Douglas A. York, CPA, CGMA
INCPAS Board Chair
President, Rodefer, Moss & Co PLLC
York is president of Rodefer Moss & Co, PLLC, a regional accounting and consulting firm based in New Albany. He helps his clients in southeast Indiana and the Louisville metro area through the complexity of tax code and day-to-day operations of running a business. He has been an INCPAS member since 1992.
How do you create a culture of innovation?
I think the most important part of creating an innovative culture is to listen. Step back and listen, observe, ask questions, and try to understand what the needs of your clients and employees are. Then come up with a plan to progress. Don’t be afraid to fail, because it’s never going to work the first time. Listen, learn and try again.
What skills do you think will be important for CPAs in the future, particularly as their roles are changing?
If you take the time to understand the numbers and learn how to communicate, I don’t care if it’s a non-for-profit or for-profit business, if you can understand those numbers and communicate those numbers to help management make good decisions, make shareholders make good decisions, that is the role of the CPA in the future.
Where do you think the profession is heading, and how can in innovation get us there?
I think that the commodity type services we perform are going to disappear. I think the routine processes that we’ve done in the past will struggle to continue making a profit. I think we are going to become consultants with our experience. Our business relationships are going to become more important, and that’s where our role is going to be. CPAs have been proven time and time again to be great problem solvers.
