In my last column I announced that I would be retiring after 12 years of service from my position as President and CEO of WSCPA at the end of this fiscal year (May 31, 2017). I have enjoyed every day of this experience and feel privileged and honored to have been entrusted with this important responsibility. Bill Simer (Chair) and Dave Miniken (co-Chair) of the CEO Search Task Force have recruited representatives from a broad cross-section of the membership and have initiated the process of searching for a new CEO. In addition to Bill and Dave, members of the task force are Tom Donaghy, Kirsten Duke, Jim Ladd, Kris Lambright, Sharon Philpott, Rhonda Powell, Joe Smith, Susie Thomson-Sines, and Dave Trujillo.

Task force members have reviewed the job duties, developed the position description, and defined and prioritized key competencies candidates should demonstrate to be successful in the President/CEO position.

Based on initial interest expressed by people with varied backgrounds, we expect to have an excellent pool of candidates apply for the position. If you or someone you know might be interested in being considered for this position, I encourage you to apply or to spread the word about this opportunity. I was not active in the WSCPA when I applied for the position 12 years ago, yet I convinced the task force (and eventually the board) that I had the experience and talent to succeed in the job and I think they also knew I had a passion for our profession. If this also describes you, please consider whether you believe you are a perfect fit for this position and apply.

The search process is straightforward and efficient and officially opened on July 15. The task force will close the application period on September 30, 2016. To apply, email your resume and a cover letter to ceosearchtaskforce@wscpa.org. All materials received in connection with your application will be kept in strictest confidence. The task force has prepared background information on the WSCPA (e.g., mission and vision statements, current CEO position description, minutes of board meetings for the year ended May 31, 2016, current strategic plan document, audited financial statement for the year ended May 31, 2015, and approved budget for the current fiscal year). To request the information package, email ceosearchtaskforce@wscpa.org.

The task force will be actively participating in the search process. The search process timeline is as follows:

• July—Finalize competency ranking and scoring methodologies and review advertising messages and distribution plans.
• August and September—Finalize interview questions for applicants.
• October—Review and score applications and select semi-finalists.
• November—Conduct interviews with finalists and background checks.
• December/January—Roundtable discussions with management team for final candidates. Candidate recommended to WSCPA Board of Directors. Extend offer and finalize employment agreement.
• May—New CEO begins 30-day overlap period with current CEO.
• June 1, 2017—New CEO takes over.

If you have any questions about the search process, please contact Helen Doty, WSCPA Manager of Governance and Human Resources, at hdoty@wscpa.org or (425) 586-1116. The WSCPA's Careers page contains a summary of the key duties and responsibilities for the WSCPA CEO position. Feel free to share it with anyone you think might be interested. And as always, do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have, at rjones@wscpa.org. Thank you.

Written by Rich Jones, CPA, CGMA, President and CEO of the WSCPA. This article originally appeared in the summer 2016 issue of WashingtonCPA magazine. Read more here.