NAEA Members - Request for Your Support

[anu31402]

I read the Bios and I think Frank has an overwhelming resume. You've got to be good to pass USTax Court Exam! I have voted already.

Kay, EA

[Bees Knees]

To My Fellow EAs on this Board -
I have known Frank Degen for approximately 15 years - as I stated before - in his capacity in going through the NYSSEA chairs, then being among the first EAs to pass the U.S. Tax Court Exam, then as NAEA's President. He has continued in various capacities with NAEA long after his term of Presidency ended - most notably working ALONG WITH Bob Kerr in testifying before Congressional Committees on pro EA legislation and regulation.
He would not be undertaking this action of getting back into the administrative seat of NAEA unless he had confirmed convictions of wrongdoing within NAEA and having the desire to correct it.

I generally tend to be too busy with my own business than to pay attention to politics within the professional organizations that I belong to. I guess I just assume everyone involved is there for the right reason and the organization is doing what it is supposed to do.

Since I know the members on this forum are genuine professionals, and would not be making a big deal out of something if there was nothing there, I am going to trust your suggestion and vote accordingly. I would hope that NAEA leadership is doing what my membership dues are paying them to do. But apparently, something is wrong, and I hope voting the way you suggested will correct that problem.

[MrsUncleSam]

I did not find any of the information offered to be junk. I read it all and all of the bios.
The process was very easy and quick to complete. One of the best I have seen in a while.
Congratulations to the nomination committee on their excellent work and slate of nominees and the choice of the web service chosen to handle the process, whoever was in charge of that part of it.

I did read last month EA Journal bios for the candidates, since I do take the voting process seriously. The word junk was the stories prior to voting!!
I just want to vote and counted before the deadline!

[AJsTax]

why junk?

I just voted. First page junk to read...skipped that..then you vote...remember to press submit!!!!

I did not find any of the information offered to be junk. I read it all and all of the bios.
The process was very easy and quick to complete. One of the best I have seen in a while.
Congratulations to the nomination committee on their excellent work and slate of nominees and the choice of the web service chosen to handle the process, whoever was in charge of that part of it.

[MrsUncleSam]

I just voted. First page junk to read...skipped that..then you vote...remember to press submit!!!!

[S T]

NAEA 2011 Election

Thanks Erchess for the info.

Finally, just arrived in an email, the sign in and online ballot.

Sandy

[erchess]

Receive Ballot

Sandy I don't think a member can vote until he or she receives a Ballot. If they have your email address and you have not requested otherwise, your Ballot is supposed to come in an email. You get the email you click a link in it and you go to a website and vote. If they have your email address you should have received a few weeks ago a test email from the outfit conducting the voting. The idea is that if the email to EA John does not go through then they add John's name to the list of people who must get paper ballots. If you get a paper ballot you have to fill it out by hand and return it. I personally am going to wait until 5 December and if I have not received my ballot I am going to call HQ.

[S T]

Not stating my vote

I was merely asking where can we vote online at NAEA site - I can't seem to find it Even the recent email I received to encouraging voting did not supply the online link

Seems if this is that important for NAEA members to vote, there would be something that is provided as a link and easy for the online voting process.

Sandy

[MrsUncleSam]

vote

How many NAEA members vote? Who I am backing is not the question?

If you do NOT vote..do NOT complain!!!!

NAEA should stay in NAEA.

[S T]

Site for Voting

I want to vote, but can't seem to find it online at NAEA ? Can you provide the direct link for voting?

Thanks

Sandy

[Uncle Sam]

Friendly Reminder of NAEA Election

In just a couple of days - NAEA will be holding its election of officers.

Once again, I ask that you support Frank Degen for his position as President-Elect.

The bios on all the candidates have been made public by this time.

[dtlee]

I have no idea what is going on with the NAEA, but this thread and the recent e-mail rant from the President against the Gates Newsletter has me concerned that their leadership, like our country's leaders, has been distracted from their purpose. While I have no proof that it is related, there has also been a reduction in features that used to be common. For example, the quarterly snippets that we used to be able to send to clients as newsletters, first became less "client-focused" and then, less than quarterly. Also, this year, there have been few (if any) minutes from their regular meetings (unless there have been no regular meetings).

Regarding the EVP lawsuit (which I likewise have no knowledge about), it is interesting to read this snippet from the Search Committee where it becomes obvious that there is some level of internal strife among the leadership of this organization:

http://www.naea.org/NR/rdonlyres/B79EE10B-0B15-48C5-9D78-45404D7F9B21/0/23SearchCommitteeRptNov09.doc

[Uncle Sam]

NAEA Members-Request for Your Support

You make an excellent point, the proof of which is the way our congressional representatives have designed things in a way to make it difficult to replace them. Even unpaid or low-paid positions of authority have some kind of attraction which makes their re-election priority one and any service to their constituents something geared mainly toward getting enough votes.

CPA organizations are similar. They are run by members of the larger national firms for the most part. They have little to offer to sole practitioners.

This discussion is getting quite off topic from it's original intended purpose.

The "committee" people in NAEA are volunteer members - not full time paid staff making executive decisions. There's a big difference. Congress representatives are elected to perform a full time job - committee responsibilities are part of their job.

Second- the reason for paying dual (National and State) membership is to encourage all the members to participate in member association activities as much as possible - to provide 1) CPE forums, and 2) Network with other more local professional EAs.
I have heard the issue (and it IS valid) that some members live too far distant from their resident state society's membership meetings. While I can't address that issue personally since I do participate in my state society - that is something to speak with NAEA about - but has nothing to do with supporting a particular candidate for office.

Please - let's not get off topic.

[taxxcpa]

Term limits

. Being a committee member can become an end within itself. The best way to protect against this is to have bylaws that create accountability and term limits.

You make an excellent point, the proof of which is the way our congressional representatives have designed things in a way to make it difficult to replace them. Even unpaid or low-paid positions of authority have some kind of attraction which makes their re-election priority one and any service to their constituents something geared mainly toward getting enough votes.

CPA organizations are similar. They are run by members of the larger national firms for the most part. They have little to offer to sole practitioners.

[Snaggletooth]

Representation

And for the record, the NAEA nominating committee comes up with a slate consisting of only one name for each position, not like the old days when there was some choice. First they discontinued multiple nominations for officers; then several years later, also discontinued multiple choices for directors. The was it was explained at a meeting I attended in Virginia about that time, such procedures were deemed "best practices" by those in the organizational business. Balderdash!

I'm not an EA, don't have a dog in the hunt on their election. I will say it would be hard to find a more knowledgeable and helpful person than NYEA, from whom we hear often on this message board.

What I'm hearing is that a "committee" has perhaps distanced itself from its constituency. This is a danger when organizations become so large they feel like the affairs become so wieldy that a committee (or some other organizational hierarchy) becomes elected to supervise these affairs and the decisions appertaining thereunto. The endorsement of only one candidate sounds like an inner-circle cronyism may have taken over. If this is true, then the servings of that group will ultimately root out the greatest good to the greatest number.

Rank-and-file membership alone cannot tend to all the business that confronts a group of several thousand members. It would be the ultimate model of democracy it this could be the case. But the formation of a committee brings forth a group which too often turns its concerns inward instead of outward. Being a committee member can become an end within itself. The best way to protect against this is to have bylaws that create accountability and term limits.