Guest Room Amenities

• Complimentary health club
  
• Racquetball courts
  
• Indoor and outdoor pool
  
• Sauna and whirlpool
  
• 24-hour room service
  
• Concierge service
  
• Same day dry cleaning/laundry service
  
• Florist
  
• Gift boutique
  
• Beauty salon
  
• Show shine and repair
  
• Express check-out/video check-out
  
• Non smoking rooms available
  
• Remote control TV with in-room movies
  
• Dual-line phones with dataports
  
• Full-service business center
  

• Today's Digital Environment
  
• Best Practices in Tax, Audit, Client Service, Administration
  
• Document Management and Digital Production
  
• Remote Connectivity and Tools for Access
  
• Data Backup and Security
  
• Technology Planning and Budgeting
  
• Working with External Integrators
  
• AAA Resource Bank
  

11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Networking Lunch breakouts by Network Administrators and Firm Administrators

1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Technical RAM Session to discuss technical considerations in CPA Firm IT Management:

• Server Operating Systems (Novell vs. MS Server 2000/2003)
  
• Hardware (workstations, monitors, servers, disk drives,)
  
• Business Continuation (backups, disaster recovery, maintenance)
  
• Remote Access (Citrix vs. WTS, WAN connectivity, Video conferencing)
  
• Connectivity (wireless, dial in connections, web-based solutions)
  
• Security (firewalls, passwords)
  
• Certification and Training for Network Administrators
  
• Top Technologies and What to Watch
  
• Free Resources and Tools
  

Join other Symposium participants for an evening of networking and fun at one of St. Louis’ most talked about venues. Experience 5,000 years of bowling history while partaking in a bit of Cardinal history. The evening will include a Anheuser-Busch beer tasting, hor d’oeurves and a cash bar. The museum is just one block from the Adam’s Mark Hotel.

Thursday, June 24, 2004

RISE & SHINE BREAKFASTS
(M) Practice Management 101 – PART I
By Rita Keller, Brady Ware & Schoenfeld
(N) Raising the Bar Panel
Moderated by Don Scholl, D.B. Scholl, Inc.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS
(O) Assessment Training
By Denny Faurote, The Faurote Group
(P) Making the Most of Your Marketing Dollars: Proven Strategies To Achieve Positive ROM!
By Jeff Pawlow, The Growth Partnership
(Q) Taking Back Your Inbox
By Roman Kepczyk, InfoTech Partners North America
(R) How to Split the Pie in Ways that Make Partners Smile
By Marc Rosenberg, The Rosenberg and Associates

• Why Brainstorm When You Can Brain El-Nino!
  
• Developing a Firm of Excellence
• Cool Tools: From Leading to Bleeding Edge
  
• Assessment Training
  
• Partner Compensation
• Making the Most of Your Marketing Dollar: Proven Strategies to Achieve Positive ROM!
  

The Association is planning to have several featured speakers on various timely issues. Plans are coming together for a fabulous symposium with two and a half days of interesting speakers and topics certain to please attendees from accounting practices, regardless of firm size or the specific responsibilities of the professional manager. The symposium will kick off on Tuesday’s evening with a welcome reception and First Timer’s Forum followed by two-and-a-half days of breakout sessions and forums for organization leaders and first time symposium participants.

This year, AAA is offering a Accounting Technology Administrator’s Fly-In on Tuesday, June 22, 2004. The Fly-In is separate from the Symposium, but discounts for participation in both are available.

Accounting Technology Administrator’s Fly-In
By Roman Kepczyk, InfoTech Partners North America

The Association for Accounting Administration will be unveiling a new Special Interest Group (SIG) on January 1, 2004 and will have a one-day program in St. Louis designed specifically for this group of professionals.

The SIG will be for Accounting Technology Administrators otherwise known as CPA Firm Network Administrators and Firm Administrators responsible for managing technology within their accounting firm. This SIG will help ATAs effectively manage technology in the firm and provide networking opportunities.

This one-day program will be held the day prior to the AAA 2004 National Symposium, also at the Adam's Mark Hotel, chosen for its accessibility and central location. This interactive program "first" for the profession will be led by Roman H. Kepczyk of InfoTech Partners North America. Roman is also an AAA Advisory Board member and one of the profession's leading authorities on firm technology issues.

Best CPA Firm Digital Practices from the viewpoint of the practitioner and firm administrator.

• Today's Digital Environment
  
• Best Practices in Tax, Audit, Client Service, Administration
  
• Document Management and Digital Production
  
• Remote Connectivity and Tools for Access
  
• Data Backup and Security
  
• Technology Planning and Budgeting
  
• Working with External Integrators
  
• AAA Resource Bank
  

Networking Lunch breakouts by Network Administrators and Firm Administrators

Technical RAM Session to discuss technical considerations in CPA Firm IT Management:

• Server Operating Systems (Novell vs. MS Server 2000/2003)
  
• Hardware (workstations, monitors, servers, disk drives,)
  
• Business Continuation (backups, disaster recovery, maintenance)
  
• Remote Access (Citrix vs. WTS, WAN connectivity, Video conferencing)
  
• Connectivity (wireless, dial in connections, web-based solutions)
  
• Security (firewalls, passwords)
  
• Certification and Training for Network Administrators
  
• Top Technologies and What to Watch
  
• Free Resources and Tools
  

Participants will receive a listing of all participants to use for further networking, an executive summary of the session and a complete listing of Tools and Web Resources for ATAs. Registrants will be encouraged to send questions before the session to ensure all subjects of importance are covered.

Registration materials are available on-line. Registration fees will be $299 for non ATA members or $199 for ATA members and/or AAA National Symposium attendees. ATA memberships will be available beginning January 1, 2004 and will cost $100 per year (note firm must have an administrator member of AAA to qualify for ATA membership).

Symposium Sessions

First Timer’s Forum
By Virginia Lowery, Illinois Agricultural Auditing Association and Rita Keller, Brady Ware & Schoenfeld

Spend an hour learning the ins and outs of the AAA National Symposium. Veteran attendees Virginia Lowery and Rita Keller will take a fresh approach to adding value to the annual symposium while providing tips to receive the maximum return on your personal and firm investment.

Got Humor? Get Calcium for Your Funny Bone!
By Christine Holton-Cashen, A Dynamic Speaker

Reverse the effects of “seriousporosis!” Discover how humor can increase job satisfaction, create higher producivity, improve health and reduce stress. Get serious about humor!

Breakouts by Firm Size
Participants will break out into five groups by firm size (personnel). Each group will be led by a seasoned administrator with professional management experience in an accounting firm of that particular size. Issues such as marketing, human resource management, facilities management, technology, and practice development will be discussed but the sky is the limit for topics. Agendas for the various groups will be set prior to the Symposium by the participants themselves.

Why Brainstorm When You Can Brain El-Nino!
By Christine Holton-Cashen, A Dynamic Speaker

Have you run out of ideas? Think you are not the creative type? Is your team having a brain drizzle rather than a brainstorm? Find out how you can have a brain El-Nino! Discover the tools to weather creative blocks, solve problems and get a flash flood of great ideas. Learn specific strategies to put the storm back into brainstorming. Christine provides techniques that will get you looking at old problems in new ways while you find solid solutions. Explore how unleashing your creativity allows you to increase your productivity, boost group morale and relieve any tension in your workplace.

Developing a Firm of Excellence
By Sam Allred, Upstream Academy

Discover the four vital things Mr. Allred’s firm has learned about creating excellence. During this session participants will recognize the barriers to achieving excellence, as well as gain an understanding of the principles and processes necessary to move from good to great.

Cool Tools: From Leading to Bleeding Edge
By Roman Kepczyk, InfoTech Partners North America

Want to know what laptop, PDA, imaging, security, and tech accessories are in your future? Then this session is for you. AAA’s own Mr. Gadget-Roman Kepczyk, will show you the latest office and mobile technologies having an impact on CPA firms. In addition to presenting solutions that are both practical and cost effective, this session will cover some plain cool technologies that can only be described as being “out there.” This lively session is designed to bring you through today’s practical technologies and over the cutting edge.

The Trickle Down Effect –The Sarbanes-Oxley Act
By Bob Slaughter, Jenner & Block

In the summer of 2002, President Bush signed into law the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Since that time, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the newly formed Public Company Accounting Oversight Board have promulgated numerous rules and regulations implementing the Act. The Act and the related rules and regulations - which generally apply to publicly-traded companies and their audit firms - dramatically affect the accounting profession and impact not just the largest accounting firms, but any CPA actively working as an auditor of, or for, a publicly-traded company. This session will address the role of the PCAOB, the new rules regarding auditor independence and auditor reporting relationships and certain other significant aspects of the Act and the rules and regulations.

How to Split the Pie in Ways that Make Partners Smile
By Marc Rosenberg, The Rosenberg Associates

Some partners say that the acid test of a good partner compensation system is when all the partners are a little bit unhappy with it. Rosenberg will improve upon this threshold by telling us how to get partners to actually be happy with the system. Marc may do more partner compensation work with CPA firms than anyone else in the country and will share his “best practices” with the audience. Participants will walk away with:

• A good understanding of what to do and what not to do
  
• An understanding of how each major system works
  
• A feel for how usage of the various systems varies by firm size
  
  

The Critical and Indispensable Role of the Firm Administrator
By Marc Rosenberg, The Rosenberg Associates

In any organization or endeavor, strong and effective management, more than any other attribute, is the key to success. This is as true for CPA firms as for any other kind of organization. Yet, sadly, many small and medium size firms do not have a true firm administrator. This session will explore what a true firm administrator is, why this position is so critical and what the best administrators do to make themselves so valuable. The focus will be to distinguish between merely good administrators and the great ones. The session will:

• Review the ideal role for the firm administrator
  
• Examine behaviors and traits that make for success, and those which will doom the position to fail
  
• Analyze what this position is and is not
  
• Explore why firms mistakenly feel they can do without a true firm administrator
  

Improving Accountability Within Your Firm
By Sam Allred, Upstream Academy

Learn how to overcome the barriers to accountability that exist within your firm by implementing the principles and processes that lead to a system of high accountability throughout the entire firm. Come and see what firms have done to create a culture where individuals are prepared to be held accountable.

Practice Management 101
By Rita Keller, Brady Ware & Schoenfeld

This two-part session is designed for the professional manager looking for the basics of CPA firm administration. Whether you are new to the profession, have changed industries or simply need a refresher or renewed sense of enthusiasm, this is the Rise and Shine Breakfast for you. Rita is one of the most sought after administrative coaches in the country and will help participants grow and develop in their respective roles.

Making the Most Out of Your Marketing Dollar: Proven Strategies to Achieve Positive ROM!
By Jeff Pawlow, The Growth Partnership

The four disciplines of accounting marketing:

• How to avoid the bottomless pit of great ideas
  
• Building an effective marketing infrastructure
  
  • Outsourcing vs. insourcing
    
  • Pay for performance
    
• The importance of training, coaching and accountability
  
• Achieving predictable, measurable results
  

What Privacy? What Security?
By Roman Kepczyk, InfoTech Partners North America

As Internet access pervades every part of our business and personal lives, we need to understand our rights and responsibilities to protect not only our firm information, but our personal data as well. Learn about the latest technologies to lock down your firm from unauthorized viewers, while at the same time providing access to your personnel that really need it. This session will address the status of privacy and security from this perspective of the firm administrator, as well as some tips on protecting yourself personally.

Pay for Performance: Rewarding Firm Members for Both Character and Competence
By Coral Rice, The Growth Partnership

In this how-to-session, learn about an innovative performance management and compensation system that gets employees involved in creating firm-wide successes – in business development, client management, and business management. This four-component compensation model (recently documented in the Journal of Accountancy) provides strategic direction to firms that want to establish individual win-win agreements that leverage strengths, create a balance between character and competence, and sets targets tied directly to key business drivers.

The Firm of the Future
By Ron Baker, Verasage Institute

This presentation is based on beset-selling author Ron Baker’s new book, The Firm of the Future: A Guide for Accountants, Lawyers, and Other Professional Services. The presentation will discuss the old Practice Equation of the CPA firm – that is, leveraging hours and people, charging hourly rates, and traditional efficiency metrics such as billable hours and realization rates – and why it is obsolete for today’s knowledge economy. Since CPA firms are among the preeminent Intellectual Capital organizations, the old paradigm is no longer relevant to the critical success factors of operating in a knowledge environment. This program will replace the old Practice Equation with a new Practice Equation for the firm of the future.

Major Topics:

• How CPA firms sell Intellectual Capital (IC), and what, exactly, is IC?
  
• The three components of IC and how each one can be leveraged to create wealth for clients of the firm
  
• Why CPAs are knowledge workers and not service workers, and why that difference is critical
  
• Why your firm’s people are volunteers and not assets (or resources)
  
• How the focus on revenue growth and market share can seriously impair your firm’s profitability, and what do about it
  
• Why the traditional metrics of efficiency – which are over a century old – are no longer relevant to measuring the effectiveness of knowledge workers
  

Any professional who is interested in being among the leaders in the profession moving away from the old paradigm of operating a CPA firm, and embracing the critical success factors of the knowledge economy will find this presentation stimulating, dynamic and thought-provoking.

Burying the Billable Hour
By Ron Baker, Verasage Institute

Based upon Ron Baker’s best-selling book, Professional’s Guide to Value Pricing, Fifth Edition, this presentation will give you alternatives to pricing your services based on client-perceived value, rather than hours spent. By learning to avoid the deleterious consequences of hourly billing you will communicate better with clients, be able to discover their expectations up-front, remove surprises from their invoices, involve them in establishing the scope and value of your services, speed-up accounts receivable collection, decrease write-downs and write-offs, enhance loyalty and retention, and increase your profitability.

Major Topics:

• The importance of pricing before work is done
  
• Negotiating the Fixed Price Agreement
  
• When to use change orders
  
• What and how to people buy
  
• The importance of bundling your services
  
• Offering unlimited access, a service guarantee and a price guarantee
  
• Overcoming price psychology
  
• Questions to ask before setting a price
  

Any professional who is interested in being among the leaders in the profession moving away from the hourly billing method to achieve a competitive differentiation and who is tired of sacrificing profits on the altar of the almighty hour should attend this revolutionary program.

Resources to Complement Your Learning Experience!
Each full symposium registrant will receive one copy of all session handouts on compact disc accompanied by a notebook for taking notes during educational sessions. Individual photocopies of handouts will be available on-site. The CD also includes important information about Association services and products as well as information regarding the AAA website – your resource to the accounting administration world. Plus, information about vendors and sponsors with links to their websites is included.

Certified Public Accountant
Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Credits
Following the guidelines specified in individual state regulations, up to 18 hours of continuing professional education credits will be available for the Conference sessions. The Association for Accounting Administration is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Nashville, TN, 37219-2417. Telephone: 615.880.4200. Web site: www.nasba.org. Upon course and evaluation completion, participants attending the 2002 National Conference, desiring CPE credit will earn up to 18 hours. The Conference does not require advance preparation or prerequisites.

• The American Theatre
• Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tours & Gift Shop
• The Butterfly House
• Calvary Cemetary
• Campbell House Museum
  
• Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis
  
• Christ Church Cathedral
  
• Circus Flora
  
• City Museum
  
• Concordia Historical Institute
  
• Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
  
• Craft Alliance
  
• Dance St. Louis
  
• Eads Bridge
• Edward Jones Dome at America’s Center
• Eugene Field House and St. Louis Toy Museum
  
• Gateway Arch – Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
  
• Gateway Grizzlies, Minor League Professional Baseball
  
• Gateway Arch Riverboats
  
• Grant’s Farm
  
• The Magic house, St. Louis Children’s Museum
  
• Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis
  
• Missouri Botanical Garden
  
• St. Louis Blues Hockey
  
• St. Louis Cardinals
  
• St. Louis Rams
  

Visit www.explorestlouis.com for more information regarding any of the above attractions.

Websites of Interest
http://americascenter.org
http://www.beatourist.com

St. Louis Convention & Visitor’s Bureau website:
Web site: www.slcvc.com

Golden Marketing Resources
Golden Marketing Resources helps firms who may not need, or cannot afford, full-time marketing expertise. GMR helps augment permanent staff on large or special projects, provides strategic marketing clarity and a fresh operational perspective while giving firms what they need.

AAA NATIONAL OFFICE
136 South Keowee Street
Dayton, OH 45402
Phone: 937.222.0030
Fax: 937.222.5794
aaainfo@cpaadmin.org