Information Technology Executive Management in the Public Accounting Industry
1. 2009 AICPA Information Technology
Conference
CIO / Executive IT Management In CPA Firms
Peter J. Henley, CPA
June 15, 2009
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2. Your Firm Needs a CIO!
Technology executives add value.
Help the firm accomplish its goals.
Project focused, not billable.
If you want to stay technical, help someone
else be the executive.
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3. An Industry in Transition
1980’s – Office manager
1990’s – Network Administrator
2000’s – IT Manager
Next decade – Tech executive
Now is when techs are pushing up, but the
future is owners pushing down
(Growthwave.com, Woodscreek.com)
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6. Who You Are
Trust is developed by processes, and formulas, not charisma.
Values must align with the organization
Competencies: Strategic agility, business acumen, results- orientation,
financial stewardship, political savvy
Thirst for knowledge and lifelong learning
Systematic thinker
Listening – seek to understand first
A positive, upbeat, but realistic person
Secure, likeable, approachable with a good sense of humor
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7. Integrity
Trust – It’s your responsibility.
Keep your word. Manage deadlines.
Be a company person. “They” is YOU!
Never defend yourself.
Passion, Wattage, Transparency
Transparency, patience, kindness
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8. Acceleration
The main thing is to keep
the main thing, the main thing.
Technology is not the goal!
Exceptions – Enabling technology:
Acrobat
Outlook Anywhere
Portals
Multiple monitors
Blackberries
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9. Acceleration
"Selling tries to get the customer to want what the
company has, marketing on the other hand, tries to get
the company to produce what the customer wants.“
(Source: Marketing Myopia, Theodore Levitt, Harvard
Business Review, Jul-Aug 1960)
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10. Acceleration
"… the aim of marketing is to make selling superfluous.
The aim of marketing is to know and understand the
customer so well that the product or service fits him and
sells itself.“
(Source: Management: Tasks, responsibilities,
practices, Peter Drucker, Heinemann
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11. Plumbing
Fast, Stable, Secure, Easily Accessible
Easy to manage (homogenous, standard)
4 Step implementation model
Documentation
Perspectives:
Tools
Applications
Data
Profiles
Servers
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12. Implementation Model
Research – Will this provide value to the firm?
Lab Test – Will this work in our environment?
----------Decision to purchase or adopt----------
Pilot Rollout – How can we best deploy this?
Rollout
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13. Procurement – Where Trust Begins
The PLAN
Decisions – consider three levels
Know your metrics
Vendor management
Balance cost cutting with innovation
Projects always tied to business strategy
This year’s project is next year’s maintenance
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14. Metrics
Percentage of firm gross income
Budget line items and categories as a
percentage of total IT expenditures
IT expenditures per FTE
Firm revenue per FTE
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15. Three Level Decisions
Suggested solution: project, hardware,
software, etc, and what it will cost.
Inexpensive solution: “Here’s the cost, and
here’s what’s in the suggested solution
that we won’t get.”
Expensive solution: “Here’s the cost and
here’s what we would get in addition to the
suggested solution.
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16. Strategy
There is no such thing as IT strategy!
Maintain a historical timeline of milestones
Dissect your business’ strategy
Every company has a business strategy
Ask backwards I’ll get back to you.
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17. Core Values
People
Establish
Key Values
In the
Culture
Client Service
Honesty & Integrity
Teamwork &
Interdependence
Promote
Respect
And
Trust
Clark Nuber is
regarded as the
best CPA &
consulting firm in
NW
Attract
Best
People
Career
Development
Work
Environment
Employee
Satisfaction
Innovation
Communicate
Well
(All Directions)
Vision & Mission
Clients
Employees
Business
Community
Peers
Retain
And
Expand
Business
Strategic Choices
Outcome
Accelerate
Growth
Innovative Advice
and
World-Class
Service
New Role of
Shareholders
Strategically
Managed
Permanent
Business
Everyone
Realizes
Their
Professional
and
Personal
Goals
One Firm Concept
Retain
Our
People
Private
Not For Profit
Create New
And
Innovative
Products and
Services
Support and care
For Community
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19. Default Strategic Plan
What if my strategic business plan is simply to grow by five
percent per year and maintain 33% net income before
partner compensation?
Amazed clients
Effective processes
Motivated employees
Satisfied owners
Mitigate our Weaknesses
Accelerate our Strengths
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20. Client Touch Points
Portals
Auditor laptops
Telephone system
Email
Web site
Fax
Paper financial statements and tax returns
Electronic Financial Statements and tax returns
Proposals, marketing materials
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21. Team
Cutting edge projects, resume building
Training
Who you are, “who” the department is
Firm technology profile
Industry best practices
Lead by serving. Teammates compete.
Always involve HR in conflict
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22. IT Department Mission Statement
Fast, stable, secure, easily accessible network
Maximize the professional hour
Promote innovation
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23. IT Commitment to Excellence
Professionalism – Honest, dependable, flexible
Communication – Listen closely, present tech. clearly
Teamwork – Build trust, work toward common goals.
Job Knowledge – Maintain skill sets
Task Achievement – High level of productivity & quality
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24. Leadership
When people ask for your help
Email, write, speak
Teach, and teach your team to teach
Open lunch sessions
Recruiting and new employee presentations
Arm partners with info they can use
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25. Education
Manage your time
Read less with more comprehension
Develop a personal knowledge base
Correct mix of technology and executive skills
Lifelong goals
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26. Innovation
Doing the same thing in a better way
Using the same amount of funds to do more
Shocked colleagues and supervisors
Mistakes
Innovate - processes, resources, not people
Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission
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29. [Your Name Here], CIO
Whatever creativity is,
it is in part a solution to a problem.
– Brian Aldiss
Make visible what , without you,
might perhaps never have been.
– Robert Bresson
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