State CPA Societies in Action: New Jersey Society of CPAs (NJCPA)

“The NJCPA has a rich history of member service, cultivating community and helping to foster the next generation of accountants and CPAs,” said Aiysha (AJ) Johnson, MA, CEO and executive director of the NJCPA. “Unprecedented change is underway in the accounting profession, but we remain committed to our mission and will continue to provide exceptional learning experiences, an inclusive welcoming community, and tools and resources for our members and customers, as well as serve as the voice for New Jersey CPAs and the accounting profession.”

[State CPA Societies in Action is a series of articles spotlighting the varied educational, advocacy, networking and professional activities of the state CPA societies across the U.S.]

New Jersey Society of CPAs Current Members: 13,500+ Founded: 1898 Headquarters: Roseland, NJ www.nysscpa.org

Current president: Aiysha (AJ) Johnson, MA is the current CEO and Executive Director.  AJ is the Society’s fourth CEO and executive director and the nation’s first Black female head of a state CPA society. She joined the NJCPA in June 2023 and previously served as the executive director of BKR International’s Americas Region. AJ has more than 20 years of experience working for nonprofits, including professional and trade associations, building strategic partnerships and developing member value strategies. 

“The NJCPA is recognized as the industry leader in advocacy at the state level,” added Johnson. “Our goals are to shape policy issues that are important to CPAs, their clients and their businesses, and build the political strength and brand of the NJCPA and its members by positioning the organization with media and lawmakers as a resource on issues ranging from taxes to business regulations.”

Has the Society seen growth/how much: Like many other CPA Societies, NJCPA has experienced some membership attrition due to retirements and the profession’s pipeline challenges, there are areas of growth in both the Student and Affiliate membership categories. And driven by online training and meetings, the Society has seen growth in attendance for learning programs and committees.

What are the society’s top 3 objectives for 2023 and beyond? The NJCPA recently set three new directional initiatives:

• Sustain Market Share. The NJCPA will create and implement a model to sustain market share that assures it is recognized as the leading voice and preeminent membership association for accounting and finance professionals who live and/or work in New Jersey. Qualified professionals will recognize the NJCPA’s professional development and advocacy strength and view Society membership as fundamental to professional success.
• Improve the Member Experience. The NJCPA will provide members with a high-quality, inclusive and innovative member experience throughout their career journey. The member experience will be personalized yet consistent across member groups and will include opportunities to engage in professional development, networking, advocacy and community outreach. NJCPA membership will deliver consistent, high-level value for members and the communities they serve.
• Amplify the NJCPA Brand. The NJCPA will take its brand identity that projects integrity, strength and value and amplify it to the population of accounting and finance professionals who live and/or work in New Jersey. The brand will resonate with members, nonmembers, accounting firms, companies, organizations, the media, legislators, regulators and other stakeholders. The Society’s brand will generate feelings of pride and unity for members and volunteer leaders across the organization.

These initiatives will work in concert with each other to build the pipeline, membership, engagement and the Society’s professional image to grow the community and bolster the pride that New Jersey CPAs have in their membership organization.

Any long-term objectives?

“We are living in a time of rapid change and amplified complexity. The accounting profession remains proudly connected to its traditional foundation, but to ensure that tradition does not become an anchor, we must not only plan; we must also update and monitor our plans and proactively respond to the issues that affect our members,” said CEO and executive director Johnson. “How do we become nimbler and more responsive to the needs of a changing market, while still fulfilling our mission? It begins with our bold organizational vision: To equip and empower New Jersey’s accounting and finance professionals to thrive in their careers.”

Additional information: The NJCPA Scholarship Fund supports the CPA pipeline by providing scholarships to New Jersey students who are pursuing an accounting education. Since the Fund was established in 1960, it has awarded more than $7 million to more than 2,000 students. A dedicated group of NJCPA member volunteers serve on the board of the Fund, participate in reviewing scholarship applications and interviewing applicants, and serve as mentors to scholarship recipients.