Conveniently located in the heart of Montréal's cultural district, the Wyndham Montreal features 600 spacious guestrooms, an indoor pool and fitness facility, an outdoor sundeck, a whirlpool and sauna, a café overlooking a garden terrace, a piano bar and a business center. The Complexe Desjardins with 150 shops and boutiques, restaurants and movie theaters is adjacent to the hotel. Old Montreal, Chinatown and the trendiest restaurants on St-Laurent and St-Denis streets are within walking distance from the hotel.

Guest Room Amenities

• Attractive guest rooms, carefully detailed for the business traveler
  
• Coffee maker and complimentary coffee in every room
  
• Alarm clock/radio in all rooms
  
• Hairdryer in all rooms
  
• Iron and ironing boards in all rooms
  
• Wayport high-speed Internet access
  
• Real hangers and shower massager
• Color television with remote control
  
• Cable channels and in-room movies
  
• Non smoking rooms available
  
  

Hotel Services

• Pool
  
• Laundry and valet service
  
• Safe-deposit boxes available
  
• Evening room service
  
• Currency exchange
  
• Business center
  
• Indoor valet parking

7:45 p.m. - 9:45 p.m.
Optional Dinner at the Museum

Wednesday, June 25
7:00 a.m. - 7:45 a.m.
Continental Breakfast with the Vendors
EFWA Basket Auction Begins

8:00 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.
Dorothy Had a Tornado, You Have Chaos, Learn How to Get to Kansas (CPE: 2)
Judy Suiter, Competitive Edge
Visit www.competitiveedgeinc.com
Do you feel you have reached your limit of technological charge? Are you leaving work too tired to enjoy the rest of your life? Are conflicts between work and home life balance causing you to have increasingly more stressful days? Then this is the program for you. This session is designed to give participants very specific strategies that you can apply now to reduce the stress in your life. Participants will also learn about the relationships of pleasure and one’s health. This seminar will give you some practical and applicable techniques to get back your sense of control and you will not need a wizard to do it.

9:40 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
Refreshment Break with the Vendors

10:10 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Breakout Sessions

(PP1) Facilitation Skills - EFWA (CPE: 1)
Rosemary Zink and Karen Hefner
Learn by doing at this workshop. Participants, as part of a small group, work together to identify a plan. Participants play the role of facilitator, recorder, positive participant or challenging participant. Following this common experience, effective facilitation and working with challenging participants is discussed.

(MI1) GAAP/FASB - General (CPE: 1)
Rich Huesken, Ernst & Young
This session will overview recently issued pronouncements such as FAS 146 on disposal and exit costs and FAS 148 relating to stock-based compensation as well as the proposed FAS 149 relating to liabilities and equity, Sarbanes-Oxley developments and other emerging issues.

(TAA1) Tax Update (CPE: 1)
Julie Goosman, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Sherrie Winokur, PricewaterhouseCoopers
This session will focus on the latest legislative, judicial and administrative updates in the individual and corporate arena.

11:00 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.
Refreshment Break with the Vendors

11:10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

(Continuation) Facilitation Skills - EFWA (CPE: 1)
Rosemary Zink and Karen Hefner

(MI2) GAAP/FASB - Specific (CPE: 1)
Rich Huesken, Ernst & Young
This session will dig into the details of some of the more complex and recent accounting standards issued. The discussion will include timely insights into emerging developments as well as practical implementation of recent technical regulations. The speaker’s experience in consulting with audit teams on an everyday basis will allow him to share real world implementation issues and solutions, pitfalls, and insights into application of recent developments with the participants.

(TAA2) International Tax (CPE: 1)
Julie Goosman, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Sherrie Winokur, PricewaterhouseCoopers
This session will focus on captive insurance company planning techniques. This topic will have a wide appeal to firms and companies in all segments of the profession and involve many international tax concepts.

12:10 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Luncheon
Handling Sticky Situations (CPE: 1)
Linda Talley - visit www.lindatalley.com
This session will provide a practical three step approach to show how to coolly handle difficult situations with staff, suppliers or clients. Use of group exercises will provide a “hands on” opportunity to practice this effective communication process and use it immediately.

2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

(PP3) International Survival
Skills for Business (CPE: 1)
Linda Talley - visit www.lindatalley.com
With the global economy, knowing the business is only one aspect. Becoming aware of different cultural sensitivities becomes part of the successful package when doing business outside the States.

(MI3) AICPA WLWIEC Update (CPE: 1)
Marilyn Huset, TDS Telecom
Marianne Heard, American Express Tax & Business Services
In the spring of 1992, the AICPA’s governing council created the Work/Life and Women’s Initiatives Executive Committee (WLWIEC), reporting directly to the AICPA Board. This committee replaced the former Upward Mobility of Women Committee and exists to help the profession be more effective in addressing the career advancement of female CPAs and family issues in the workplace. The conference will provide a committee update including new initiatives and programs being offered by the WLWIEC.

(TAA3) Multi-State Taxation as it Relates to E-Commerce (CPE: 1)
American Express Tax & Business Services
Anyone involved with using the Internet or the World Wide Web is aware of the highly charged controversy surrounding the taxation of e-commerce. The controversy relates mainly to sales or VAT taxes, but there is also questions about which jurisdiction gets to impose income taxes on any profits from sales made over the Internet. Where a multi-state business in the U.S. has offices or facilities in different states, the states have adopted a multi-state allocation formula with which to allocate the profits of the company between the states based on a combination of (1) sales into each state, (2) the value of any property located in each state and (3) the amount of the payroll in each state.

3:20 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The Digital Advantage (CPE: 2)
Roman Kepczyk, CPA, InfoTech Partners NA
Visit www.itpna.com
This session will explore the tools and technologies that comprise today’s state of the art CPA firm. It will offer a unique look at the tech gadgets that will shape our future from the viewpoint of one of the accounting industry’s leading technology consultants. Be prepared to learn how to transition your firm successfully to a digital environment, manage your knowledge more effectively in a “less paper” world, and access firm resources at your fingertips from any place, at any time. This session will also discuss how to maximize your technology investment, as well as avoid the single biggest mistake CPAs and firms make in regards to their technology utilization.

6:15 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Reception with the Association for Accounting Administration at the Musee d’art contemporain de Montreal - Sculpture Garden

8:15 p.m.
Optional Montreal Dine-Around
Reservations can be made at the AWSCPA Registration Desk on Tuesday or Wednesday morning.

Thursday, June 26
7:00 a.m. - 7:45 a.m.
Continental Breakfast with the Vendors

8:00 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.
Territorial Games: Ending Turf Wars at Work (CPE: 2)
Annette Simmons, Group Process Consulting
Visit www.groupprocessconsulting.com
Discover how to tame the warring tribes by learning about the territorial dynamics. Practical and realistic suggestions for what you can do to stop the game playing and get back to business.

9:40 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
Refreshment Break with Vendors

10:10 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Breakout Sessions

(PP4) Resolving Ethical Issues - EFWA (CPE: 1)
Mary Cheaney and Colene Blankinship
This session applies ethical principles to the resolution of business ethical dilemmas. A case is used to allow participants to use an instinctive approach to resolving issues. Next, participants become acquainted with systematic ways of understanding, decoding and addressing ethical issues.

(MI4) Is That Your Final Answer? A primer for the Aspiring Expert Witness (CPE: 1)
Kevin Yeanoplos, Yeanoplos Drysdale Group
Looking for an alternative to that tired old humdrum workday? Something other than juggling chainsaws, defusing ticking time bombs, or handling poisonous snakes? Consider the life of the expert witness. In just a few short minutes, Mr. Yeanoplos will extol both the benefits and the bane of being an “expert”. He will discuss the dos, don’ts and maybes of litigation support.

(TAA4) Betting the Future of the Company: Lessons from Last Year - Part I (CPE: 1)
Mark Cheffers, AccountingMalpractice.com
Dramatic changes are taking place in all aspects of business. The Internet has created unprecedented opportunities for companies and individuals (your clients). With these opportunities has come a great deal of risk. Today’s accounting professionals must understand these risks. This course offers a comprehensive introduction to what accounting malpractice is and how to prevent it. It also offers tools on how to defend against it. The course is divided into three areas: Challenges for the next Decade; Meeting the Emerging Standards; and Practitioners’ Guide to the Legal Process.

11:00 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.
Refreshment Break with Vendors

11:10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

(Continuation) Resolving Ethical Issues - EFWA (CPE: 1) Mary Cheaney and Colene Blankinship

(MI5) Economic Update (CPE: 1)
Cathy Minehan, Fed. Reserve Bank of Boston
This session will discuss the outlook for the nation and the region and how the two interact. The presentation’s focus will be on how the various sectors of the economy relate to each other and how deviations from the expected path of one segment of the economy will subsequently impact the overall and regional outlook.

(TAA5) Betting the Future of the Company: Lessons from Last Year - Part II (CPE: 1)
Mark Cheffers, AccountingMalpractice.com

12:10 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Awards Presentation & Business Matters Lunch

2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

(PP6) Trickle Down Effect: Sarbanes-Oxley and You (CPE: 1)
Allan Koltin, Practice Development Institute
On July 30, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Act - which applies in general to publicly held companies and their audit firms - dramatically affects the accounting profession and impacts not just the largest accounting firms, but any CPA actively working as an auditor of, or for, a publicly traded company. The basic implications and the trickle down effect will be discussed during this session.

(MI6) International Financial Reporting (CPE: 1)
American Express Tax & Business Services
Over the last five years, the number of foreign companies accessing the U.S. public markets has increased dramatically. This session will help companies, accounting firms, investment banks and other institutions understand the similarities and differences in the financial statements of companies from other countries.

(TAA6) SEC Update (CPE: 1)
Carol Stacey, Chief Accountant of the Division of Corporation Finance, SEC
Find out about the most recent changes in the world of securities directly from the SEC. In the rapidly changing business and economic environment, it’s critical to be aware of what the SEC is doing. A representative from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will describe in detail how the world of investing continues to be fascinating, complex, and can be very fruitful.

2:50 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.
Refreshment Break with the Vendors

3:20 p.m. - 4:10 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

(PP7) Making it to the Top of the Profession - Panel Discussion (CPE: 1)
Kim Griffin-Hunter, Deloitte & Touche
Carrie McPherson, Ernst & Young
Tommie Cummings, Hardman Guess Frost & Cummings, P.C.
A panel of top women accounting professionals, from both the large national public firms and smaller local firms, who will share their insights on how they’re working to achieve balance while climbing their ladders to success.

(MI7) Retaining Talent and Managing Succession (CPE: 1)
Cory Dillon, Right Consultants
Do you have the future leaders on board now? Can you grow current managers into future leaders or will you have to search for them externally? Managing succession is a process, not an event. Learn approaches on succession planning that maximize return on investment.

(TAA7) The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Getting the Scoop on ESOPs (CPE: 1)
Kevin Yeanoplos, Yeanoplos Drysdale Group
To some, “ESOP” has become a four-letter word. But an ESOP can be a tremendously effective exit strategy for a small business owner. In this informative session, Mr. Yeanoplos will “defang the ESOP monster.” He will discuss the history and background of Employee Stock Ownership Plans, the difference between leveraged and non-leveraged ESOPs, and the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing this form of exit vehicle.

4:10 p.m. - 4:20 p.m.
Refreshment Break with the Vendors

4:20 p.m. - 5:10 p.m.
Success: One Thought at a Time (CPE: 1)
Terri Bowerstock, Terri’s Consign & Design Furnishings
Visit www.eterris.com
Terri started her own company because of dyslexia, a learning disability that made her incapable of filling out a job application to work for someone else. She built her $2000 investment into a multimillion dollar franchise network.

Terri has been acknowledged on a national level for her contributions to the community and business world. She was named 1991 Spokesperson for Literacy. In 1992, she was presented the American Chamber of Commerce Blue Chip Enterprise Award and was named Retail Entrepreneur of the Year by Inc. Magazine. In 1994, Terri was named Socially Responsible Entrepreneur of the Year, by Inc. Magazine. A frequent motivational speaker, Terri is the author of Success: It Can Be Yours.

5:45 p.m.
Transportation departs from hotel lobby

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
“Ending the Conference on a High Note” Reception at Tower at Olympic Park

7:00 p.m.
Transportation begins shuttling to hotel

Times are subject to change

• Facilitation Skills
  
• International Tax/Financial Reporting
  
• Risk Assessment
  
• Economic and SEC Updates
  
• Litigation Support
  
• Employee Issues
  

EFWA LTS - Conference Presession
Male/Female Communications (CPE: 2)
Kym Anderson and Ramon Fernandez
Learn how gender socialization and personality affect communication styles. Small group exercises develop strategies for everyday use, along with seven guidelines to improve male/female communication.

EFWA LTS - Conference Presession
Goal Setting and Career Planning (CPE: 2)
Karen Hefner and Christie Jordan
Take time out of your busy schedule to reflect and plan future career strategies. Discover your strengths and interests through a visioning process and then set your career goals and develop a plan to achieve these goals.

KEYNOTE SESSION - A Year in Review: New Realities and Opportunities (CPE: 2)
Olivia Kirtley, Former Chair of the Board of the AICPA
A frank look at the challenges the accounting profession has experienced this past year with a view of the new realities and opportunities that lie ahead. How every CPA has a critical role to fulfill in shaping an accounting culture for the future that surpasses the legacy of the past to reclaim the profession’s heritage as a bedrock of business integrity and wisdom.

Ms. Kirtley made history with her election as Chair of the AICPA Board of Directors. She was both the first woman to hold the position in the AICPA’s 110-year history and the first CPA working in business and industry to be elected. During her term, the AICPA moved forward with a number of vital initiatives. Olivia remains active with the profession, particularly with regard to corporate governance issues, and was recently appointed as the U.S. representative to the International Federation of Accounting (IFAC) Task Force on Rebuilding Confidence in Financial Reporting. In October, 2002, she was awarded the AICPA Gold Medal, the profession’s highest honor in recognition of exemplary service and leadership on behalf of the CPA profession.

(AE) Affiliate Exchange (CPE: 2)
A perfect forum for affiliate members, officers and aspiring leaders. Learn best practices from other affiliates and learn how to grow your affiliate on a local or regional level while adding professional development to your affiliate’s list of accomplishments.

(PA) Gain the Most from Your Professional Affiliations (CPE: 1)
Learn how to receive the most in return from your professional affiliations. Learn techniques involving networking, participation, recruiting and how to add value to your investment.

Dorothy Had a Tornado, You Have Chaos, Learn How to Get to Kansas (CPE: 2)
Judy Suiter, Competitive Edge
Visit www.competitiveedgeinc.com

Do you feel you have reached your limit of technological charge? Are you leaving work too tired to enjoy the rest of your life? Are conflicts between work and home life balance causing you to have increasingly more stressful days? Then this is the program for you. This session is designed to give participants very specific strategies that you can apply now to reduce the stress in your life. Participants will also learn about the relationships of pleasure and one’s health. This seminar will give you some practical and applicable techniques to get back your sense of control and you will not need a wizard to do it.

(PP1) Facilitation Skills - EFWA (CPE: 1)
Rosemary Zink and Karen Hefner
Learn by doing at this workshop. Participants, as part of a small group, work together to identify a plan. Participants play the role of facilitator, recorder, positive participant or challenging participant. Following this common experience, effective facilitation and working with challenging participants is discussed.

(MI1) GAAP/FASB - General (CPE: 1)
Rich Huesken, Ernst & Young
This session will overview recently issued pronouncements such as FAS 146 on disposal and exit costs and FAS 148 relating to stock-based compensation as well as the proposed FAS 149 relating to liabilities and equity, Sarbanes-Oxley developments and other emerging issues.

(TAA1) Tax Update (CPE: 1)
Julie Goosman, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Sherrie Winokur, PricewaterhouseCoopers
This session will focus on the latest legislative, judicial and administrative updates in the individual and corporate arena.

(MI2) GAAP/FASB - Specific (CPE: 1)
Rich Huesken, Ernst & Young
This session will dig into the details of some of the more complex and recent accounting standards issued. The discussion will include timely insights into emerging developments as well as practical implementation of recent technical regulations. The speaker’s experience in consulting with audit teams on an everyday basis will allow him to share real world implementation issues and solutions, pitfalls, and insights into application of recent developments with the participants.

(TAA2) International Tax (CPE: 1)
Julie Goosman, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Sherrie Winokur, PricewaterhouseCoopers
This session will focus on captive insurance company planning techniques. This topic will have a wide appeal to firms and companies in all segments of the profession and involve many international tax concepts.

Handling Sticky Situations (CPE: 1)
Linda Talley - visit www.lindatalley.com
This session will provide a practical three step approach to show how to coolly handle difficult situations with staff, suppliers or clients. Use of group exercises will provide a “hands on” opportunity to practice this effective communication process and use it immediately.

(PP3) International Survival Skills for Business (CPE: 1)
Linda Talley - visit www.lindatalley.com
With the global economy, knowing the business is only one aspect. Becoming aware of different cultural sensitivities becomes part of the successful package when doing business outside the States.

(MI3) AICPA WLWIEC Update (CPE: 1)
Marilyn Huset, TDS Telecom
Marianne Heard, American Express Tax & Business Services
In the spring of 1992, the AICPA’s governing council created the Work/Life and Women’s Initiatives Executive Committee (WLWIEC), reporting directly to the AICPA Board. This committee replaced the former Upward Mobility of Women Committee and exists to help the profession be more effective in addressing the career advancement of female CPAs and family issues in the workplace. The conference will provide a committee update including new initiatives and programs being offered by the WLWIEC.

(TAA3) Multi-State Taxation as it Relates to E-Commerce (CPE: 1)
American Express Tax & Business Services
Anyone involved with using the Internet or the World Wide Web is aware of the highly charged controversy surrounding the taxation of e-commerce. The controversy relates mainly to sales or VAT taxes, but there is also questions about which jurisdiction gets to impose income taxes on any profits from sales made over the Internet. Where a multi-state business in the U.S. has offices or facilities in different states, the states have adopted a multi-state allocation formula with which to allocate the profits of the company between the states based on a combination of (1) sales into each state, (2) the value of any property located in each state and (3) the amount of the payroll in each state.

The Digital Advantage (CPE: 2)
Roman Kepczyk, CPA, InfoTech Partners NA
Visit www.itpna.com
This session will explore the tools and technologies that comprise today’s state of the art CPA firm. It will offer a unique look at the tech gadgets that will shape our future from the viewpoint of one of the accounting industry’s leading technology consultants. Be prepared to learn how to transition your firm successfully to a digital environment, manage your knowledge more effectively in a “less paper” world, and access firm resources at your fingertips from any place, at any time. This session will also discuss how to maximize your technology investment, as well as avoid the single biggest mistake CPAs and firms make in regards to their technology utilization.

Territorial Games: Ending Turf Wars at Work (CPE: 2)
Annette Simmons, Group Process Consulting
Visit www.groupprocessconsulting.com
Discover how to tame the warring tribes by learning about the territorial dynamics. Practical and realistic suggestions for what you can do to stop the game playing and get back to business.

(PP4) Resolving Ethical Issues - EFWA (CPE: 1)
Mary Cheaney and Colene Blankinship
This session applies ethical principles to the resolution of business ethical dilemmas. A case is used to allow participants to use an instinctive approach to resolving issues. Next, participants become acquainted with systematic ways of understanding, decoding and addressing ethical issues.

(MI4) Is That Your Final Answer? A primer for the Aspiring Expert Witness (CPE: 1)
Kevin Yeanoplos, Yeanoplos Drysdale Group
Looking for an alternative to that tired old humdrum workday? Something other than juggling chainsaws, defusing ticking time bombs, or handling poisonous snakes? Consider the life of the expert witness. In just a few short minutes, Mr. Yeanoplos will extol both the benefits and the bane of being an “expert”. He will discuss the dos, don’ts and maybes of litigation support.

(TAA4) Betting the Future of the Company: Lessons from Last Year - Part I (CPE: 1)
Mark Cheffers, AccountingMalpractice.com
Dramatic changes are taking place in all aspects of business. The Internet has created unprecedented opportunities for companies and individuals (your clients). With these opportunities has come a great deal of risk. Today’s accounting professionals must understand these risks. This course offers a comprehensive introduction to what accounting malpractice is and how to prevent it. It also offers tools on how to defend against it. The course is divided into three areas: Challenges for the next Decade; Meeting the Emerging Standards; and Practitioners’ Guide to the Legal Process.

(MI5) Economic Update (CPE: 1)
Cathy Minehan, Fed. Reserve Bank of Boston
This session will discuss the outlook for the nation and the region and how the two interact. The presentation’s focus will be on how the various sectors of the economy relate to each other and how deviations from the expected path of one segment of the economy will subsequently impact the overall and regional outlook.

(PP6) Trickle Down Effect: Sarbanes-Oxley and You (CPE: 1)
Allan Koltin, Practice Development Institute
On July 30, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Act - which applies in general to publicly held companies and their audit firms - dramatically affects the accounting profession and impacts not just the largest accounting firms, but any CPA actively working as an auditor of, or for, a publicly traded company. The basic implications and the trickle down effect will be discussed during this session.

(MI6) International Financial Reporting (CPE: 1)
American Express Tax & Business Services
Over the last five years, the number of foreign companies accessing the U.S. public markets has increased dramatically. This session will help companies, accounting firms, investment banks and other institutions understand the similarities and differences in the financial statements of companies from other countries.

(TAA6) SEC Update (CPE: 1)
Carol Stacey, Chief Accountant of the Division of Corporation Finance, SEC
Find out about the most recent changes in the world of securities directly from the SEC. In the rapidly changing business and economic environment, it’s critical to be aware of what the SEC is doing. A representative from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will describe in detail how the world of investing continues to be fascinating, complex, and can be very fruitful.

(PP7) Making it to the Top of the Profession - Panel Discussion (CPE: 1)
Kim Griffin-Hunter, Deloitte & Touche
Carrie McPherson, Ernst & Young
Tommie Cummings, Hardman Guess Frost & Cummings, P.C.
A panel of top women accounting professionals, from both the large national public firms and smaller local firms, who will share their insights on how they’re working to achieve balance while climbing their ladders to success.

(MI7) Retaining Talent and Managing Succession (CPE: 1)
Cory Dillon, Right Consultants
Do you have the future leaders on board now? Can you grow current managers into future leaders or will you have to search for them externally? Managing succession is a process, not an event. Learn approaches on succession planning that maximize return on investment.

(TAA7) The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Getting the Scoop on ESOPs (CPE: 1)
Kevin Yeanoplos, Yeanoplos Drysdale Group
To some, “ESOP” has become a four-letter word. But an ESOP can be a tremendously effective exit strategy for a small business owner. In this informative session, Mr. Yeanoplos will “defang the ESOP monster.” He will discuss the history and background of Employee Stock Ownership Plans, the difference between leveraged and non-leveraged ESOPs, and the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing this form of exit vehicle.

Success: One Thought at a Time (CPE: 1)
Terri Bowerstock, Terri’s Consign & Design Furnishings
Visit www.eterris.com
Terri started her own company because of dyslexia, a learning disability that made her incapable of filling out a job application to work for someone else. She built her $2000 investment into a multimillion dollar franchise network.

Terri has been acknowledged on a national level for her contributions to the community and business world. She was named 1991 Spokesperson for Literacy. In 1992, she was presented the American Chamber of Commerce Blue Chip Enterprise Award and was named Retail Entrepreneur of the Year by Inc. Magazine. In 1994, Terri was named Socially Responsible Entrepreneur of the Year, by Inc. Magazine. A frequent motivational speaker, Terri is the author of Success: It Can Be Yours.

Plans are coming together for a fabulous conference with two and a half days of interesting speakers and topics certain to please attendees in public practice, academia and industry. The conference will kick off on Tuesday with a dynamic keynote speaker, followed by the annual Affiliate Exchange on Tuesday afternoon prior to the first general session.

In addition to quality continuing education, we will be enjoying many of the things that make Montreal unique. Our evening activities will begin Tuesday with a reception at the Montreal Museum of Archaeology & History (www.musee-pointe-a-calliere.qc.ca). On May 17, 1642, on a point of land at the confluence of the St. Lawrence and another, smaller river, Father Vimont held a mass celebrating the founding of Montréal, attended by Sieur de Maisonneuve and Jeanne Mance, among others. On May 17, 1992, on the very same site, Pointe-à-Callière, the Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History, opened its doors.

Until the Museum opened, only historians knew about the "Pointe à Callière", so named because it was here that Chevalier Louis Hector de Callière, third governor of Montréal, had a home built in 1688. Today, the point has actually become part of the shoreline of the Island of Montréal, but its name lives on and is now better known than ever, thanks to the Museum.

With the mission of bringing visitors to know and love Montréal as it was and is and exhibiting the city's archaeological and historical heritage, Pointe-à-Callière is involved in conservation, research, outreach, educational and other activities. In addition to a number of permanent exhibitions, it offers a constantly changing program of temporary exhibitions and cultural activities, along with educational programs that are extremely popular with young people.

The Museum owes its existence largely to the significant archaeological discoveries made on the site during the 1980s. In fact, the Museum and its site are inextricably linked. Rising above evidence of more than 1000 years of human activity, it houses remarkable architectural remnants, displayed in situ with respect for their integrity, along with hundreds of artifacts.

After the reception, an optional dinner at the museum will be offered for those wanting to participate in several museum activities, including a fun-filled opportunity to learn more about your fellow conference attendees and the city itself.

Wednesday evening, participants will be able to network with participants of the National Symposium of the Association for Accounting Administration (www.cpaadmin.org), also held in Montreal the same week. Participants of both conferences will be meeting at the Musee d'Art Contemporain de Montreal in the Sculpture Garden (www.macm.org) for a reception. The Musée d'Art Contemporain de Montréal was founded by the Québec government in 1964. The museum began as a department within Québec's ministère des Affaires culturelles. In 1983, the government changed the museum's status, making it an autonomous body with its own Board of Directors. Its mission is to make known, promote and preserve contemporary Québec art and to ensure a place for Canadian and international contemporary art through exhibitions and numerous other cultural activities.

After being housed in three different locations from the time it was established, the Musée moved to the heart of downtown on May 28, 1992. Truly a museum for the twenty-first century, the Musée d'Art Contemporain de Montréal stands next to Place des Arts, in Canada's only cultural complex devoted to both the performing and visual arts.

AWSCPA conference participants will have an opportunity during the day on Wednesday to make reservations at one of Montreal's fine restaurants. AWSCPA will be arranging a Montreal-style dine-around for those wanting to sample a taste of the city.

Plan to stay over Thursday night, as we will be ending the conference "On a High Note" with a reception at the Tower at Olympic Park (www.rio.gouv.qc.ca). The Montréal Tower was one of the principal undertakings of the Olympic Park project. Its success is due to the genius and know-how of those from Quebec who completed the audacious concept by French architect, Roger Taillibert.

The architectural ensemble of the Stadium and its Tower won acclaim in May, 1988, when the Michelin Guide awarded the Olympic Park's overall architecture three stars, and gave two stars to the view from the Tower's summit.

Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Credits

Following the guidelines specified in individual state regulations, up to 17 hours of continuing professional education credits will be available for the Conference sessions. The American Woman's Society of CPAs is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor (Sponsor #106824) 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 addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Nashville, TN, 37219-2417. Telephone: 615.880.4200. Web site: www.nasba.org. Upon course and evaluation completion, participants attending the 2002 National Conference, desiring CPE credit will earn up to 17 hours. The Conference does not require advance preparation or prerequisites.

• Several new exclusive services offered by General Motors:
  

  Friends of the Festival Tent where, between noon and 11 p.m., they were treated to a free bottle of water or Frappuccino, suntan lotion, a cushion and a massage, as well as being given access to a listening area where they could hear the sounds of the three artists performing on the site that day;
  
  

  Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier of Place des Arts where they were able to borrow binoculars and receive a free non-alcoholic drink during the concerts presented as part of the General Motors Pleins feux series;
  

• 15% discount on Languedoc-Roussillon wines available at participating SAQ outlets (an exclusive offer for Friends cardholders during the Festival);
  
  
• Special access to the Jam Sessions that took place on the Du Maurier stage, moved to the Jeanne-Mance Room of the Wyndham Montréal (Lobby level) to allow a greater number of jazzofiles to attend. These free-spirited evenings, where audiences were able to enjoy totally intimate and improv performances by musicians participating in the event, began at 11 p.m. every evening. The host was none other than the celebrated Vic Vogel and his trio, the only artist who can boast of having participated in all editions of the Festival.
  

As in past years, for $10, Friends of the Festival cardholders also received:

• a free Jazz Festival 2002 special edition CD from the Verve label;
  
• a participation coupon for the Grand Tirage - First prize: the choice of vehicle from among four General Motors models; Second prize: a GIC worth $5,000 offered by the National Bank; Third prize: one year's worth of groceries and President' Choice products.
  

In 2002, the Friends of the Festival Card was more widely distributed than before. For visitors to Montreal, cards for the 2003 event may be purchased on the Festival's official website, www.montrealjazzfest.com after the first of the year. The $10 contribution goes entirely to the financing of the event and its free concerts.

Participants of the AWSCPA National Conference are encouraged to spend the weekend in Montreal and enjoy the Montreal Jazz Festival. For more information visit their website at www.montrealjazzfest.com.

Please note that the 2003 Jazz Festival will be headquartered at the Wyndham Hotel (the same hotel AWSCPA will be utilizing). Because of the high demand for rooms, AWSCPA Conference participants are encouraged to book their rooms early, especially if you plan to stay for the weekend and enjoy the festival. AWSCPA's negotiated rates are good three days pre and three days post conference, depending on availability. Make your hotel reservations now , we can always handle conference registrations and airfares later! All reservations need to be made through the Society. Reservations can be made on-line, by telephone or fax.

Culture
Culture is to Montréal what air is to all living things. In fact, most of those native to the area don't distinguish culture from their daily existence. It's just there. Perhaps it's the effect of the majestic St. Lawrence River that leads to rich voyages of the imagination, or maybe it's the French passion that has stimulated artists for centuries. Whatever it is, it has inspired such world-acclaimed artists as l'Orchestre symphonique under the baton of Charles Dutoit, the Grands Ballets Canadiens under the direction of Gradimir Pankov, novelists Michel Tremblay and Mordecai Richler, Céline Dion and the Cirque du Soleil.

Painting and sculpture flourish here, too, in the great halls of Montréal's many prestigious museums, and hundreds of top-notch local galleries. Each year the Opéra de Montréal offers a complete roster of the greatest classics, while various theater companies stage eclectic productions, from the works of Shakespeare to the latest in fringe. Visitors will also find Ex-Centris, a revolutionary Cinema and New Media Complex where film buffs go to see the best independent films from around the world and the totally "plugged-in" get their technological thrills.

A veritable hotbed of creativity for the arts, Montréal has a special soft spot for contemporary dance. Ever since the pioneering Festival international de nouvelle danse was first held here in 1985, it has provided a stage for new aesthetics and has showcased radical experiments by the best and brightest choreographers and dancers in the world.

Whether it's reproducing the belly laugh at the Just For Laughs Festival, or tapping your feet to the magnificent sounds of some of the world's best known jazz bands, Montréal parties longer, harder and more often than any place on earth. In fact, during peak festival season, you can't walk half a block without being invited to join a street party, a parade or some other joyous manifestation during the month of June.

Sites of Interest
In Downtown and Old Town Montreal alone, there are hundreds of sites of interest. To name just a few in the areas around the conference hotel:

• Old Montreal
  
• Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal
  
• The Clock Tower
  
• Phillips Square
  
• Redpath Museum
  
• Champ de Mars
  
• Dolls and Treasurers Museum
  
• Framing Economuseum
  
• IMAX Theatre of Montreal Science Centre
  
• Museum de' art urbain
  
• Environment Canada's Biosphere
  
• Canadian Centre for Architecture
  
• The Montreal Science Center
  
• Mount Royal Park
  
• Chinatown
  
• Christ Church Cathedral
  
• Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul
  
• Compagnie Jean Duceppe
  
• Crescent Street
  
• Economuseum of Violin-Making
  
• Just for Laughs Museum
  
• L'Opera de Montreal
  
• Mary Queen of the World Cathedral
  
• Montreal Candadians Hockey Club
  
• Montreal Planetarium
  
• Museum's Quarter
  

Visit http://www.tourisme-montreal.org for more information regarding any of the above attractions. Please note that tour times and costs will more than likely change after January 1, 2003, so visit these sites frequently.

Websites of Interest

http://www.montrealjazzfest.com
http://www.stcum.qc.ca
http://www.admtl.com
http://www.viarail.ca

Montreal Tourisme Bureau information and city web site:
Web site: http://www.tourisme-montreal.org

There are certain restrictions on what you may bring into Canada aside from your own personal effects. There are regulations concerning pets and livestock, firearms, prescription drugs, plants and meat products, alcohol, tobacco, commercial samples and anything you may leave in Canada. For detailed information on what you are allowed to bring in please click on the following link: http://www.cdnconsulat-la.com/eng/trade/travgood.htm.

Currency
For visitors from many countries including the U.S.A. exchange rates with the Canadian Dollar are very much in their favor, making a trip to Canada particularly good value for money.

Travelers checks and major credit cards are accepted at most commercial establishments. Many stores accept U.S. currency, but for a better rate it is best to exchange these at a bank or currency exchange facility. All banks cash and sell travelers checks and exchange currency for Canadian Dollars. Most banks are open from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A few banks are open on Saturdays. Cash machines or ATMs are widespread and are on one or more of the following networks: Interac, Cirrus or Plus.

GST Refunds
Did you know that travelers to Canada are eligible to receive tax refunds on purchases over $50 CDN? The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a national 7% sales tax charged on all purchases and collected by merchants. You may also qualify for PST (Provincial Sales Tax) and HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) refunds. As a foreign traveler to Canada, significant savings can be realized by taking advantage of this refund program.

International Tax Refund Services clears the way to ensure your GST refund is maximized and returned as quickly as possible. A mistake on your part may result in Revenue Canada not accepting your claim.

You qualify for a refund if:

• you are not a resident of Canada
  
• you have ORIGINAL RECEIPTS
  
• the combined total of all your receipts is a minimum of $200 CDN.
  
• each individual receipt shows a minimum of $50 CDN.
  

For a refund form or procedures call 1-800-66-VISIT (Canada) or (613) 991-3346 or visit www.gstrebate.com.

WorldWeb TravelGuides

With interactive websites covering all of Canada and the United States, TravelGuides are the front-runners in online travel information and the perfect place for potential visitors to get more information.

• Brochures with registration forms will be mailed to all AWSCPA members and can be accessed via this website:
  2003 Conference Brochure (PDF Format)
  On-Line Registration
  
• Non-AWSCPA members who wish to receive a printed piece should contact the AWSCPA office at the address below.

AWSCPA NATIONAL OFFICE
136 South Keowee Street
Dayton, OH 45402
Phone: 800.AWSCPA1
Fax: 937.222.5794
info@awscpa.org

CHAIR
Alex Miller
Alexandra L. Miller, CPA, P.C.
1200 North El Dorado Place, Suite A120
Tucson, AZ 85715
Phone: 520.721.5000
Fax: 520.721.5044
alexmillercpa@mindspring.com