Mark Forte has been around technology his whole life.  Growing up, his father was an engineer for National Cash Register (NCR) Corporation, and this exposure to computer hardware sparked Mark’s curiosity in technology.  In high school, he also took an interest in accounting.  In selecting which college to attend, he decided to choose the one where he could combine his interest in computers with accounting.   After graduating with a Bachelor in Accounting, Mark gained his experience as an internal auditor and software consultant by assisting private companies in implementations of new accounting packages.  This caught the eye of a local Rochester CPA that hired him as a staff accountant and encouraged him to continue increasing his technical knowledge in accounting software implementations. 

Over the next decade, Mark expanded his knowledge of software to include other programs and provided technical support for both software and some hardware.  In addition, his professional affiliations with the AICPA & NYSSCPA have introduced him to individuals from major software companies.  As a result, he had the opportunity to recommend suggestions to various software companies and see the improvements incorporated into their accounting software.  Though his primary focus these days is on his small business clientele, he is periodically sent out to assist the Risk and Technology Management group, perform IT audits of accounting software for the firm’s audit teams, offer consultation/installation/training of accounting software or simply provide software support to the internal staff.

What he finds as the most valuable benefit (as a CITP Credential holder) is the access to technical information and resources that he uses in his various projects.  He also continues to learn from other CITP’s experiences in the practice of IT audit while they learn from his experiences in the matter of accounting software.  He believes that the CITP Credential is a good stepping stone towards furthering his professional career in the fields of IT and Accounting.