Fraser earns CITP

Chris Fraser earns CITP Designation

Chris Fraser, CPA, MBA has been awarded the Certified Information Technology Professional (C.I.T.P.) designation by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

What does CITP mean to you and your organization?

The CITP designation, established by the AICPA, is awarded to CPAs with significant experience in information technology strategic planning, implementation, management, and business strategies for information systems. The CPA/CITP serves as the bridge between management and the technology department, leveraging the CPA's strategic and business skills.

Chris Fraser met the requirements to earn the designation, including a CPA certificate, evidence of his technology business experience and life-long learning activities. Experience and learning include the areas of:

-Information Technology Strategic Planning	-Security, Privacy and Contingency Planning
-Information Systems Management	-Systems Auditing and Internal Control
-Systems Architecture	-Databases and Database Management
-Business Applications and e-Business	-System Development, Acquisition, and Project Management

Traditional Technology Professionals	Certified Information Technology Professionals
Develops IT strategy	Develops cohesive company wide integrated business and IT strategies within your company’s Strategic Business Plan
Is oriented to minimizing systems downtime; maximizing systems reliability	Is oriented to enterprise management, business interruptions, security and privacy and increasing access to information and knowledge
Centers diagnostic skills and needs analysis around IT	Centers diagnostics skills and need analysis around the needs of the business, market opportunities and bottom line issues

CPAs who have earned the CITP designation must recertify their accreditation every three years. To do so, they must document their involvement in technology services and complete a prescribed amount of related life long learning activities during this three-year period.

The AICPA's CITP program has four objectives:

To achieve public recognition of the CPA as the preferred IT professional in the business community;

To promote members’ services through compilation of the CITP Expertise Database and the development of appropriate marketing materials;

To enhance the quality of IT services that members provide; and

To increase practice development opportunities and advance the careers of CPAs employed in business and industry, education, government and other areas.

For more information on the CITP designation, please visit the Center for Information Certified Information Technology Professionals at the AICPA web site: http://citp.aicpa.org/

http://www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20020816S0002

The CITP Credential: “Value” Personified

While the concept of “value” may be an overused corporate label in today’s business marketplace, CPAs who hold the CITP credential find more than value in the credential. They find numerous ways to link the bottom line associated with their service delivery directly back to the CITP.

An acronym for Certified Information Technology Professional, more than 800 CPAs who hold the AICPA’s credential are recognized for their unique ability to connect business and technology, blending business acumen with IT expertise.

The “CITP.CPA” after a CPAs name, to me, is clearly indicative of the best and most knowledgeable CPA for the job.” says James Bourke, CPA.CITP, and shareholder with WithumSmith + Brown, who focuses on making sure that WS+B is deploying state-of-the-art technologies needed by the staff to do their job and to do it well. “The CITP credential sets me apart from other technology professionals who do not have the same understanding of accounting that we, as CPAs, have by trade. And it communicates to our partners and staff I am a CPA and my specialty is information technology,” continued Bourke.

Designed as a credential for CPAs, those who work in the technology arena for firms and businesses more than likely already qualify for the CITP credential. Prospective CITPs who qualify usually have a combination of an average of 2000 hours of business technology experience and 200 hours of technology education over the past five years. And some have earned other technology/business-focused certifications and/or degrees. Another criterion is to be a member in good standing with the AICPA. Among the benefits available, CITPs have access to a members-only section of the AICPA’s Web site with articles they can use for their own newsletters and customers/clients, as well as a marketing toolkit to leverage to position themselves as a CITP credential holder.

“Many CPAs hold industry and vendor designations and accreditations, yet the CITP is rapidly becoming the mark of excellence for the CPA business technologist,” says Gregory L. LaFollette, CPA.CITP, of Eide Bailly, LLP, executive editor of The CPA Technology Advisor magazine, and chair of the CITP Credential Committee. “The CITP credential reinforces the vision of the CPA profession in which IT plays a central role in effectively and competitively running the practice. I recommend every firm ensure that the CPA’s responsible for the firm’s internal IT strategy hold the CITP credential.”

Chris Fraser, CPA.CITP, MBA, MCP, CISA, of Fraser Company in St. Petersburg, Fla., believes that the CITP credential helps him to communicate the message of his business technology expertise and focus. Having recently started his technology services organization, Chris notes, “the CITP credential has been equally beneficial even if others have not seen the initials before and are curious about what they mean.”

“I love it when I’m asked what the CITP stands for, it gives me the opening I need to discuss my qualifications and unique differentiators,” he says. “The CITP definitely serves as a vital part in my ability to develop new business and its level of importance has evolved as my career continues to evolve.”

CPAs are rapidly recognizing the value that the CITP credential offers them. In fact, now is a great time to become a CITP as the AICPA is offering a special program enrollment fee incentive through July 21, 2006. Visit the CITP Credential page at www.aicpa.org/citp for more information and to download the two-page application. In addition, through an agreement with ISACA, any CPA holding the CISA credential is automatically eligible for the CITP; an application must be submitted for consideration.

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