Who We Are

About the OSCPA

Governance & Structure

The OSCPA organization structure is as follows:

• Board of Directors – The OSCPA’s governing body. The Board consists of a minimum of nine and a maximum of 11 elected officers and directors.
• Member Teams ‑ OSCPA Member Teams offer a variety of opportunities for members to become personally involved in their professional association. Terms are normally for one year, from April to April, but many volunteer members serve much longer.

1. Project Teams are action groups that implement a specific assignment within an established time frame.
2. Strategic Interest Teams act in an advisory or representative capacity for the Society and the membership on specific issues.
3. Many vision-aligned Teams, with topics ranging from peer review to career development to taxation, are open to interested members.

• Local Service Areas ‑ The Society’s membership base includes the Portland Metropolitan area and seven local service areas throughout Oregon. Local service area members' interests are represented by an appointed council of their peers. Various activities and networking opportunities specific to each local service area are available to members who live in all regions of the state.
• OSCPA Administration ‑ The OSCPA's 15-member staff manages the Society's statewide operations through four divisions: Administration and Member Services; Marketing & Public Relations; Professional Development (CPE); and Business and Finance. OSCPA programs include among other activities: continuing professional education; the OSCPA magazine and Web site; legislative and regulatory advocacy programs; member benefits and services; peer review; and public awareness of CPA services.

Public Service

Find-a-CPA™ Directory — The OSCPA Find-a-CPA™ Directory is an online referral database of participating member firms, available to the public free-of-charge. Searches can be performed by city, size of practice, specialization and industry expertise.

The OSCPA Educational Foundation — Since 1985, the OSCPA Educational Foundation has awarded more than 600 scholarships in excess of $844,000 to Oregon’s talented students bound for a CPA career. The support these high school seniors and college students receive from the Foundation helps ensure qualified candidates will be available to meet the growing demand for the CPA profession.

Accounting Career Development — A statewide program that provides information, speakers and resource materials to students and educators regarding careers in accounting.

Financial Literacy — Two out of three Oregonians will probably not realize one or more major life goals—such as home ownership, college savings, or retirement—unless they receive more financial training. OSCPA Financial Literacy volunteers are providing outreach by sharing their skills and experience with Oregonians, from school children to retirees, to help them make wise financial choices at each stage of life.

Professional Service

Professional Development — The Professional Development department provides continuing education programs in a variety of formats to meet the needs of our members each year. CPAs are required by the Oregon State Board of Public Accountancy to obtain 80 hours of continuing professional education credit within a two-year period, including an ethics requirement.

Peer Review Program — Created in 1989, this program administers a mandatory practice-monitoring program to more than 700 CPA firms in Oregon and Guam. The Oregon State Board of Accountancy requires that all CPAs engaged in the practice of accounting and/or auditing must do so through a registered practice unit and complete a peer review every three years in order to remain licensed as a CPA.

Government Affairs

OCPA Legislative Action Committee — Formed more than 20 years ago, the OCPA/LAC serves the public interest by assisting on a nonpartisan basis those Oregon legislative candidates who understand the importance of and support the maintenance of high moral, ethical and professional standards for the accounting profession.

State Taxation — Stays abreast of proposed state tax legislation and advises legislators of its probable effect and impact on the Oregon economy and taxpayers. This group meets regularly with the Oregon Department of Revenue and Internal Revenue Service.