2012 forum_w annual report Certified Public Accountants Business Consultants Go Further. Faster.
Onward, Upward and Outward Forum_W began as an internal effort to attract, develop, retain, and advance women at Moss Adams. But it was never meant to be only that. Over the past year, leveraging their early success within the firm, our Forum_W leaders have made good on that promise. They ve expanded their scope, focusing significant enthusiasm and energy not just inside Moss Adams but outside the firm as well, igniting change in the accounting profession and in the larger business community. Through meaningful dialogue, an increased focus on mentoring and sponsorship, expansion of women s external networks, and shared intellectual capital, we re building a stronger firm while also breaking through old barriers and moving business culture forward. It hasn t always been easy. But we ll continue to work toward our goals with confidence that our long-term investment in Forum_W will pay even bigger dividends for the firm, our people, our clients, and our communities. Rick Anderson Chairman & CEO Chris Schmidt President & COO
What a Difference a year Makes Cultural transformation: If that sounds ambitious, it s because it is. Yet that s exactly what we ve begun to see in the few short years since we launched Forum_W. And as our fourth annual report shows, this year saw us take one of our biggest leaps yet. Not only did our efforts help win the firm six national awards in 2012, including being named, for the second year in a row, one of the 100 Best Companies by Working Mother magazine, but our percentage of women partners already among the highest in our profession has continued to grow. It s evidence that Forum_W is working. And we re confident it will continue to work: Our women partners are paying it forward by continuing to mentor other women at the firm, and our Forum_W networks are taking a more active role in helping women get connected externally to build influential networks in the greater business community. As the report shows, this year saw us take one of our biggest leaps yet. We re proud to document how Forum_W is inspiring women across Moss Adams to launch innovative programs that are making an impact not just on women at the firm but also on women in the communities around us.
What s It all about? Learning new skills. Building a strong career. Contributing to the firm s success. These are things everyone wants to do, and Forum_W s job is to help increase those opportunities for women. It may not always be easy, but through an unwavering commitment to our mission and priorities, we ll leverage Forum_W s impactful programs and office networks to strengthen our firm, ensuring it remains a place where women want to stay and clients want to do business. Our mission Forum_W will accelerate the firm s success in attracting, developing, retaining, and advancing talented women. Our Priorities Dialogue Networking Mentoring Advancement Listening to women regarding their career goals and experiences at Moss Adams Building and leveraging relationships to benefit individual and firm growth Connecting those who are developing with those who have already achieved Providing ample growth opportunities and encouraging the pursuit of leadership roles By providing the right tools and support, Forum_W is helping people expand their external networks and gain leadership positions in the community. Amy Apiado, Partner forum_w Annual Report 1
where are we going? Goals create a path to drive change. We ve accomplished our shortterm goals and are progressing effectively through our midterm goals. Continuing to provide a number of high-impact resources and programs will help us achieve our long-term goal: shifting our culture. Short-Term Goals 2009 2010 We measured our success by activity: Our Forum_W office networks generated engagement and meaningful dialogue among women through office events and activities ranging from skills development to mentoring to networking. Midterm Goals 2011 2013 We re gauging our success by surveying women s satisfaction with the quantity and quality of mentoring they receive, the extent to which their networks (both internal and external) are expanding, and the level of impactful dialogue Forum_W fosters. We continue to stay on track to achieve our midterm goals by: Providing resources to women, such as a mentoring guide, and hosting events focused on professional development Encouraging women to lead and participate in activities that broaden their external networks Increasing focus on outward-facing events to build stronger external networks Long-Term Goals 2014 and Beyond We ll consider success to be a measurable increase in the retention and advancement of women and by the degree to which Forum_W is embedded in the firm s culture. We ll also stay committed to providing resources and tools to help advance women both at Moss Adams and in public accounting in general. forum_w Annual Report 2
four inspiring Survey Responses from Women at Moss Adams 88% say they re willing to go above and beyond the call of duty at work 79% say Moss Adams is a great place to build their career 86% say they re proud to work for Moss Adams 83% say they have the authority to get their job done Numbers Tell a Story Forum_W s list of successes has continued to grow each year, and 2012 was no exception. Here are a few of the things we accomplished. six national Awards Named one of Working Mother magazine s 100 Best Companies Named one of the Best Accounting Firms for Women by the Accounting MOVE Project Named one of the Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces by the Dave Thomas Foundation Received the Lead by Example Award from the American Woman s Society of Certified Public Accountants Received an Award of Excellence from Profiles in Diversity Journal Received the Diversity Leader Award from Profiles in Diversity Journal three stats We Love 1,000+ professional attire items collected for the Send One Suit drive, benefiting Dress for Success, which helps disadvantaged women find work 47 Forum_W leaders from across the firm came together for a full day to collaborate, share best practices, and learn strategies on advancing Forum_W efforts in their office 42% of women partners serve in a leadership role or on a firm-wide committee forum_w Annual Report 3
Climbing the Ladder We continue to measure key metrics and support development opportunities at each level within the firm. Moss Adams already has one of the highest percentages of women partners in the accounting industry. But we re not resting on those laurels. As Forum_W becomes more embedded in our culture, we expect the number of women at the highest levels at our firm will continue to grow. Partner Senior Manager Manager Senior Staff 20% 21% 22% 23% 47% 45% 47% 48% 55% 58% 54% 49% 55% 52% 50% 53% 48% 42% 46% 49% 2009 2010 2011 2012 Percentage Percentage of women client service professionals as of July 31, 2012. On October 1 the firm will admit 13 new partners to the firm, five of whom are women, raising the proportion of women partners to 24%. forum_w Annual Report 4
Beyond Our Walls We re committed to sharing what we ve learned over the years through Forum_W. And we want to continue to make an impact on the rest of our profession, the business world in general, and the communities in which we live and work. That s why we sponsor women-focused organizations and studies across the nation, take the lead in several innovative local programs, and much more. Here are just a few of the activities we ve embraced. Accounting MOVE Project Moss Adams is the founding sponsor of the Accounting MOVE Project, a groundbreaking national study of women in the accounting profession, now entering its fourth year. As a result of the project, our profession is learning more and more about what it can do to help women be successful in public accounting. In 2012 the Accounting MOVE Project released Building Careers and Communities: How Strategic Community Service Advances Women in Public Accounting, a report that profiles organizations that encourage women to participate in community service and features women who have leveraged the skills and knowledge they gained through strategic community service to advance their careers. The Accounting MOVE Project continues to accelerate in reach and authority, with 29 firms participating in 2012, said Joanne Cleaver, president of Wilson-Taylor Associates, which administers the project. The guidance Moss Adams provides helps enormously. Other firms look to Moss Adams its innovation, culture, and best practices as they evolve their own approaches to developing female talent. Professional Organizations We ve established strong relationships with industry associations to support the advancement of women. This year Moss Adams sponsored women s leadership summits at both the Washington and California societies of certified public accountants, helping more than 350 women learn best practices on personal branding, leadership, mentoring and sponsorship, and communication skills. Best Practices From the beginning, we promised to share what we ve learned. For example, we found that efforts to change the culture and break down the barriers preventing women from achieving equality in the ranks of senior leadership require strong commitment, passionate leadership, a thoughtful strategy, well-executed tactics, meaningful metrics, forum_w Annual Report 5
and patience. But for some companies, the challenge lies in just getting started. And even if you can get started, how do you maintain momentum? That s why we published Link by Link: A Guide to Forming a Women s Network at Your Organization, an easy-to-use playbook on how to launch and sustain a women s network. It s full of useful tips firms can use to gain buy-in from leadership, set up impactful programs, and track and report on progress. Meaningful Mentoring Mentoring is a priority at Moss Adams, and it s valuable to not just individual employees but also our firm and the entire accounting profession. To help our people as well as those at other firms, we published Path to Success: A Guide for Mentors and Protégés. It provides practical tips for developing and maintaining successful mentoring relationships, covering the roles and responsibilities of both mentors and mentees as well as how choose a mentor, build a personal board of directors, and hold effective mentoring meetings. Telecom Women Leaders Forum Partner Cheri Burnham and Senior Manager Camille Christiansen, both from our Spokane office, launched the first networking group of its kind to bring women leaders in the rural telecom industry together for networking and education. Their first event was held this year in Washington, DC. Future Tripping The numbers show it: Women who have been with Moss Adams for three to six years are leaving in greater numbers than men. Are they future tripping making premature decisions about their career based on perceptions of how their personal and professional lives might unfold? We ve found that women have a tendency to want to write their life story early on. Instead of looking to other successful women at their firms as role models and carefully considering the many ways their professional lives could unfold, they often scale down their ambitions under the faulty assumption that having a family or pursuing other goals is incompatible with high achievement at the firm. That s why we re launching a longitudinal study on women at that stage of their career to learn about their experience with the firm and what causes them to future-trip. We ll use what we discover to combat the The long-term goal of the Telecom Women Leaders Forum is to help women in the industry build strong networks of their own and ultimately help their companies better reflect their increasingly diverse client base. It s an approach that we think has broad applicability to other industries as well. Cheri Burnham, Partner forum_w Annual Report 6
issues that cause future tripping and create excitement about a longterm career with Moss Adams. Of course, future tripping isn t unique to our firm; it can be seen across the business world. As we conduct our study, we ll publish our findings to help all organizations learn what they can do to retain their talented women as well. Influenceher Now in its third year, InfluenceHer an award-winning initiative sponsored by Moss Adams via the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County set a goal to enhance opportunities for young girls in the Seattle area to grow in the areas of academic success, leadership, and health and wellness. This year Erica Coogan, a partner in our Seattle office, along with the InfluenceHer steering committee, hosted two screenings of the documentary Miss Representation, which explores how the media s portrayal of women has led to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence. The screenings were followed by panel discussions attended by approximately 400 women. Network Buddy Program Laura Cyphert, a senior manager in San Diego, with the help of her office s Forum_W steering committee, has inspired many offices across the firm to replicate this successful program. Recognizing that building a strong external network plays such an important role in career advancement, the program encourages staff and seniors to attend external events where they observe and learn from their buddy a professional at manager level or above. The goal is to help younger employees practice skills that will lay the foundation for building and maintaining their own external networks. EmpoWer A business development partnership led by Sharon Gregory, a senior manager in our Seattle office, Rebecca Pomering, CEO of Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC, and other women leaders from US Bank and the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine, EmpoWer organizes networking, community outreach, and panel discussion events featuring rainmakers from each organization and a Power Panel with women entrepreneurs, CEOs, and other business leaders. InfluenceHer has opened my eyes to the issues young girls face. Just as I want to help my three-year-old daughter develop in a positive environment and challenge her to capitalize on her talents and opportunities, I want to support these same aspirations for all girls. They re our future leaders, and I want to make a difference in their lives. Erica Coogan, Partner forum_w Annual Report 7
Individual Achievements We think the women we hire are talented and accomplished. We re pleased to say that our profession and our communities think so too. Here are some of the awards and recognition they received in 2012. Erica Coogan Partner Carol suruki- Carmany Partner Named one of the Puget Sound Business Journal s 40 Under 40 and was named a Woman Worth Watching by Profiles in Diversity Journal. Received the San Fernando Valley Business Journal s Trusted Advisor Award and was elected to the council of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. Corinne Baughman Partner Amy Apiado Partner Honored once again by Orange Coast magazine as a 2012 Orange County Five Star Wealth Manager. Recognized by Portland Monthly as a 2012 Five Star Wealth Manager. Pam White Senior Manager Nancy Schauer Partner Appointed to the Sacramento Estate Planning Council board and serves and as the Technology chair. Appointed board and Mission Committee chair of the American Heart Association s South [Puget] Sound division. Jode Beauvais Senior Manager Valerie Coty Marketing Manager Lori Richardson Senior Manager Appointed board chair of the Pierce County Chapter of March of Dimes. Elected president of the Greater Puget Sound Chapter of the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals Association. Appointed to the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals Association s Paragon Award committee. forum_w Annual Report 8
About Moss Adams Nationwide, Moss Adams and its affiliates provide insight and expertise integral to your success. Moss Adams LLP is a national leader in assurance, tax, consulting, risk management, transaction, and wealth services. www.mossadams.com Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC provides investment management, personal financial planning, and insurance strategies to help you build and preserve your wealth. www.mossadamswealthadvisors.com Moss Adams Capital LLC offers strategic advisory and investment banking services, helping you create greater value in your business. www.mossadamscapital.com Discover how we make a difference. Moss Adams is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Certified Public Accountants Business Consultants Go Further. Faster.