Omaha became the epicenter for accounting regulators from June 25-27, as the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) kicked off its Western Regional Meeting at the Omaha Marriott Downtown. Melissa Ruff, CPA, an audit managing director at Deloitte & Touche LLP and chair of the Nebraska Board of Public Accountancy (State Board), welcomed more than 200 top-tier professionals from around the country to the Cornhusker State for this important event.

Attendees, including State Board members, administrators, and other leaders within the CPA profession, delved into discussions regarding the future of the CPA profession, tackling critical topics such as changes to the Uniform CPA Examination, proposals for new licensing pathways, and updates from the National Pipeline Advisory Group.

NASBA serves as a forum for the nation’s 55 State Boards of Accountancy, which administer the Uniform CPA Examination, license more than 672,000 Certified Public Accountants, and regulate the practice of public accountancy in the United States.

In addition to all the critical discussions that took place, the event marked the final NASBA meeting for the group’s president and CEO, Ken Bishop, who announced his retirement effective August 1. Attendees also found time to renew old friendships and make new connections throughout the three-day gathering.

This was an excellent opportunity to bring many professionals from the Western States to the Omaha area and expose them to Nebraska. For many attendees, this was their first time in Omaha, and they left impressed! The locale also allowed most State Board members from Nebraska to attend the meeting, where they had the chance to interact with leaders and hear firsthand about the evolving regulatory landscape for CPAs. A huge thank you to NASBA and its travel team, in particular Chief Communications Officer Thomas Kenny, for bringing this critical meeting to Nebraska.