The ubiquity of information technology in today’s business environment — and the increasing complexity and interconnectivity of today’s information systems — means that CPAs and other accounting professionals must increasingly address technology issues in order to fulfill their traditional fiduciary and financial management responsibilities. The AICPA’s Top Technology Initiatives list is intended to help CPAs and financial management professionals navigate the divergent opinions and hype surrounding technology, and focus their attention and resources on the initiatives with the most significant implications for their customers, clients and organizations.

In this special online seminar, AICPA IT Executive Committee Chair David Cieslak, CPA.CITP introduces the 2008 Top Technology Initiatives. Drawing on years of IT consulting experience and interaction with clients in public practice and business & industry, David contextualizes this year’s list, using background information and practical examples to provide participants with an introduction to each initiative, and their implications for CPAs and their customers, clients and organizations.

About the Presenter:

David M. Cieslak, CPA, CITP, GSEC is a Principal of Arxis Financial, Inc. and Arxis Technology Group, Inc. in Simi Valley, CA. His areas of expertise include information security, microcomputer accounting systems, systems development, and IT project management. David’s initial accounting experience was as an audit senior for Price Waterhouse. Prior to establishing Arxis, he founded his own full service accounting firm.

David is an instructor for K2 Enterprises and a frequent speaker for the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the PC Quantum Conference for CPA’s and other accounting organizations. He speaks on computerized accounting topics, information security, handheld computing, electronic commerce, Linux and the Windows operating environment. He is also a prolific writer who has authored articles for The Quantum PC Report for CPAs, CSCPA Outlook, California CPA, and the AICPA InfoTech Update. He is on the editorial board of Harcourt Brace's CPA Technology and Internet Advisor and the California CPA.

David is a Sage Accpac ERP Certified Consultant, a Windows Certified Professional and a GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC) holder. He is an active participant in the CalCPA State Technology Committee and Westside Micro-computer Users Discussion Group, and serves on the Arxis Technology Alliance board of directors and the CalCPA Council. He is the past president of the California CPA Education Foundation and past chair of the CalCPA State Technology Committee, and currently chairs both the AICPA Information Technology Executive Committee and AICPA TECH+ Conference Planning Committee.