AICPA Partners with State CPA Societies to Expand Accounting Education

 

The vice president and corporate controller for GridLiance in Chicago, Tim Salvesen maintains accounting records and supervises consultants and staff in the finance group. Possessing more than 15 years of experience, Tim Salvesen is a Certified Public Accountant and member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), the largest member association for the accounting profession.

AICPA recently announced its partnership with state CPA societies to increase the amount of high school educators trained in teaching accounting courses. This partnership was formed to address recommendations from the Pathways Commission that suggested the accounting profession should attempt to improve the amount of high-potential individuals it draws into the field.

Specifically, the AICPA and state CPA societies will be expanding the reach of the Accounting Pilot & Bridge Project (APBP) initiative that was created a decade ago. Since the program’s creation, over 1,000 high school teachers across 42 states have readied themselves to teach higher-order accounting courses at their schools.

The effort to expand the initiative was started in early 2016, and by summer, the AICPA had sponsored five three-day training sessions in Kentucky, Missouri, Texas, Alabama, Kansas, and Texas. Teachers in future programs will receive AICPA support in creating accounting courses at their schools. This support will include assistance with everything from daily lessons and assignments to guidance from APBP trainers.

Diversity, Inclusion, and Opportunities in the Illinois CPA Society

As the vice president and corporate controller of GridLiance, Tim Salvesen manages teams of financial professionals at the Chicago, Illinois, utility firm. Tim Salvesen is a licensed CPA and maintains professional ties with the Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS). 

For more than a century, the ICPAS has worked to protect the interests of accountants in the state of Illinois. To remain competitive and attract top talent, the ICPAS maintains a focus on diversity and inclusion within its community of CPAs. 

The ICPAS offers a selection of tools to employers and current financial professionals to help them make their businesses more attractive to individuals from varied backgrounds. Available tools focus on inclusion, retention, and planning for future improvement. A corresponding series of "pipeline initiatives" focuses on reaching out to high school and college students of diverse backgrounds to raise awareness of the opportunities available to them within the accounting industry.

Efficient Credit Card Debt Management to Boost Credit Scores

Based in Wheaton, Illinois, Tim Salvesen is the vice president of GridLiance. Previously an audit senior manager at KPMG LLP, Tim Salvesen is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

AICPA runs the Feed the Pig program that aims at educating Americans on proper saving and debt management practices, including how to improve one’s credit score.

Efficient credit card debt management is one way of improving your credit score. Start with paying your monthly credit card bills on time. Setting up automatic payments is a full-proof way of ensuring you never miss a payment date.

When making these monthly credit card payments, try to pay above the minimum bill as this reduces delinquency and improves your overall credit score. Strive to reduce credit that is close to your limit as this has a bigger impact on your credit score. A good rule of thumb is to always start by paying off cards with higher interest.

Plan your credit card usage strategically. Opening and closing several cards in one year can hurt your credit score. It is more prudent to have two cards you use in a month and repay the next month.

Chicago Bulls Sign Veteran NBA Guard Dwyane Wade

 

Tim Salvesen served as a senior audit manager at KPMG for more than 12 years. Currently the vice president of GridLiance in Chicago, Illinois, Tim Salvesen is a big fan of his home team the Chicago Bulls.

The Chicago Bulls recently signed Dwyane Wade from the Miami Heat. Wade, a 13 year veteran of the NBA, was drafted in the first round by the Heat in 2003. He has played 13 seasons with the Heat and leaves the team as franchise leader in scoring, assists, steals, and games played. He has won the NBA Championship three times (2006, 2012, and 2013).

A Chicago native standing at 6’4, Wade was an All Star in all of his last 12 seasons and was MVP in 2010. He has represented the United States two times, winning gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics and bronze at the 2004 Summer Games.

Wade’s signing brings to three the number of new signings made by the Bulls this July, 2016, alongside fellow guard Isaiah Canaan and forward Paul Zipser.

Donating to and Volunteering with MADD

The vice president and corporate controller at GridLiance in Chicago, Tim Salvesen, is also a dedicated member of his community. In addition to donating extensively to Northern Illinois University, Tim Salvesen has been involved with several charitable and community organizations, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), an organization dedicated to ending drunk and drugged driving.

MADD relies on the support of dedicated community members to maintain its programs. Donors can contribute through one-time or monthly online donations or by texting a $10 gift. Other ways to contribute include participating in the Walk Like MADD 5K fundraising walk, donating a vehicle, or organizing a corporate partnership.

For a more hands-on role in supporting MADD, individuals can volunteer with the organization. Volunteers are welcome to any amount of time that fits with their schedules. MADD maintains numerous volunteer opportunities and positions, from helping victims of drunk driving be heard to training as a victim advocate to provide emotional support. This wide variety of options is maintained to help volunteers find the right match for their individual skills and interests.