Events

CA Speaker Series

by Victoria Tang

On August 18, 2009, participants in the CA Speaker Series had the opportunity to hear two outstanding speakers share some of their experiences about being a Chartered Accountant. This program, sponsored by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC, allowed guests to hear advice from highly accomplished CAs and to learn more about the culture of the CA industry.

Ron Patrickson outlined his career as a public accountant and discussed some of the opportunities that led him to his current role as VP of Valuing and Business Modelling at Ernst & Young.  He emphasized the importance of continual learning, explaining that this attitude is valuable at all stages in an individual’s career.

Laird Miller, CFO of London Drugs, described how his experience from a decade-long career in the forestry sector was relevant to his work as a private sector accountant. He also extolled the importance of liking, trusting, and respecting one’s clients. Mr. Miller remarked that accountants are uniquely situated to develop a reputation as a trusted business advisor whose candid input is highly valuable to the success of the organization. 

A common theme in both presentations was the remarkable integrity and high ethical standards that are prevalent in the accounting industry.One audience member questioned whether the presenters had ever encountered a serious threat to their personal ethical standards, whereupon both Mr. Patrickson and Mr. Miller agreed that were they ever to encounter such a situation, they would be able to count on the moral support of their fellow Chartered Accountants. Setting the “tone at the top,” to borrow Mr. Miller’s phrase, as one of integrity and dedication creates a trickle-down effect that helps to motivate the entire organization. 

Following the program, the guests enjoyed a casual reception and refreshments courtesy of ICABC. Mr. Patrickson and Mr. Miller were exceptionally generous with their time and answered a bevy of questions from attendees.

The Vancouver Board of Trade would like to thank The Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia for making this event possible and for their support of The Leaders of Tomorrow Mentorship Program. For more information on ICABC please visit www.ica.bc.ca