TSCPA is voluntary group separate from actually being a Texas CPA licensed by the State of Texas.
Petroleum Accountants Society of San Antonio PASSA

Local Accounting Firms

BKD
In the last few years several local firms have been acquired, like the Hnake group, by national firms such as BKD.
Grant Thornton San Antonio
Grant Thornton is one of the large national firms occupying the size ladder below the Big Four.l
Padgett Stratemann is now RMS
As San Antonio becomes a bigger player in Texas Business, more national firms are entering this market. A national firm does not start from zero. RMS (http://rsmus.com/) purchased Padgett. This gives the buyer a large client base to start with. Typically the local partners have made a handsome profit on their time at the firm. But seeking to recoup the investment, the buyer typically raises fees knowing some business will be lost. RMS has re located from North Loop 410 to 1604 and 281. Renee Foshee, a tax expert with the firm, is the current SA CPA Society President.
Turner Cleveland PC
Terry Cleveland has addressed our students. Two of our graduates are employed with at this firm.
weaver CPA
Weaver is one of the largest Texas based Accounting Firms.
Hill and Ford CPAs
Kim Ford has addressed our students. She has expanded her practice from tax and write up to forensic investigation and court testimony.
Fisher Herbst and Kemble P. C.
Bruce Howard who was on our Business Advisory Council was the Officer Manger for this firm.
Ridout Barrett CPAs
Tony Ridout has visited and addressed our students many times. We have placed graduates with Ridout for several years.

Financial Consulting Firms

Aventine Hill Partners, Inc.
Beth Hair CEO founded Aventine in San Antonio in 2009. The firm now has offices in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. She formerly was with RGP.
Resource Global Professionals
Susan Hough has been to campus and spoken to our students. She is the San Antonio Manager of RGP. RGP and Aventine are not CPA firms. Instead they offer contract specialists for firms needing specific tasks such as compliance or Controllerships.

Accounting Certifications

Certified Information Systems Auditor CISA
Now that everything is literally on the computer and cyber security becomes a prominent issue, I see more and more accounting professionals with this designation. Previously known as the Information Systems and Audit Control Association, it now goes by the acronym ISACA.
Certified Fraud Examiner CFE
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, located in Austin, TX by the way, offers this Certification.
Enrolled Agent EA
The National Association of Enrolled Agents offers the EA exam for tax professionals.
Certified Management Accountant CMA
The Institute of Management Accountants offers the two part exam to become a CMA.
Certified Internal Auditor CIA
The Institute of Internal Auditors offers the CIA, a three part exam as well as four other certifications.
Certified Public Accountant CPA
CPA certificates are issued by State Boards of Acconutancy though the exam is administered by the AICPA.
An Incomplete Laundry List of Existing Accounting Certifications
This list was compiled by a Professor at Sacramento City College.

Geo Politics

Foreign Affairs
:Published by the Council on Foreign Relations
Institute for the Study of War
The Institute for the Study of War advances an informed understanding of military affairs through reliable research, trusted analysis, and innovative education. We are committed to improving the nation’s ability to execute military operations and respond to emerging threats in order to achieve U.S. strategic objectives. ISW is a non-partisan, non-profit, public policy research organization.
Stratfor
This Austin, TX based site was begun by an ex Texas State Professor.

Economic Sites and Blogs

The Price of Everythning
Tim Price reflects on markets from 'across the Pond.'
Yahoo Finance
Still the go to site for market data and links to company profiles, websites, and financial statements.
Zero Hedge
Tyler Durden's site is harder edge than most, serious stuff.
Market Watch
The Wall Street Journal continuously updates with news and article links.
Business Insider
A sort of National Enquirer look at Business Around the World.
Mish's Global Economic Analysis
Mish Shedlock's economic analysis.

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February 28, 2017

Internal Control Failure at PwC

Tuesday Feb 28 2017

Here is the NY Times story on the Oscar Best Picture mix up now known as envelopgate.

I was not able to link to the WSJ article which revealed that the PwC partner Brian Cullinan has asked for permission to use social media

backstage. The Academy denied this saying that was not his job. His job was simply to deliver the correct envelope to the correct person. But Brian ignored this ruling and was tweeting photos of Emma Stone just moments before the wrong envelope was handed off. This is a violation of internal controls, and he certainly knew better. Take a look at his face below, clearly he is a CPA in La La Land, thrilled to be among the movie stars. The briefcase contains of course the names of the winners. The time for joking around was AFTER the ceremony, not before.

Each of the Two PwC

partners, he and Ms. Ruiz, had identical envelopes. They were on opposite sides of the stage not know which side the parties would enter from. After Ms. Ruiz gave the Best Actress envelope to the previous presenter, Brian had an extra. That was the envelope he gave Warren Beatty.

Beatty and Dunaway meanwhile had apparently been feuding over who would make the announcement. Beatty got the envelop, read the result and then handed it to Dunaway. She, assuming she had the right name, apparently missed the Best Actress part, and announced the movie instead.

Bottom Line

Brian Cullinan should have followed procedure. Had he been paying attention and not tweeting perhaps he would have performed as well on the last envelope as he did on the others.

Now, did Beatty intentionally try to disgrace Dunaway? He hesitated long enough to raise suspicion he knew what had happened. Hmmm, and she of course assumed she had the right envelope, rather than questioning it at that moment.

So one big mistake makes for bad publicity for the thousands of PwC employees.

What say you, will the Academy retain PwC in the future. It is a certainty PwC, if it manages to hold on, won't send Brian a second time.

Can This Marriage Be Saved?

Nothing on the PwC Site! http://www.pwc.com/

Posted at 03:59 PM in Ethics | Permalink | Comments (1)

Toastmasters Open House Tonight

Tuesday Feb 28 2017

Toastmasters Club OPEN HOUSE, 2/28 6:30-8pm, Madla 206

Posted at 03:28 PM in A & M San Antonio | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 27, 2017

PwC on Internal Control at the Oscars

Monday Feb 27, 2017

PwC has for years been in charge of tabulating the votes for the Oscar at the Academy Awards.

This year thought PwC provided an example of what can happen when internal controls IC fail. The wrong envelope was handed to Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. And so La La Land was announced as Best Picture when Moonlight had actualy worn.

PwC thanks Jimmy Kimmel and others for the grace with which they handled the situation.

Posted at 09:41 AM in Financial Acct | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 26, 2017

Meet Matt Lampert

Monday February 13, 2017

Matt Lampert, Research Director of the Socionomics Institute, will speak at our very own TAMUSA Student Research Symposium Saturday Morning May 6, 2017

in the Central Academic Building.

Meet Matt via his Atlanta NPR interview.

Matt discusses how socionomics turns conventional causality on its head, it's the mood that makes the moment, the news does not make the mood!

We are excited that Matt will be visiting with our students about their research projects. Bringing national individuals with a national standing to campus will elevate the perception of our campus.