Many accountants are helping organizations change business practices and performance metrics so that they conserve and protect our natural resources. This GO GREEN sustainability focus has already appeared in many of our academic programs. With all of the discussion regarding this issue, the question to consider is what the AAA could do to make our practices more environmentally friendly.  It seems to me that the first process we might consider are the practices the AAA uses in organizing and running our annual meeting.  I invite your suggestions on how we can make the practices we use for the AAA Annual Meeting this August in Denver more green friendly.   Recognize that all suggestions cannot be implemented immediately, but any suggestion is worth considering and we should try to implement those that we can.

For years I have written the address 5717 Bessie Drive, Sarasota Florida - the headquarters of the AAA .  I always assumed that it this is a big, beautiful building.  I also wondered what all the staff really did there, besides enjoy the Florida weather. The past few days I have spent time at 5717 Bessie Drive with the staff answering questions and providing input on issues they are working on.  From this experience, I have several observations.

• Headquartes consists of two rather small buildings located about 100 yrds apart at the end of a one-lane road - Bessie Drive.  One building has recently been renovated while the other I describe as "unique.'  Both are comfortable and functional.
• We have great individuals working on staff - although, surprisingly, only 23 to support our 8,300 members.  They are focussed on serving the members and working to streamline processes. Many of our discussions centered on how they could be more helpful, what can they do to improve their work, what do the members want and other similar issues.
• Recently the staff reorganized into functional teams: membership, publications, finance, web communications and administration.  I met with each team and found them working hard to identify what they can do to improve their function in relationship to the services offered to the membership.
• And, the weather in Florida is beautful!

Kazuo Hiramatsu, Vice President- International of the American Accounting Association and President of the Japan Accounting Association invited me to Japan this summer to speak to accounting students and faculty in Tokyo and Osaka.  Pictured above are a group of faculty and students with whom I met on the Tokyo campus of Kwansei Gaikun University.  I was able to tell them about many of the things I have learned this year at various section and regional AAA meetings, and share advice I picked up for them at the Doctoral Consortium.  Of course I learned as much from those attending as they might have from me.

 After a few days in Tokyo, I moved to Osaka and spoke to a group of about 400 accounting students at Kwansei Gaikun University’s main campus.  On another day, I had the opportunity to speak to and met with members of the Business Analysis Association of Japan.  We discussed accounting issues that are of concern to all of us, regardless of country.  The implications for us of the economic recession, adoption of IFRS, fair value accounting, corporate governance, among other topics.

 About 25% of AAA’s membership are international, and we have long had a large number of members from Japan and other Asian countries.  This trip provided me with an opportunity to meet with some of these members and to share with them AAA’s strategic plan and activities.  At the same time I was in Japan, AAA President-elect Kevin Stocks was visiting China, attending a meeting of the Chinese Accounting Society.  Both of us no doubt learned as much or more from the accounting students and scholars we met in our travels and we appreciated the opportunity to meet with some of our international membership. 

Last week I attended my last regional meeting as AAA President.  It was in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio and it was great to be back.  The meeting was very successful, with strong attendance numbers and many program offerings.  Rob Larson and Jan Eighme did a great job in putting the meeting and program together.  

This past year the Conference on Teaching and Learning (CTLA) has had sessions at several of the regional meetings.  This picture shows Bob Allen (Vice-Chairperson Academic - Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum section) leading a session in the Ohio CTLA about reinvigorating your passion for teaching.  The room was full and all in attendance were able to take away ideas that will help to be better educators.  Another meeting feature was a presentation by Clarke Price from the Ohio Society of CPA's.  Clarke's presentation was a great update on issues facing practice.  As always, I am struck by how much benefit our AAA meetings have for researchers and educators alike.

The 2010 New Faculty Consortium made history!  About 130 faculty met at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, VA last weekend at the annual consortium sponsored by Ernst & Young and the American Accounting Association.  As the "blizzard of the century" raged outside, the faculty inside spent a day preparing for careers as teachers and another learning how to be successful in research.  The faculty were able to concentrate on the program thanks to Ellen Glazerman, Sylvia Ulrich, and Lannie Wendorf from Ernst & Young.  These professionals rescheduled flights, made extended stay arrangements, ensured plenty of food and beverage, and did everything short of shoveling out cars. Thanks also go to Naomi Soderstrom and her committee for doing an outstanding job in putting theprogram together.