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August 2013
AUGUST 2013 MEMBERSHIP MEETING
 
 Date: 8/27/2013 
 Doors Open: 6:00pm 
 Location: Biltmore Hotel 
  2151 Laurelwood Road 
  Santa Clara, CA 95054 
 Presentation: Ethics 
   Cost:Day of Event at the Door 
  $40 members 
  $50 guests 
 
Pre-registration:
Discount rate, register and pay using Paypal here 
  $35 members 
  $45 guests 
 
AUGUST KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

 

William DeVincenzi

Ethics: Issues in the Workplace

Mr. D August 2013 Speaker
 
AFWA Silicon Valley Chapter is excited to have 
William DeVincenzi "Mr. D" speak to us about ethics.
 
After some general comments, he will focus on four real incidents in his career and ask the audience to participate in determining the ethical course of action to take given the circumstances.  He will then disclose his action and the outcome and open it up to further discussion and analysis. 
 
We will see that the action is not always intuitive or easy, 
but the outcome of an ethical choice is always for the best. 



IN THIS ISSUE
(click on the topic to be linked directly)

What's Your Fraud IQ?
3 Things to Know About Proposed Ethics Code Revisions
Managing IT Risks and Compliance: A Growing Major Concern
Fraud hotlines: Don't miss that call
 


Julia Becklund

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." Charles Dickens
  

 

 

Maintaining a balance of work and home this past week has been very hectic for me.  One aspect was interacting with a 7 year old, the Granddaughter of my Brother's Girlfriend, Cassie.  Her routine of the day starts by waking up at six o'clock in the morning.  Full of energy, she becomes quite loud in expressing herself by greeting the world with joy.  The innocence of a youngster who is curious and eager to explore is oblivious to the impact they have with their surroundings.

 

Since I am more of a night owl than an early riser, this experience has presented its challenges.  Throughout the years, I have extensive history having trouble with my sleeping patterns.  As the week wore on, this bubbly grandchild grated by nerves much like fingernails on a chalkboard.  Talking to my Sister about the situation, she expressed a quote she heard, "Look for the good in people and tell them what you see".  Not sure of whom expressed this quote, but it made me think more in depth about what I can do to elevate the tension.

 

Considering Cassie's curious nature, I decided that my behavior towards her should be positive and reinforcing.  As I approached her, I told her she was very intelligent little girl.  Then I invited her to go with me to the bookstore.  Her eyes lit up as she accepted my invitation, thrilled to participate with this endeavor.  Finding a one volume encyclopedia at the bookstore, I thought she might want to read on occasion.  As I approached her with the hardcover, I told her that my parents always had books around for us to read that would make us think.  My emphasis was to share the joy of reading with Cassie so she can find more information about the world. 

 

One book does not make her an expert on any one subject but encourages her curiosity to continue to search for answers.  As I watched her rifle through the encyclopedia, it made me think of the many things that have occurred recently in my life that made me happy.  As I begin this term as President of Silicon Valley Chapter of AFWA, I thought about the board this year.  The first highlight was the experience of everyone being so responsive at the strategic planning meeting.  This is going to be a great year.  We have a number of speakers lined up that will peak the interest of many and encourage more members to attend. 

 

Every month, on the fourth Tuesday, is a highlight for me.  Regardless of the challenges I face week after week, I am encouraged and motivated to maintain a ritual of attending the membership meeting.  And as I step into the room, I am delighted to see the friendly faces and intelligent women.  Silicon Valley AFWA is well known for making guests and members feel welcome and comfortable.  I have known several other members express the same and it is my wish for everyone to spread the joy to others like Cassie greets her mornings.  

 




ANNUAL CONFERENCEAnnualConference

2013 Accounting & Financial Women's Alliance Annual Conference

October 20-23, 2013

Hyatt Regency, Indianapolis, IN





Don't miss this opportunity to network with other women in accounting and finance from across the country. Join us this fall in Indianapolis and learn from leading experts on ways to develop a variety of your skills. The Accounting & Financial Women's Alliance Annual Conference will be loaded with opportunities for networking, leadership development, education and fun!
 
Online Registration and the Program Schedule are coming soon. Stay tuned!

Hotel Accommodations:  For hotel reservations at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis, please call 1-888-421-1442 no later than September 27, 2013 and be sure to mention "Accounting & Financial Women's Alliance" to receive the group rate of $159/night.


Click here for more information about the Annual Conference. 


AUGUST NEWSAccountability


What's Your Fraud IQ?
By Andi McNeal, CPA
August 2013

The word skepticism is derived from the Greek word skeptesthai, meaning "to reflect, look, or view." It has evolved over the past 2,300 years to represent, among other definitions, the application of reason and critical analysis in the search for a factually supported conclusion. In this context, the concept of skepticism has been adopted in many professions-chief among them auditing-as an important attitude for individuals to apply in fulfilling their duties. A skeptical mindset is the key to detecting fraud. Is your professional approach sufficiently skeptical? Do you know how to apply skepticism in your engagements to uncover the red flags of fraud? Take this quiz to find out. <Read More>


3 Things to Know About Proposed Ethics Code Revisions
from AICPA Insights
May 08, 2013

CPAs know how seriously our profession takes ethics. The AICPA's Code of Professional Conduct applies to all AICPA members. In addition, many state CPA societies and state boards of accountancy either incorporate it by reference or use it as a starting point for their codes. The Code of Professional Conduct provides guidance on areas such as client relationships, maintaining independence and adhering to the technical standards of GAAP, GAAS and others. <Read More>



Managing IT Risks and Compliance: 
A Growing Major Concern
from AICPA Insights
by Jocelyn Woodard 
Jul 31, 2013

Managing IT risks and compliance are major concerns for many organizations, including those in public accounting, business and industry, consulting, and government/ not-for-profit. Organizations that do not understand, or have not considered, the risks associated with information technology are generally not prepared to mitigate such risks. As a result they are ill-prepared to face the pressures that accompany increased vulnerability within the IT environment. <Read More>



Fraud hotlines: Don't miss that call
from Journal of Accountancy
By Christine P. Andrews, DBA, & Brian P. LeBlanc, CPA
August 2013


Tip lines are one of the most effective tools organizations possess for detecting and preventing fraud. Fifty-nine percent of forensic and valuation CPAs participating in the AICPA's 2011 Forensic and Valuation Services Trend Survey said internal whistleblower hotlines would lead to improvements in preventing fraud in the next two to five years. Internal tips were cited by business and industry CPAs participating in the same survey as the most common detection method for frauds that occurred at their organizations.

 

Because tip lines encourage and facilitate anonymous reporting, they are a proven fraud deterrent that can be successfully implemented without burdensome effort or expense. This article lays out a path for maintaining a tip line, including key features and best practices learned by public companies. It concludes with a description of different levels of service provided by web-based tip line providers, including features and estimated costs. <Read More>



GET TO KNOW OUR AUGUST KEYNOTE SPEAKER: KeynoteBio

Mr. William DeVincenzi
Bio

William DeVincenzi has an MBA from U. C. Berkeley and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of California.  Mr DeVincenzi spent 25 years in corporate finance with the last 10 years at the VP Finance & CFO level.  Mr DeVincenzi retired from industry in 1994 to begin a new career in teaching at San Jose State University.  Over the past 15 years, he has achieved the Outstanding Undergraduate Instructor award (1998) and the Outstanding Graduate Instructor award (2004).  In 2007, he received the Dean's Distinguished Service award from the College of Business.  In 2008, he was named Outstanding Faculty student club advisor by San Jose State University.  In 2008 and 2009, he was named Master Teacher by the College of Business.  In 2009, Mr. DeVincenzi was named Outstanding Lecturer by San Jose State University.

 

Mr. DeVincenzi has formed a new major in Corporate Finance (combining Accounting and Finance fundamentals), and Directs the Gary J. Sbona Honors Program, a unique program which places teams of the best students in the College of Business into project oriented internship-like positions with local corporations in Silicon Valley.  He is Faculty advisor for the Financial Management Association (FMA) student club which has recently earned the distinction of being the only chapter in the world to win every major award that FMA International has to offer, simultaneously.  He was also named Outstanding Faculty advisor by FMA International for four consecutive years.  He is also involved with two non-profit organizations, on the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Global Community, as well as a founding director and CFO of Hooked on Nature.  He also served on the Board of Directors of the Silicon Valley Federal Credit Union for 10 years, 3 of which as Chairman of the Board.  Mr. DeVincenzi is a member and past San Francisco chapter President of the Financial Executives International and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.   He lives in San Jose, California with his wife of 42 years, has two children and 3 grandchildren. 

 

 



COMMITTEE UPDATESCommitteeUpdates


PROGRAMS
Chair: Tawnya Schwartz

There is an excellent line-up of programs for the Silicon Valley Chapter this year, and most of them qualify for CPE!  Check out the line-up as we have engaged some dynamic and outstanding speakers.

August 
8/27/2013
Ethics - William DeVincenzi

September 
9/24/2013 
Employment Law - Jeanine D. DeBacker 
 
October 
10/29/2013 
Leadership Skills 


MEMBERSHIP
Chair: Eileen Perry

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • All Levels of Accounting & Finance
  • Bookkeepers
  • Corporate Accounting Finance
  • Public Accounting
  • Management & Educators
  • Recruiters

If you would like to join the Silicon Valley Chapter of AFWA, follow the link to our National website.

http://www.afwa.org

 

Please feel free to complete the application or forward a copy to someone you think would benefit from joining our Chapter.

 

 

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

  • Prestigious status of professional affiliation
  • National contacts for networking and professional information
  • Forum for CPE
  • Scholarships
  • Leadership opportunities in supportive arena
  • Subscription to Accountability e-newsletter 
  • National and regional conferences at a discounted rate
  • Access to Career Center
  • Access to AFWA's LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter groups and National online membership directory
  • Discounted membership to the Institute for Management Accountants (IMA)
  • Discounted products and services through affiliation agreements
    • CPA review courses, CCH tax & accounting books, Long Term Care Insurance and Bank of America credit card.


HOSPITALITY/CPE COMPLIANCE
Hospitality Chair: Amrit Dhaliwal
CPE Chair: Nicole Tran

Reservation and cancellation policy:Reservations or cancellations are requested by noon on the Friday preceding each meeting.  Email amrit@expertquote.com to reserve or cancel. The goal is an accurate count for the hotel.  Unreserved members (not guests) incur a surcharge of $5.00.

 

Reserved members or guests who are no-shows will be billed if not cancelled by noon the preceding Friday. We do want you to come to the meetings and reservations are helpful but if you have to cancel let us know beforehand to avoid incurring the cost of the meal. WE ACCEPT CREDIT CARD PAYMENT AT THE DOOR.

 

Volunteers are always welcome at our monthly membership meetings. Lend a helping hand to make our monthly events and meetings even more interesting while building a great network and forming new relationships.

 

CPE credit is available for participating in any of our qualified programs.  See Nicole for more details in person at the meeting or email her at NICOLETRANNT@GMAIL.COM.




NEWSLETTER
Chair: Edronda Guiriba

We have changed our newsletter! Like the new look? Be sure to send us some feedback.

The newsletter is prepared and distributed on a monthly basis.  Visit our web site at www.afwasiliconvalley.org.  If this Chapter does not have your e-mail address, please contact Edronda at edrondaguiriba@gmail.com

 

We encourage our membership to submit articles of interest for our monthly newsletter.  Please make your submission under the following criteria...

  • Prepared as a Microsoft Word document
  • Photos in JPEG format
  • captions are okay, no imbedded text, please
  • 600 words or less




BOARD OF DIRECTORS BOD
2013-2014


July 23, 2013 Board meeting. From left to right: Eileen Perry, Edronda Guiriba, Amrit Dhaliwal, Julia Becklund, Sabrina Pacheco (back), Nicole Letellier, Sue Stokke, Nicole Sheets, Nicole Tran, Monika Miles. Missing: Tawnya Schwartz


President:

Julia Becklund

Julia@pcnt.com


President-Elect:

Nicole Letellier

nicoletel@sbcglobal.net


Secretary:

Nicole Sheets

nlsheets@sbcglobal.net


Treasurer:

Sabrina Pacheco

scpacheco3@yahoo.com


Past President:

Sue Stokke

suestokkeaswa@aol.com


Hospitality Chair:

Amrit Dhaliwal

amrit@expertquote.com


CPE Compliance:

Nicole Tran

nicoletrannt@gmail.com


Newsletter Editor:

Edronda Guiriba

edrondaguiriba@gmail.com


Membership Chair:

Eileen Perry

eileen.eperry@gmail.com


Program Chair:

Tawnya Schwartz

Tawny888@GMAIL.COM


Scholarship Chair:

Monika Miles

monika@labhartmiles.com


Website:

Outsourced

 

 

Click here for more info about the Roles and Responsibilities of the Board of Directors. 

 
LOOKING FOR SPONSORS
 
There are four sponsor levels of contribution established for the scholarship fund.
 
Bronze
Sponsorship up to $150.00  
 
Silver 
Sponsorship up to $300.00 
 
Gold
Sponsorship up to $500.00 
 
Platinum
Sponsorship over $500.00 
 
 
*********************
Sponsor letter and form available. 
Share the information! 
See Monika Miles for more details. 
 
 
 
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 Founded in 1938, AFWA/ASWA provides women in accounting and finance the leadership, education and networking opportunities needed to achieve their career goals. Celebrating 75 years as the only organization that solely represents the interest of women in the entire accounting and finance community. The organization's mission is to enable women in all accounting and related fields to achieve their full personal,
professional and economic potential and to contribute to the future development of their profession.