AICPA names Carla McCall as new chair

The American Institute of CPAs elected Carla McCall, managing partner of AAFCPAs, a Westborough, Massachusetts-based Top 100 Firm, as its next chair.

McCall will also co-chair the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the joint association of the AICPA and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

She was elected to the one-year AICPA volunteer post by the organization’s governing Council at its Spring Council session Thursday. Lexy Kessler, mid-Atlantic regional Leader for Aprio, an Atlanta-based Top 25 Firm, was elected vice chair. 

The elections came a day after the AICPA announced that longtime president and CEO Barry Melancon will be retiring at the end of the year. A search process is underway for a successor, so McCall and Kessler will be presiding over the AICPA during a key time of transition for the organization.

“I have learned to understand the value of our profession. A profession that promotes diversity, protects public trust, encourages entrepreneurship, and stays at the forefront of innovation,” McCall said in her acceptance speech. “Our profession encourages a proactive and dynamic approach to problem-solving and progress, constantly evolves and changes to meet client needs and is at the forefront of issues and innovation to drive trust, opportunity and prosperity.”

During her acceptance speech, McCall thanked outgoing chair Okorie Ramsey for the progress he made during his term in the areas of inclusion, innovation and pipeline initiatives. She also recognized Melancon’s legacy, command of the profession and inspiring leadership.

During her term, McCall intends to promote how the profession delivers and provides guidance for navigating the top issues facing individuals, businesses and economies. “We should not describe ourselves by the products we deliver – auditor, tax preparer, etc…but by the value we add,” McCall said. “It is our responsibility to lead by example in every firm, business and organization, at every level, in every community and country.”

McCall pointed to the need to embrace new technologies like AI, data analytics and other emerging tools. She hopes to visit colleges, community colleges and high schools throughout her term to talk to students about accounting and is calling on all AICPA members to promote the profession to the next generation. “I want to pay forward all the support I received throughout my journey here, and to help, encourage and motivate our next generation to pursue the CPA profession,” she said.     

McCall served for the past year as the AICPA’s vice chair and held several other volunteer posts over the years, including AICPA Board of Directors, AICPA Investments Committee, AICPA Audit and Finance Committee, AICPA Political Action Committee, PCPS Executive Committee, and as a member and elected state representative of Council. She is former chair of the board at the Massachusetts Society of CPAs. In addition to being named to the Forbes 2024 Top 200 CPAs list, McCall was named one of the Most Powerful Women in the Accounting Profession (2020-2021 and 2022) by the AICPA and CPA Practice Advisor Magazine and appeared on the National Managing Partner Elite List by Accounting Today (2020).