Press Release

Rick Anderson Earns AICPA's Sustained Contribution Award

Former Moss Adams CEO Selected for His Service to the Accounting Profession

Seattle, November 20, 2013 — Moss Adams LLP, the largest accounting and business consulting firm headquartered on the West Coast and one of the largest in the nation, announced that its former chairman and CEO, Rick Anderson, has been named the recipient of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Sustained Contribution Award.

The award, which was announced at the AICPA’s Fall Meeting of Council, is given to AICPA members who have contributed measurably to the organization and to the accounting profession through volunteer service. Recipients must have served on an AICPA volunteer group for 20 years or more and at one time led one of the organization’s committees, task forces or resource panels.

“Passion for excellence, lifetime learning, leading by example: These are core Moss Adams values we’re committed to, and Rick models this commitment,” said Chris Schmidt, Anderson’s successor as the firm’s chairman and CEO. “I’m proud of Rick’s accomplishments and thankful for the example he sets for us all to contribute to the accounting profession.”

This award comes on the heels of another honor the AICPA bestowed on Anderson this past summer—its 2013 Special Recognition Award, given to an individual who has made contributions of an outstanding nature to the success of a particular project or initiative. The AICPA recognized Anderson for his role as chairman of a blue-ribbon panel established to address how U.S. accounting standards can best meet the needs of users of private company financial statements.

The two awards represent the culmination of decades of work by Anderson in service of the accounting profession. Dating to the late 1980s, Anderson has played a key role in many of the AICPA’s most important working groups, including chair of its Major Firms Group and as a member of the AICPA Council, SECPS Peer Review Committee, Group of 100 Committee, Special Task Force to Deal with SEC Regulatory Reform and others.

“It’s always nice to be recognized for one’s service, especially in the profession to which you’ve committed your life’s work,” Anderson said. “I’m honored to have been selected for these awards, and I look forward to continuing to contribute to the AICPA and to Moss Adams.”

In a planned succession move, Anderson stepped down as Moss Adams chairman and CEO in April 2013 after nine years in the role. Prior to that, he was the firm’s president and chief operating officer. Anderson is currently the chairman of Praxity, one of the world’s leading international alliances of independent assurance, tax and advisory firms.

For more information, please contact:
Andrea Baseler, Edelman, for Moss Adams | andrea.baseler@edelman.com | (206) 664-7817