AICPA News is a round-up of recent announcements from the American Institute of CPAs, the Association of International CPAs, and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).
8 European educators recognized in the CGMA Accounting Educator Awards 2025
AICPA and CIMA are proud to announce the 38 winners of their Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) Accounting Educator Awards 2025 – an initiative that celebrates the invaluable contributions of accounting educators to the global accounting and finance profession.
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Among the winners are 8 outstanding educators from Europe, whose work exemplifies the spirit of these awards and values of the accounting and finance profession:
- CGMA Digital Transformation Award – Country Silver (Romania): Radu Marian – Associate Teaching Staff, Babes-Bolyai University
- CGMA Innovation Award – Country Gold (Ukraine): Iryna Polishchuk – Associate Professor, Department of Information Systems in Management and Accounting, Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University
- CGMA Research Award – Exceptional Contribution to Digital Skill Development in the Accounting Profession: Adriana Tiron-Tudor – Full Professor, Babes-Bolyai University
- CGMA Research Award – Valuable Contribution to Economic System Resilience & Post-Conflict Recovery: Serhii Lehenchuk – Head of the Department of Information Systems in Management and Accounting, Zhutomyr Polytechnic State University
- CGMA Teaching Award – Regional Champion (Europe): Stanislav Vasylishyn – Professor of Accounting, Audit and Taxation Department, State Biotechnological University
- CGMA Teaching Award – Country Gold (Ukraine): Renata Korshykova, Victoria Lishchynska, and Larysa Antoniuk – Associate Professors of Accounting, Kyiv National Economic University
Over 530 applications and nominations from individuals and teams in North Asia, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Africa were submitted for consideration in five categories CGMA Teaching Award, CGMA Diversity and Inclusion Award, CGMA Innovation Award, CGMA Digital Transformation Award,and CGMA Research Award. The winners were selected based on their recent projects and contributions that demonstrated measurable impact and a commitment to excellence. Each submission was supported by peer nominations.
For a complete list of the CGMA Accounting Educator Awards 2025 winners, please visit the official webpage.
CIMA Launches 2025 Cybersecurity Tool to Help Finance Teams Navigate Risk, Response, and Remediation
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) has launched the latest version of its CGMA Cybersecurity Tool, designed to help finance professionals tackle the growing threat of cyberattacks through robust risk management, response, and remediation strategies.
As cyberattacks become more frequent, more sophisticated and costly, the average cost of a data breach is now a hefty $4.4 million , according to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025: The AI Oversight Gap – the updated tool reflects the need for organisations and their finance teams to play a role in strengthening cyber resilience.
Featuring actionable steps to assess and respond to cybersecurity risk, it provides finance professionals with guidance on:
- How to protect sensitive data
- Influencing software investment decisions to prevent, detect, and neutralise cyber threats
- Risk management and governance structures
- Incident response and recovery
- Evaluating cyber security insurance
Andrew Harding, FCMA, CGMA, Chief Executive of CIMA said: “Cybersecurity is a key conversation in the world’s boardrooms – it’s about building resilience, ensuring that businesses can stand up to the challenges and meet the opportunities of a digital-first world. It’s a competitive edge.
AICPA Recommends Relief Measures to Mitigate Negative Impact of Shutdown on Taxpayers and Practitioners
With the October tax filing deadline fast approaching, the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) submitted a letter to Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Scott Bessent, acknowledging the steps the IRS is taking to alleviate the impact of the government shutdown, including retaining approximately 54 percent of its employees – an increase of staff compared to previous shutdowns – and prioritizing the need for guidance related to the implementation of PL 119-21/HR 1. However, the AICPA is disappointed that the IRS did not except all of its employees, as previously recommended.
The AICPA is recommending relief measures that are fair, reasonable, and practical to mitigate the negative impact of the shutdown on taxpayers and practitioners. These recommendations include:
- Discontinue compliance actions and halt automated collection activities of liens and levies until at least 60 days following the end of the shutdown.
- Maintain all online systems and accounts.
- Offer an easily administrable reasonable cause penalty waiver resembling the first-time abatement (FTA) administrative waiver for taxpayers impacted by the government shutdown.
- Provide targeted estimated tax and late payment penalty relief.
AICPA Survey Indicates Strong Support for Accounting to be Designated as a STEM Program
A recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) revealed that three quarters of Americans (74%) believe accounting courses should be designated as a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education program. The AICPA is advocating for legislation to establish the accounting profession as a STEM career pathway and to support long-standing efforts to bring awareness of the opportunities accounting can provide to young people who are considering their future careers.
The Accounting STEM Pursuit Act, which was introduced in both chambers during the last Congress, would enable federal K-12 funding to support accounting education for students from all backgrounds. If enacted, these bills would allow educators to secure STEM funding to teach foundational accounting skills, introducing young students to accounting as a viable career and fostering a workforce that reflects the communities the profession serves.
The AICPA survey found that more than half (54%) of Americans ages 18-34, and 59% of Americans ages 35-44 believe that students would be more likely to enter an accounting education program if it were designated as a STEM education program.
STEM roles generally provide higher earning potential, with an average salary of $100,900 compared to $55,260 for non-STEM fields. To date, 56 accounting programs have received an official STEM designation from the federal government, enabling schools to broaden their student bodies.
AICPA Seeks Safe Harbor for 2025 Reporting Requirements of Tips and Overtime
In a recent letter submitted to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) requested guidance related to the 2025 reporting and substantiation requirements regarding the deductions for qualified tips and qualified overtime compensation.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or H.R. 1 (Act), created Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 224 and section 225, which temporarily allows a deduction for individual taxpayers for qualified tips and qualified overtime compensation. To claim the deductions, separate reporting of qualified tips and qualified overtime compensation is required to be included on information returns, including Form W-2 and Form 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation. The Act amended relevant Chapter 61 rulesto require information reporting of qualified overtime compensation and qualified tips by employers and businesses to align with the requirement in section 224 and section 225 that qualified tips and qualified overtime compensation be included on information returns. However, the 2025 version of these forms, which is the current revision, does not allow for this reporting. Additionally, the IRS recently announced that there will be “no changes to individual information returns or withholding tables for 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act,”including no revisions to Form W-2, Form 1099-NEC, Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Information, and Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions.
To address this, the AICPA’s letter recommends that Treasury and IRS:
- Provide guidance, including a safe harbor for businesses for the 2025 tax year, allowing for alternative methods of reporting and use of alternative documentation to report under section 224(a) and section 225(a).
- Include a safe harbor that permits individuals and tax return preparers to rely on the alternative information provided to determine the deductions including:
*Box 7 of Form W-2
*Information provided by the employer or payor in any format (e.g., pay stubs or letters)
*Individual taxpayer representations of occupations, tip sheets, hours worked logs, and other
documentation.
- Include examples in the guidance indicating the type of documentation that will satisfy the information reporting safe harbors.
AICPA Recognizes 16 Outstanding Contributors to Forensic and Valuation Fields at Annual Conference
The American Institute of CPAs recently honored the contributions of exemplary finance professionals during the 2025 AICPA Forensic and Valuation Services Conference held in the Denver area in October. The AICPA holds this annual conference to provide the profession with cutting-edge information and best practices shaping the future of the forensic and valuation services profession.
Each year, AICPA recognizes volunteer contributions to the accounting profession. The awards highlight significant contributions to the advancement of the fields of forensic accounting and business valuation. This year’s recipients of the Volunteer of the Year awards are Adam Rabinowitz, CPA/CFF, recipient of the Forensic & Litigation Services Volunteer of the Year Award, and Nene Glenn Gianfala, CPA/ABV, recipient of the Business Valuation Volunteer of the Year Award.
2025 Forensic & Litigation Services Volunteer of the Year: Adam Rabinowitz, CPA/CFF
Adam Rabinowitz, co-lead of Kaufman Rossin’s Forensic, Advisory, and Valuation Services practice, has been recognized for his outstanding contributions to the forensic accounting profession. With over 18 years of experience in financial forensics and business valuation, Rabinowitz has built an impressive record providing expert witness and litigation consulting services focused on economic damages, business valuation, and fraud investigations.
As a pivotal member of the Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) Credential Committee, Adam has played a key role in shaping the high-quality standards and practices that define the profession. He has also been instrumental in the CFF Study Group Program, offering mentorship, guidance, and leadership to new task force volunteers and participants. His work on the CFF Learning Pathway initiative, including development of a new module, has further demonstrated his dedication to the advancement of the credential.
2025 Business Valuation Volunteer of the Year: Nene Glenn Gianfala, CPA/ABV
The AICPA also recognized Nene Glenn Gianfala as the 2025 Business Valuation Volunteer of the Year. A long-standing member and current chair of the Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) Credential Committee, Nene has played a pivotal role in advancing the field of business valuation and elevating the ABV credential.
Under her leadership, the committee has launched strategic initiatives to expand educational outreach, foster academic partnerships, and strengthen professional engagement. Among her key accomplishments, Nene guided the relaunch of the AICPA’s Model Business Valuation Curriculum, a vital resource supporting educators and valuation professionals nationwide.
Her dedication extends beyond committee work — Nene is a regular presenter at the AICPA Forensic and Valuation Services (FVS) Conference, an active contributor to FVS webcasts, and a recurring host on the AICPA FVS Valuation Podcast, where she promotes discussion and insight on emerging trends in the valuation field.
Recently recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Top CPAs for Valuations (2025), Nene’s ongoing volunteerism, mentorship, and leadership continue to inspire both peers and future professionals.
Standing Ovation Awards
The AICPA is proud to recognize the following individuals with the FVS Standing Ovation Award. This award recognizes young finance professionals who exhibit exemplary professional achievement in the areas of forensic accounting and business valuation.
Meenal Aggarwal, ABV — Groots Valuation LLC, North Caldwell, N.J.
Daniel Basch, CPA/ABV — Aperture, Bradenton, Fla.
Robyn Bonds, ABV — Anthem Forensics, Henderson, Nev.
Christina Fung, CPA/ABV — GHJ Advisors, Pasadena, Calif.
Andrew Kelly, ABV — Resolution Economics, Philadelphia, Pa.
Rachel Kinzer, CPA/CFF — Green Flash Forensic Accounting, Jackson, Miss.
Robert Linger, CPA/ABV — Cooper Norman, Idaho Falls, Idaho
John Luna, CPA/ABV/CFF — White Zuckerman Warsavsky Luna & Hunt, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Nicole McTernan, CPA/CFF — J.S. Held, Arlington, Va.
Sara Nanchanatt, CPA/CFF — S.N. Forensics, New York, N.Y.
Duncan Plumb, CPA/ABV — Grant Thornton, Boston, Mass.
Bernhard Staub, ABV — Forvis Mazars, Atlanta, Ga.
Alan Stelling, ABV — Paradigm Forensics, LLC, Scarborough, Maine
Noah Van Zandt, CPA/ABV — FAZ Forensics, Washington, D.C.
To explore AICPA resources that support work in the forensic accounting, business valuation and litigation services, please visit the Forensic Services and Valuation Services home pages.
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