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Moss Adams LLP Selected a Best CPA Firm for Women
SEATTLE, Wash. (May 3, 2010)—An independent study has named Moss Adams LLP, the Seattle-based CPA firm with 21 offices in five Western states, as one of the nation's best firms for women accountants.
The study, conducted by the 2010 Accounting/MOVE Project, was sponsored by the American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA) and the American Women's Society of Certified Public Accountants (AWSCPA), two leading professional organizations dedicated to advancing women in public accounting.
The study commended Moss Adams for its higher-than-average share of women partners—over 21 percent. The firm also was heralded as demonstrating "best practices" for its transparency in measurement and public reporting on the status of women, as well as the effectiveness of its Forum_W effort, a long-term investment focused on attracting, retaining, developing and advancing women at the firm.
Moss Adams found that women excel early in their careers due to their keen focus on mastering their technical expertise but often overlook the importance of building relationships in the firm and the business community. These relationships are necessary to succeed at business development, an important factor in long-term success in the industry. Forum_W offers targeted events and programs to help women balance technical proficiency with a focus on networking and leadership skills essential for professional advancement.
"We're honored with the acknowledgement this study provides," said Tammy Young, managing director of human resources at Moss Adams, "as it recognizes our long-term investment in identifying and encouraging the success of women in our firm and our industry."
"The validation of our focus on measurement and transparency is particularly meaningful because we believe 'what gets measured gets done'," she added.
Overall, the study found that:
- Women are hired approximately on par with males entering public accounting.
- But by the time they reach "senior manager" positions in firms, women have a higher propensity to abandon the profession.
- Women are generally overlooked as a resource within their firms for gaining and retaining clients.
- Women are not seeing career paths and success strategies that pave the way to serving as partners or principals in most firms.
The 2010 Accounting/MOVE Project is the first-ever benchmarking report that measures the status of women in accounting and outlines ways they can advance. Twenty public accounting firms participated and were ranked on the range, depth, and success of programs that enable women's success. MOVE studied four factors—money, opportunity, vital support for working/life balance and entrepreneurship—all crucial factors proven to advance women in the CPA work place.
The study was conducted by Wilson-Taylor Associates, Inc., a specialist research firm in measuring the advancement of women. Support for the study, sponsored by ASWA and AWSCPA, was provided by BDO and Moss Adams. The in-depth survey included statistical analysis of employment trends as well as detailed personal interviews with more than four dozen women accountants.
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Moss Adams LLP is the 11th largest accounting and consulting firm in the United States, and the largest firm headquartered in the West. Moss Adams has two affiliated companies, staff of more than 1,700 that includes more than 230 partners, and is focused on providing client service to public, private, and not-for-profit enterprises through specialized industry and service practice teams.
Moss Adams is a founding member of Praxity, AISBL, a global alliance of independent accounting firms with more than 23,000 professionals doing business in 77 countries and territories in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.