Podcast: Cool Careers in Accounting Ep. 14 - Consistent in Our Ethics, Adapta...

$49.00

Barry Melancon, former CEO of the AICPA, sits with host and National Instructor, Mike Potenza, to share his journey to becoming a pivotal figure in accounting and his role in leading the AICPA through transformation. He emphasizes the constant importance of ethics—especially in accounting—while reflecting on how CPA Evolution addresses the new data and technology skillsets required for the profession. He highlights accounting’s adaptability while remaining the backbone of business decision-making, and encourages young professionals to dive into the opportunities, integrity, and value that accounting has to offer.

Field of Study:

Personal Development

Credit(s):

NASBA: 2.0

Course ID:

NASBA: 38852/45235

Instructor(s):

Mike Potenza

Barry Melacon

Course Format:

Podcast

Prerequisites:

None

Advanced Preparation:

None

Knowledge Level:

Basic

Publication Date:

05/30/2025

Planned Expiration:

05/31/2026

Provider:

Becker Professional Education

Learning objectives

After completion of the course, the learner should be able to:

Identify the impact of major financial legislation, such as Sarbanes-Oxley, on the accounting profession and its role in enhancing corporate governance and transparency.
Recall the evolution of the CPA exam, including the transition to computerized testing, and its significance in maintaining the profession's relevance in a technologically advancing world.
Recognize the importance of ethical standards and trust in the accounting profession, particularly in the context of historical financial crises and their influence on regulatory changes.

Instructor bio

Michael Potenza earned his Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering and his Master of Engineering in Structural Engineering from The Cooper Union. He received his Master of Science in Accounting from Devry University, and finally his Juris Doctorate from St. John’s Law School. Mike is a licensed CPA, Professional Engineer and admitted into the NY State Bar. Mike first started teaching for Becker in 1998 and took on new responsibilities every year related to teaching additional classes, content development and textbook editing. In 2021, Mike joined the Becker team in a full-time role as Director of Exam Curriculum and was responsible for CPA and CMA Curriculum Development, New Product Curriculum Development, as well as Academic Support. Mike now serves as VP, National Instruction and Client Relationships, he is a Becker National Instructor and still teaches REG, FAR, ISC and TCP for CPA and he also teaches for CMA and EA.

A Becker Professional Education is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org

Becker Professional Education Sponsor I.D. Numbers NASBA: 107294, New York: 002087, New Jersey: 20CE00226700, Texas: 009580, Ohio: CPE.186, Illinois 158.002405, Pennsylvania: PX177823