If you want to go far, go together
Chair's Message
Eric O'Link | June/July 2025 Footnote
I expected to be handed a gavel — not a baton.
As it turns out, both were part of the ceremonial handoff of responsibilities and title of chair at the MNCPA board meeting on April 24. The only time we use a gavel is in April when a new chair is installed. Thus, the “passing of the gavel” was expected.
But then came the baton — metal, painted a bright metallic royal blue, with the MNCPA logo engraved on one side and “Alternative pathways: A journey best taken together” on the other. The baton was the idea of outgoing chair Boz Bostrom, a symbolic handoff of the journey the MNCPA has been on since 2022 to broaden the pathways for accountants to become CPAs in Minnesota.
It’s a fitting symbol. Back then, Charles Esler was board chair. Like Boz, Charles is a strong advocate for broadening the pathways to earn a CPA license. Charles was succeeded by Bob Cedergren as chair in 2023, not long after our pathways legislation was first introduced in the Minnesota Legislature. Call it fate, providence or whatever, but the timing of Bob’s leadership was perfect; he was a natural spokesperson for the MNCPA on the pathways issue and lent highly visible support to this initiative through media interviews and legislative committee testimony.
The proverbial baton was handed to Boz last year. Anyone who has spent even a little bit of time with Boz knows his zeal for this issue. Boz, an accounting professor, continues to be an effective voice for our profession and the accounting students this legislation benefits.
Now there is a real baton, complete with Charles’ signature — we’ll get Bob and Boz to sign — as we enter the home stretch. I hope by the time you read this, we are celebrating passage of Minnesota’s pathways bills, joining the 13 other states that passed similar legislation this year.
Of course, it wasn’t only the board and our chairs who helped in this pursuit. The board voted to act after listening to you, our members. You overwhelmingly wanted solutions to the CPA pipeline problem in the form of a route to licensure beyond the 150-credit hour rule. Your support has been vital to the MNCPA as Linda Wedul and Geno Fragnito faced, initially, tough questions from skeptical corners of the CPA community on this issue.
Navigating challenges is easier when you have others walking with you. Nobody has all the answers, but we do have fellow CPAs and the resources of our society. You’ll find examples in this issue, including advice on how to prepare for an employee’s extended leave (in anticipation of Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program taking effect next year) and how to address ESG in this time of uncertainly.
Finally, the MNCPA’s annual Management & Business Advisers Conference is coming up. Join us June 23-25 — in person only the first day — for what’s sure to be an excellent conference. I’m looking forward to engaging sessions at MBAC and connecting with other CPAs in person, maybe even adding to my professional network. Just like the journey to additional pathways is better traveled together, my career is stronger when I’m connected with colleagues.
Eric O'Link
Chair, MNCPA board of directors
boardchair@mncpa.org
