Plante & Moran's Murphy Named Chair of the Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
She’s the First Michigander to Serve as Chair Since 1947
Southfield, Michigan---October 25, 2005 --- Leslie Murphy, CPA, a Group Managing Partner at Midwest-based Plante & Moran, PLLC, has been named Chair of the Board of Directors of the prestigious American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), which represents approximately 350,000 CPAs and affiliate members nationally. She had served as Vice Chair since October 2004 and previously was involved with numerous AICPA Board committees, including the AICPA Finance Committee, which she chaired. Ms. Murphy’s appointment, effective for one year, was announced today in Palm Springs, California at the AICPA’s annual meeting.
Ms. Murphy’s responsibilities as AICPA chair include continuing the profession’s focus on quality initiatives, providing resources and support to CPAs and AICPA members throughout the country, and meeting with the nation’s financial leaders, including those at the SEC, PCAOB (Public Company Accounting Oversight Board) and Internal Revenue Service. Among Ms. Murphy’s primary goals as AICPA chair are the “people” issues of the CPA profession, including renewed emphasis on creative work/life balance strategies, reversing increasing turnover trends stemming from the workload pressures of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, attracting more minorities to the profession, and increasing the number of accounting Ph.D.’s to counter the trend of an aging/retiring professor population.
As a member of the senior leadership team at Plante & Moran, the nation’s 11th largest public accounting and management consulting firm, Ms. Murphy is one of the highest-ranking women in public accounting in the country. She leads several client service groups and the strategic planning and marketing functions for the firm. Prior to her increased involvement with the AICPA, Ms. Murphy led all client service groups for Plante & Moran.
Ms. Murphy, 54, joined Plante & Moran in 1973 and became an audit partner in 1983. Throughout her career, she has distinguished herself through outstanding client service and used her leadership skills to affect positive change at the firm, within the accounting profession, and through community service. Together with Plante & Moran's HR Partner, Bill Bufe, she helped to create the firm's PTA (Personal Tightrope Action) Committee, a 20-year-old group that has been the catalyst for the firm's progressive work/life initiatives. The groundbreaking policies recommended by this group helped pave the way for Plante & Moran's recognition by FORTUNE Magazine as one of the nation's "100 Best Places To Work" for the past seven years.
In addition to her involvement with the AICPA, Ms. Murphy is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA). In a tribute to her impact on the accounting profession, Ms. Murphy has won state and national honors. She was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Practitioners for 2005 by CPA Magazine and one of the Top 100 Most Influential People for 2005 by Accounting Today. In September 2005, Ms. Murphy received the Outstanding Visionary Award from the MACPA. Ms. Murphy is a featured speaker throughout the country on the topic of the CPA profession, as well as culture and work/life initiatives in CPA firms and corporate America.
At the community level, Ms. Murphy devotes her time and leadership to the boards of numerous organizations, including United Way of Southeastern Michigan, the Detroit Regional Chamber and Michigan Women’s Foundation. She also serves on the advisory boards of Michigan’s Children, the Metropolitan Affairs Corporation, Marygrove College and Alternatives for Girls.
Ms. Murphy received a BBA in Accounting from the University of Michigan in 1973. She resides in Bloomfield Hills with her husband, Terry, and has two adult children.
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (www.aicpa.org) is the national, professional association of CPAs, with approximately 350,000 members, including CPAs in business and industry, public practice, government, and education; student affiliates; and international associates. It sets ethical standards for the profession and U.S. auditing standards for audits of private companies, federal, state and local governments, and non-profit organizations. It also develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination.
Plante & Moran is one of the country’s leading accounting and business advisory firms providing clients with financial, human capital, operations, strategy, technology, and family wealth management services. With more than 1,400 staff members, the firm has offices throughout Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois, and in Nashville, Tennessee and Shanghai, China. Plante & Moran has been recognized by a number of organizations, including FORTUNE magazine, as one of the country’s best places to work.
