Our HISTORY
How the C.P.A. Small Practitioners' Forum Began
In the Fall of 1984, Leo Kelly, FCPA, FCA and a few other Chartered Professional Accountants in Calgary, had just attended an income tax update course and were contemplating/lamenting over a few beers, how they could get better professional development.
In 1985, Leo again organized the event, and this time he managed to get Stew Henderson, CPA, CA, a tax manager with another large C.P.A. firm in Calgary, to give the tax update, again at the Rimrock Hotel. Leo continued to organize the annual event until 1988, when he decided he would like some help.
After that, several different people volunteered their time to help organize the Forum. Originally the format was for a volunteer to help one year, chair the Forum the second year and assist in the third year. The Chairs, the Forum locations and the year are summarized on the next page. In the late 1990’s the chairs of the previous Forums were asked to stay and assist with the planning. Then in 2000, a company was formed, Small Practitioner Forums Inc. (SPF Inc.)
The original shareholders of SPF Inc. were Neil Probert, CPA, CA, CGA, Brian Newman, CPA, CA, Adrian Nagy, CPA. CA, Terry Green, CPA, CA and Ross McNichol, FCPA, FCA. Brian Lenzin, CPA, CA joined the organizing committee in 2003 and took over from Terry Green, who retired in 2006. Adrian Nagy resigned from the committee in 2012. In 2018, Brian Newman retired and Dan Hershcovis, CPA, CA was added to the organizing team. In 2019 the committee thought they could use some additional help and they contracted with Trina Mellon, of Tall Girl Conference Planning Inc. to help with the organizing of the Forum. At the end of the 2019 Forum, both Ross McNichol and Brian Lenzin retired and Nathan Geib, CPA, CA joined the committee.
Stew Henderson was the main speaker for many years until 1992, although several other individuals were also invited to speak on other topics. Then Chartered Professional Accountants and lawyers from a few different firms were brought in to address the Forum on various income tax issues. From 1993 to 2018, Ray Mack, FCPA, FCA gave a presentation on technology updates.
In 1994, members from the ICAA (now CPA Alberta) began to attend the Forum to speak on changes in the accounting area, and the Forum was expanded to begin Friday morning. In 1996, representatives from Canada Revenue Agency were invited to take part. The Forum was expanded to Thursday afternoon in 2002 and to Thursday morning in 2007. In 2000, a group in Edmonton copied the format from Calgary and started the C.P.A. Forum North in Jasper.
The Forum Expands Over the Years
In 1985, Leo again organized the event, and this time he managed to get Stew Henderson, a tax manager with another large C.P.A. firm in Calgary, to give the tax update, again at the Rimrock Hotel. Leo continued to organize the annual event until 1988, when he decided he would like some help.
After that, several different people volunteered their time to help organize the Forum. Originally the format was for a volunteer to help one year, chair the Forum the second year and assist in the third year. The Chairs, the Forum locations and the year are summarized on the next page. In the late 1990’s the chairs of the previous Forums were asked to stay and assist with the planning. Then in 2000, a company was formed, Small Practitioner Forums Inc. (SPF Inc.)
The original shareholders of SPF Inc. were Neil Probert, Brian Newman, Adrian Nagy, Terry Green, and Ross McNichol. Brian Lenzin joined the organizing committee in 2003 and took over from Terry Green, who retired in 2006. Adrian Nagy resigned from the committee in 2012. In 2018, Brian Newman resigned and Dan Hershcovis was added to the organizing team.
Stew Henderson was the main speaker for many years until 1992, although several other individuals were also invited to speak on other topics. Then Chartered Professional Accountants and lawyers from a few different firms were brought in to address the Forum on various income tax issues.
In 1993, Ray Mack began attending to give presentations on technology. In 1994, members from the ICAA (now CPA Alberta) began to attend the Forum to speak on changes in the accounting area, and the Forum was expanded to begin Friday morning. In 1996, representatives from Canada Revenue Agency were invited to take part. The Forum was expanded to Thursday afternoon in 2002 and to Thursday morning in 2007.
In 2000, a group in Edmonton copied the format from Calgary and started the C.P.A. Forum North in Jasper.
Volunteerism
The Forum has always been organized by volunteers. No one on the organizing committee has ever been paid for their time. Sponsors were invited to the Forum starting in 1999 in order to help to keep the cost of the Forum reasonable and to allow the Forum to build up a surplus to provide a cushion to pay hotel costs should the Forum have to be cancelled on short notice. In 2016, a portion of the surplus accumulated from the sponsors was used to create an Endowment Fund with the CPA Alberta Education Foundation to provide scholarships to students from the Calgary area, in attendance at various post-secondary schools, who are planning to obtain a CPA designation. The first scholarship was awarded in 2018.
CPAs who have attended the Small Practitioners’ Forum over the years who wished to contribute funds toward this endowment, to allow for additional scholarships in the future, were encouraged to do so.
Information on the fund can be found at the CPA Alberta website.
From ten people in 1984 to 57 people in 1992, 84 in 2000, 175 in 2018, and 191 online participants in 2020, the forum has proven to be extremely popular with C.P.A. small firm public accounting practitioners in the Calgary area.
Year by Year
| Year | Chairman | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Leo Kelly | Rimrock Resort Hotel, Banff |
| 1985 | Leo Kelly | Rimrock Resort Hotel, Banff |
| 1986 | Leo Kelly | Rimrock Resort Hotel, Banff |
| 1987 | Leo Kelly | Rimrock Resort Hotel, Banff |
| 1988 | Rick Giacomuzzi | Rimrock Resort Hotel, Banff |
| 1989 | Ted Beales | Inns of Banff |
| 1990 | Barry Mah | Lodge at Kananaskis |
| 1991 | Robert Heumann | Lodge at Kananaskis |
| 1992 | Dave Amonson | Lodge at Kananaskis |
| 1993 | Duncan Moodie | Lodge at Kananaskis |
| 1994 | Neil Probert | Lodge at Kananaskis |
| 1995 | Neil Probert | Banff Park Lodge |
| 1996 | Brian Newman | Banff Park Lodge |
| 1997 | Adrian Nagy | Banff Park Lodge |
| 1998 | Terry Green | Four Points Sheraton, Canmore |
| 1999 | Ross McNichol | Four Points Sheraton, Canmore |
| 2000 | SPF Inc. | Radisson Hotel, Canmore |
| 2001 | SPF Inc. | Radisson Hotel, Canmore |
| 2002 | SPF Inc. | Radisson Hotel, Canmore |
| 2003 to 2019 | SPF Inc. | Banff Centre |
| 2020 | SPF Inc. | Online |
| 2021 | SPF Inc. | Online and Rimrock Resort Hotel, Banff |
| 2022 | SPF Inc. | Banff Centre |