News & Updates

When Congress Stops, Ledgers Lurch. A government shutdown doesn’t just halt politics—it disrupts payrolls, squeezes nonprofits, and tangles the ledgers that keep public funds moving. In the latest episode of the Accounting ARC Podcast, hosts Liz Mason, CPA, Byron Patrick, CPA.CITP, CGMA, and Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA unpack what really happens when federal funding stops—and how accountants across sectors pick up the pieces once the lights come back on.

This episode of Student-led Conversations explores how accounting shapes the pop culture we love, from hit TV comedies to classic crime dramas. Through stories about streaming, royalties, and forensic finance, the guests reveal how accountants keep creativity funded, ethical, and true to the numbers.

In this timely Accounting ARC episode, Liz Mason, Byron Patrick, and Donny Shimamoto unpack how free speech shows up at work, online, and inside firms—plus where professional responsibility draws the line.

What happens when accountants stop crunching numbers and start transforming lives? In this episode of Accounting ARC, Donny Shimamoto sits down with Rory Henry—author of Holistic Wealth Management—to explore how CPAs can step into nontraditional roles, blend tax with financial planning, and even act as life coaches.

From hauling cash between 13 beach hotels in the ’90s, to rolling out Lotus Notes on audit laptops, to observing overnight casino cash drops in Vegas—our hosts share the wild, formative gigs that launched their careers (and the lessons that still pay off). 

Relationships—not résumés—decide who gets remembered and who gets the offer. In this Student-Led Conversation, Chayton Farlee sits down with Dominic Piscopo—founder of Big 4 Transparency—to talk about how students can stand out, build connections, and use data to land the pay they deserve.

n this provocative episode of Accounting ARC, hosts Donny Shimamoto and Byron Patrick sit down with Ron Baker to tackle one of the profession’s most controversial debates: the future of CPA licensure.

Who should own CPA firms—CPAs themselves or outside investors? In this thought-provoking episode of Accounting ARC, hosts Liz Mason, Byron Patrick, and Donny Shimamoto dig into the history of CPA licensure, explore how private equity is reshaping firm structures, and debate what’s at stake for ethics, education, and public trust.

For most CPAs, those three letters after our name are more than a credential—they’re a symbol of ethics, achievement, and trust. But in some firms and states, CPAs are being asked—or even required—not to use the designation in business communications. Why?

Should CPAs be allowed to show their credential everywhere—business cards, LinkedIn, email signatures—or should regulations limit its use? In this episode of Accounting ARC, hosts Liz Mason, CPA; Byron Patrick, CPA.CITP, CGMA; and Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, dive into the heated debate over CPA visibility.