Accounting Alum Elected FICPA Board Chair

JeffBarbacci-horizCoverAccounting alumnus, Jeff Barbacci ’91, MAcc ’92, (Master of Accountancy) has been elected to serve as the 87th board chair of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA) for 2014-2015. Barbacci will speak to a junior-level accounting class at Stetson on Wednesday, Oct. 8, from noon to 12:30 p.m. in the Rinker Auditorium of the Lynn Business Center, where he will talk about updates in the industry and his new position.

Founded in 1905, the FICPA, which boasts more than 18,500 members, is the association for all CPAs in Florida and serves to advance the accounting profession through diversity, support and the promotion of values.

Serving on more than 28 FICPA committees and sections, Barbacci also became the first chair of FICPA’s Young CPAs Committee. He has been a member of the association’s Board of Governors for 10 years and even serves as their representative on the American Institute of CPAs council. He is a shareholder at Thomas Howell Ferguson PA., a public accounting firm in Tallahassee, Fla.

“We in the accounting department are very proud of Jeff,” said Michael E. Bitter, Ph.D., Rinker Distinguished Professor of Accounting and Department Chair. “Not only for becoming chair of the FICPA this year, but for all of his personal and professional success over the years. Jeff is the latest of several Stetson graduates who have proudly served the FICPA as president in the past. We are pleased that Jeff is able to spend a few hours on campus with us and he will also present the FICPA scholarships to our deserving students at the Volusia County chapter’s monthly meeting.”

The scholarships are awarded to outstanding accounting students who plan to become CPAs and practice in the state of Florida. The scholarship nominees were selected by the accounting faculty at Stetson and the winners were chosen by the FICPA’s Educational Foundation Board. From 2-3 p.m., Barbacci will meet with the four FICPA scholarship recipients–Viktoria Kazsamer, Michelle Crowe, Randal Minnear and Samantha Riggs–to share his experiences and discuss their career aspirations.

“While the accounting course content has changed since Jeff graduated,” explained Bitter, “there are three attributes of our program that have remained constant: academic rigor, high CPA exam pass rates, and an outstanding student job placement rate. Our accounting program has been strong for decades and continues to be strong. I expect these attributes to continue. Further, I expect our curriculum to continue to change and evolve to ensure that our students are well-prepared to enter the accounting profession.”

For further information about Jeff Barbacci’s lecture, contact Dr. Bitter at [email protected], or call (386) 822-7426.

by George Salis