This Recruitment Video Is Changing Minds–and Winning Gold

The Center for Accounting Transformation’s award-winning recruitment video delivers a fast-paced, cinematic message that positions accountants as innovators and changemakers, earning top honors from the Viddy Awards. 

The Center for Accounting Transformation is proud to announce that its flagship recruitment video, Unlock the Power of the Accounting Profession, has been honored with a gold Viddy Award in the Non-Broadcast | Short Form Web Videos (<3 Minutes) | Recruitment category. 

This recognition marks the second major creative award for the piece, which also received a gold MarCom Award earlier this year. The video serves as the cornerstone of the Center’s Agents of Transformation campaign, a national initiative reshaping how students, career-changers, and current professionals see the accounting profession. 

Cinematic Storytelling That Reimagines the Profession
Produced as a digital-first recruitment piece, Unlock the Power of the Accounting Profession was designed to disrupt old stereotypes and present accounting as a dynamic, mission-driven career path. The short-form video blends fast-paced editing, bold visuals, and authentic voices from across the profession to highlight accountants as innovators, strategists, technologists, and agents of positive change. 

The creative strategy was intentional: make the profession compelling to Gen Z, early-career talent, and professionals who may not have previously considered accounting as a path to purpose. 

“Our goal wasn’t to explain accounting—it was to challenge assumptions,” said Heather Bunning, executive producer and mission outreach architect for the Center. “We want students to see accountants as catalysts for transformation, not just number-crunchers. This approach invites people to rethink what the profession represents and the impact its leaders can have.” 

Award-Winning Creative Leadership 

The GOLD Viddy Award recognizes the creative leadership of two key contributors: 

• Dave Maresca — Creative Director & Mission Outreach Specialist
  With more than 20 years of experience in narrative and media production, Maresca led the creative direction, visual design, and storytelling approach. His background in film, brand narrative, and audience engagement shaped the video’s emotional resonance and its cinematic execution.
• Heather L. Bunning — Executive Producer & Mission Outreach Architect
  With 25+ years in marketing communications—particularly in student recruitment, education, and professional branding—Bunning served as the Executive Producer, ensuring strategic alignment and clarity of mission. She guided the project’s purpose, message cohesion, and overall production strategy.

Together with Donny C. Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, the Center’s founder and inspiration architect, Maresca and Bunning formed the creative core behind the Agents of Transformation campaign. 

Results: A Recruitment Video That Sparked a Movement 

Since its launch, the video has become the anchor of the Center’s national outreach, featured at: 

• Major accounting conferences and career fairs 

• University classrooms and professional development events 

• Partner firm recruitment programs 

• Association campaigns nationwide 

Across social and digital platforms, the piece has delivered a 3x lift in engagement over previous Center video content and has been widely praised for presenting accounting as a modern, inclusive, purpose-driven profession. 

“Accounting isn’t just about numbers—it’s about improving the world through smarter decisions, ethical leadership, and meaningful impact,” said Shimamoto. “Dave and Heather’s creative leadership turned that message into a powerful visual story that resonates across generations.” 

Professionals across the accounting profession are encouraged to share their stories and become agents by going to we.improvetheworld.net. 

The Viddy Awards recognize excellence in video production across digital, broadcast, and non-broadcast formats. Administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), the competition honors standout work from creative agencies, marketing teams, communications departments, and independent media professionals worldwide.