KyCPA 100-Year Celebration
1950-1974
ISSUE 2
May 31, 2024
By Kimberly Lindsey
Each issue in 2024 of The Kentucky CPA Journal will contain historical content in celebration of our 100-Year anniversary. In this issue the focus is the history of the Kentucky Society of CPAs and the CPA profession in Kentucky during 1950-1974.
Click here to view the history from 1924-1949.
Kentucky Society of CPAs: 1950-1974 Board Presidents
The Kentucky Accountant
September 1949 Vol. I No. 7
In Waller Grogan's first President's Message, he encourages members to take a more active role to improve relations between CPAs and other professional bodies.
"We must assume more active leadership in the field of accountancy education and training; we should be prepared to undertake studies and surveys, in co-operation with government officials and also with other organizations, as to governmental policies, business problems, labor relations and taxation in all its aspects." - Waller Grogan
The beginning of the 1949-1950 Society activities was the fall meeting that took place on September 23, 1949, at the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville. Thruston B. Morton, Chairman of the Board of Ballard & Ballard in Louisville and member of the United States House of Representatives from the third Kentucky congressional district presented "The Federal Tax Dilemma".
Morton expressed during the meeting his appreciation of the efforts made by CPA's to secure a complete overhauling, revision and simplification of the Federal tax structure. He also stated that additional advice was needed as the work of revision goes forward.
"We have witnessed continued concentration of the nation's business into the hands of a few large corporations. This is the direct result of our tax system and not due to some Wall Street bugaboo developed by political orators who either are ignorant of the basic economics of the free enterprise system or unwilling to face the economic facts of life." - Thruston B. Morton
Advocacy
Find out more about how you can help advise todays legislators on important policies that affect businesses and taxes.
Among the 28 new Kentucky CPAs granted their CPA certificates on January 24, 1950, was Cary B. Lewis Jr., the second black CPA in Kentucky.
June, July, August 1950 Vol. 2 No. 5
Halfway mark... Mid-century progress report by Waller Grogan
In his report he mentions updates on membership, the work of the society, state legislation, the First Institute on Accounting and more.
The following accounting educators address members at the Society's regular meeting on April 19, 1951.
- J.R. Meany, CPA and head of the Accounting Department at Bowling Green College of Commerce
- William Thompson, University of Louisville's Department of Economics and Commerce
- Robert D. Haun, CPA, of the University of Kentucky, College of Commerce
They spoke about their accounting curriculum, granting masters degrees in the near future, the recent initiation of experimental internship programs and more.
November-December 1951 Vol. 3 No. 6
The new internship plan, developed in co-operation with the University of Louisville and the Society, reports initial results of five students being hired by CPA employers.
The annual report includes several committee activity summary's that provide a glimpse of the focus of the Society at that time. A huge focus of the Education Committee was that of increasing the interest in accounting at the student level.
Click here to find out more about how the Society is helping grow the CPA pipeline today and how you can help.
June, July, Aug. 1956 Vol. 9 No. 6
The outgoing Board President, Albert Christen, states that the notable accomplishment during the past year "was the sustained harmonious relationship that accountants of Kentucky have with each other and with the American Institute."
The new Board President, Emmett W. Kottke, shows appreciation for the interest and number of responses received indicating members choices for committee assignments. On July 31, 1956 an organizational meeting was held to discuss plans and objectives for the coming year with 24 committee chairs and directors in attendance.
Committees
Get more involved, sign up to be on a KyCPA committee. Check out our current committees, there are several options available!
June, July, August 1957 Vol. 10 No. 6
The Kentucky Society of CPA Bylaws were revised, including the rules of professional conduct, and went into effect on June 1, 1957. Through the years there were additional revisions, click here to view our current bylaws.
L.C.J. Yeager, KyCPA President from 1941-1942, completes the first draft of The History of Accounting in Kentucky. Yeager passed away June 16, 1960 of a heart attack.
June, July, August 1960 Vol. 13 No. 6
"One of the most pressing problems of the public accounting profession today is that of continuing education. We each have a heavy responsibility to our clients, ourselves and our fellow practitioners to keep abreast of what's going on in our profession. " - Durbin Oldham, KyCPA Board President, 1960-1961
A CPA-IBM seminar was announced as an opportunity for members to become better versed in the rapidly increasing segment of public practice. The seminar was conducted and made available without cost to up to 40 attendees (limited 2 per firm) by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM).
CPE
KyCPA brings you top-notch education and speakers in a variety of ways and subject matter.
The Kentucky Society of CPAs executive offices move to 310 West Liberty, Rooms 413-14, Louisville.
Roster of members - June 1, 1960 (457 members)
The Kentucky Society of CPAs Board of Directors approved the articles of incorporation for an Educational and Memorial Foundation in February 1961.
The initial contribution was $500 given to the Society several years earlier by the Southern States Conference of CPAs, who requested that the gift be used for educational purposes.
KyCPA Educational Foundation
Contribute to the $100 for 100-Years Campaign! Help reach our goal of $100,000.
Fred H. Bower, in his President's message wrote "The value of the Society increases for all of us with each new member. A telephone would not be of much use if you could only connect with a dozen other phones. It is valuable because you can call millions of people. In the same way, a professional organization of a handful of accountants would be little value - each new member increases the value to all in a geometric progression."
"We should all make an effort to see that every Certified Public Accountant in Kentucky becomes a member."
2024 KYCPA MEmber Referral Program
This program will run from July 1-September 30, 2024. There are chances to win prizes and the person with the most new members referred will receive a KyCPA Front of the Line pass! Click below for details.
- The January 1964 issue marked the fifteenth birthday of The Kentucky Accountant publication.
- New format for The Kentucky Accountant publication
- New Code of Ethics adopted
- Looking backward
Sam W. Lyverse, KyCPA President ,1965-66, announces that the Kentucky Society of CPAs Education and Memorial Foundation Trustees ask the Public Relations Committee to recommend a plan for using approximately $600 for the purposes of the Foundation.
THE FOUNDATION TODAY
This year the Foundation provided $59,000 in scholarships to 33 college accounting students. Scholarships may be used for tuition, enrollment fees, room/board, CPA Exam review materials, books and/or supplies.
The first membership directory was published in March of 1966. Current KyCPA members have access to a searchable directory online as a member benefit.
The golden anniversary of CPA Exam in Kentucky was May 1967. The first CPA examination administered by the first State Board of Accountancy in Kentucky was May 24-26, 1917, held in Louisville. 2 certificates were issued as a result.
Click here to view current information on taking the CPA Exam.
History of the Professional Practice of Accounting in Kentucky is published. The book was started by L.C.J. Yeager and completed by Gordon Ford.
Long range planning committee report, 1968-69, includes goals condensed into three main categories:
- Professional standards
- Membership services
- Public relations
The President's report to the membership - Period of transition
- Bylaw revision completed and adopted
- Cancelation of a fall accounting institute and a spring accounting conference and institute a regular meeting in Lexington and a multi-day annual meeting
- Recommendations about vacation, holiday and retirement policies for Society employees
- Development of a detailed layout for an automated system for maintaining the Society roster
- Formation of CPA discussion groups in the Kentucky Lake, Bowling Green and Ashland areas
- Opposition to HB 490 was successful and Hb 490 failed to pass
- More than 25 percent of members involved in Society affairs
"As a public service, your Society is offering a "first" this year. Taped radio spots have been offered to 101 radio stations, and have been requested by 40 of them covering 37 counties in Kentucky. Forty-nine different tax filing tips averaging 29 seconds each are involved. Each spot will note "Brought to you by the Kentucky Society of Certified Public Accountants." - Charles R. Hatton, KyCPA President 1971-1972
A proposal for implementation of a program of compulsory continuing education for CPAs practicing in Kentucky sparked many questions from Kentucky CPAs.
The Education and Memorial Foundation of the Kentucky Society of CPAs announce scholarship program. Five scholarships of $250 offered to current high school seniors scheduled to graduate in the spring of 1972.
Ben Gratzer hired as the Assistant Executive Director for the Society.
The first scholarships awarded from the Education and Memorial Foundation of the Kentucky Society of CPAs. The five recipients were:
- Robert Gutmann, Bellarmine College (Now Bellarmine University)
- Barry Magedanz, University of Kentucky
- Emily Sanders, Eastern Kentucky University
- Cynthia Snider, Murray State University
- Wanda Thompson, University of Kentucky
Leroy Gardner, the Society President from 1972-1973, in his final President's message reviews several events during his time as President that ultimately affect CPAs in Kentucky and Society members in a big way. These include:
- Required continuing education discussions via a series of open hearings and surveys
- Proposed chapter organizations to allow flexibility and continuation of a strong statewide organization
- New ethics rules making it mandatory for CPAs to follow the opinions of the Accounting Principles Board or its successor, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, except only in such unusual situations where the use of such opinions would produce misleading results.
- Expanding services and responsibilities such as reports on internal controls and reports on the results of social programs.
On August 21, 1973, Lexington area CPAs met to discuss forming a chapter of the Kentucky Society of CPAs and on September 21, 1973, the Bluegrass Chapter of the Kentucky Society of CPAs was approved by the Society's Board of Directors.
5 Kentucky Society of CPAs chapters become official:
- Bluegrass - Lexington
- Cumberland - Bowling Green
- Green River - Owensboro
- Northern Kentucky - Covington
- West Kentucky - Paducah
Upcoming Events Across the State
Upcoming free member events in Paducah, Covington and Bowling Green.
Past president's honored at 50th Anniversary in Covington.
100-Year Anniversary Celebration
Join us at the Olmsted on June 14 for our 100-Year Anniversary celebration. R.S.V.P. by June 6.