Las Vegas (May 18, 2015) – Julie A. Welch, CPA/PFS is the recipient of the American Institute of CPAs’ (AICPA) 2015 Sidney Kess Award for Excellence in Continuing Education. The award was presented to Welch at the AICPA Conference on Tax Strategies for the High-Income Individual today in Las Vegas by Martin Finn, CPA, JD, LL.M., the conference chair.
Welch is a partner and shareholder with Meara Welch Browne, P.C. in Leawood, Kansas and the director of the firm’s tax department.
The award, created in 2010 in honor of Kess, a nationally renowned tax expert, recognizes CPAs who have made significant and outstanding contributions in tax and financial planning and whose public service exemplifies the CPA profession’s values and ethics.
“Julie has truly exhibited a life of giving,” Finn said in presenting the award. “She has been an active speaker and facilitator of countless numbers of AICPA conferences, schools and webcasts, has participated on numerous committees, including the AICPA Tax Strategies Conference Planning Committee, and task forces and has frequently chaired programs and conferences that provide valuable education for others in our field. Julie’s commitment and dedication shows in everything she does and sets an example for all to follow.”
An active AICPA member for more than 30 years, Welch has served in multiple charitable, civic and business organizations at the state and local level throughout her career.
Welch is the co-author of 101 Tax Saving Ideas, as well as numerous articles that have appeared in such publications as The Practical Accountant and The Kansas City Star. She speaks nationally on tax planning topics, has appeared on radio and television and has been quoted in many publications. She has been quoted in numerous publications on many tax issues.
Welch earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Administration from William Jewell College and her Master of Science in Accounting with a Taxation Focus from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Nominations for the Kess Award are solicited by the Tax Strategies for the High-Income Individual Conference Steering Committee and accepted from May 31 – January 31. The Committee determines Award recipients.
About the AICPA
The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is the world’s largest member association representing the accounting profession, with more than 400,000 members in 145 countries, and a history of serving the public interest since 1887. AICPA members represent many areas of practice, including business and industry, public practice, government, education and consulting.
The AICPA sets ethical standards for the profession and U.S. auditing standards for private companies, nonprofit organizations, federal, state and local governments. It develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination, and offers specialty credentials for CPAs who concentrate on personal financial planning; forensic accounting; business valuation; and information management and technology assurance. Through a joint venture with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), it has established the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation which sets a new standard for global recognition of management accounting.
The AICPA maintains offices in New York, Washington, DC, Durham, NC, and Ewing, NJ.
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