CalCPA CEO pledges change in wake of George Floyd killing

Anthony Pugliese, president and CEO of the California Society of CPAs, released a written statement Monday offering his thoughts on the death of George Floyd, the nationwide protests that followed, and his specific plans to address the situation within his state society in the immediate future.

"The events of the past week have been heartbreaking on many levels," Pugliese (pictured) said in his statement. "The brutal killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor have once again exposed the horrific legacy of centuries of racism and discrimination in our country. And while our society has slowly made some progress over time, there is still far more to be done to achieve the promise of an America where one's black or brown skin does not deny equal access to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Other society and firm leaders have also released statements this month regarding their commitment to bettering issues of race within the profession.

In his statement, Pugliese outlined a 90-day plan to enact programs and actions aimed at building a more diverse and inclusive environment for CalCPA members. These goals include:

• The signing of a pledge to publicly affirm CalCPA's commitment to equity and inclusion.
• The formation of a member-led Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee to lead efforts in creating meaningful programs, resources and outcomes for CalCPA members, staff and partners. Brad Monterio, CalCPA vice president and chief learning officer, has been tapped to establish the committee and serve as staff liaison.
• Via the DE&I Committee, addressing specific goals, standards and practices designed to identify and address racial inequities, as well as establishing specific metrics to measure progress on said goals.
• Joining state CPA societies across the nation in sharing best practices for achieving a more just and equitable professional association.
• Establishing an email account, inclusion@calcpa.org, dedicated to informing CalCPA's commitment to making progress on goals concerning racial equality.

"Relationships define who we are as individuals, as an organization, as a profession, and as a society," Pugliese added. "It will be through the strength and power of these relationships that we will improve our world together."

For the full statement, head to CalCPA's site here.

Richard Morgenstein