CPA Ontario congratulates 1,390 new pros!

A prosperous future awaits tomorrow's business leaders

TORONTO, March 2, 2015 /CNW/ - On February 28, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA Ontario) held a convocation ceremony in Toronto to celebrate the success of 1,390 CPA students who successfully wrote the challenging Uniform Evaluation (UFE) exam. Among those CPA students was Akash Kapoor of Mississauga, who was recognized as the winner of the Governor General's Gold Medal for achieving the highest standard in Canada on the UFE. This is the fifth year in a row that the top Canadian UFE writer has come from Ontario.

The UFE, written in September, is a national three-day evaluation that assesses professional competencies including essential knowledge, judgment, ethics and the ability to communicate. Convocation marks a milestone for these CPA students, acknowledging years of hard work, dedicated study, steadfast work-life balance and a true commitment to the accounting profession and their careers. Once these students successfully complete the entire CPA program, they will be entitled to use the globally recognized and highly respected CPA designation, and will be members of a profession known for leadership, financial and business expertise, and strategic thinking.

In 2014, a total of 16 Ontario CPA students placed on the prestigious 51-member National Honour Roll and Ontario had a record 1,390 of the country's 3,576 successful UFE writers. CPA Ontario also admitted a total of 1,977 new Chartered Professional Accountants into membership during two convocation ceremonies that took place on October 25 and November 8, 2014. That adds 3,367 much-in-demand accounting professionals to meet the growing demand in Ontario.

Governor General Gold Medallist Akash Kapoor has a Master of Accounting degree from the University of Waterloo and works at EY in Toronto. On why he chose a career in the accounting profession, Akash said: "The CPA designation is a passport to stepping into challenging roles and allows us to have the opportunity to perpetually learn. I believe that the designation adds tangible credibility and opens doors to countless experiences."

The following 15 other Ontario UFE writers have also achieved recognition on the 2014 National Honour Roll:

• Amanda Acchione, KPMG LLP, Toronto
• Daniella Bernal, Deloitte LLP, Toronto
• Zach Booth, PwC, Toronto
• Steven Dou, EY, London
• Michael Goldband, Grant Thornton LLP, Toronto
• Laura Hodgson, EY, Kitchener
• Leanne Kamstra Bosscher, KPMG LLP, Hamilton
• Alex Krivocheiko, PwC, Toronto
• Jessica Kwok, Deloitte LLP, Toronto
• Julian Lo, Deloitte LLP, Toronto
• Kevin McLeod, PwC, Toronto
• Matthew Morsanutto, Deloitte LLP, Mississauga
• Kevin Sanderson, KPMG LLP, Sudbury
• Balpreet Singh, KPMG LLP, Toronto
• Mark Vanderlinden, PwC, Toronto

"Congratulations to all of the successful Ontario candidates," said Carol Wilding, FCPA, FCA, President and CEO of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario. "Equipped with the financial and strategic expertise required for today's business world, along with globally recognized and respected credentials, our new pros are well on their way to acquiring the CPA designation."

Interviews with Honour Roll students and/or photographs are available on request.

Media experts - Consider a CPA the next time you're looking for a subject matter expert to answer critical financial or business questions or when you need a panel expert to offer insight in a group discussion or debate.

About the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario
CPA Ontario protects the public interest by ensuring its members meet the highest standards for integrity and expertise. CPA Ontario serves and supports its more than 80,000 members and approximately 20,000 students in their qualification and professional development in a wide range of senior positions in public accounting, business, finance, government, not-for-profits and academe. Certified General Accountants (CGAs), Certified Management Accountants (CMAs) and Chartered Accountants (CAs) are now unified under the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation. Chartered Professional Accountants are valued by organizations of all types and sizes for their financial expertise, strategic thinking, business insight, management skills and leadership. For information on the profession, visit cpaontario.ca. To become a CPA in Ontario, visit gocpaontario.ca.

SOURCE The Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario

Perry Jensen, Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario, 416-969-4271 or 1-800-387-0735, ext. 4271, [email protected]; Amy Mulhern, Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario, 416-606-5860 or 1-800-668-1454, [email protected]