A record 1,389 Ontario pass Canada-wide CPA exam

TORONTO, Nov. 28, 2014 /CNW/ - The Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA Ontario) congratulates Akash Kapoor of Mississauga who recently captured the Canadian and Ontario Gold Medals as the top writer of the Uniform Evaluation (UFE) in the country. This is the fifth year in a row that the top Canadian UFE writer has come from Ontario.

A total of 16 Ontario CPA students placed on the prestigious 50-member National Honour Roll and Ontario had a record 1,389 of the country's 3,576 successful UFE writers. CPA Ontario also admitted 1,976 additional new Chartered Professional Accountants (CPAs) into membership during two convocation ceremonies that took place on October 25 and November 8, 2014. This marks a milestone for these CPAs, acknowledging years of hard work, dedicated study, steadfast work-life balance and a true commitment to the accounting profession and their careers.

The UFE, written in September, is a national three-day evaluation that assesses competencies including essential knowledge, professional judgment, ethics and the ability to communicate. The UFE has been an important component of the CPA qualification program, which includes prescribed education, practical experience and examination requirements. As a result of unification of the accounting profession, the traditional Uniform Evaluation will be replaced by a new, equally challenging, Common Final Evaluation (CFE) which will be offered nation-wide starting in 2015.

Only those who complete this entire CPA program successfully are entitled to use the internationally recognized designation of Chartered Professional Accountant, a profession known for financial expertise, strategic thinking, business insight and leadership.

Akash has a Master of Accounting from the University of Waterloo and articles at EY in Toronto.

On why he chose a career in the accounting profession, Akash said: "The CPA designation is a passport to stepping into challenging roles and allows us to have the opportunity to perpetually learn. I believe that the designation adds tangible credibility and opens doors to countless experiences."

The following 15 other Ontario UFE writers have also achieved recognition on the 2014 National Honour Roll:

• Amanda Acchione of KPMG LLP in Toronto
• Daniella Bernal of Deloitte LLP in Toronto
• Zach Booth of PwC in Toronto
• Steven Dou of EY in London
• Michael Goldband of Grant Thornton LLP in Toronto
• Laura Hodgson of EY in Kitchener
• Leanne Kamstra Bosscher of KPMG LLP in Hamilton
• Alex Krivocheiko of PwC in Toronto
• Jessica Kwok of Deloitte LLP in Toronto
• Julian Lo of Deloitte LLP in Toronto
• Kevin McLeod of PwC in Toronto
• Matthew Morsanutto of Deloitte LLP in Mississauga
• Kevin Sanderson of KPMG LLP in Sudbury
• Balpreet Singh of KPMG LLP in Toronto
• Mark Vanderlinden of PwC in Toronto

"Congratulations to all of the successful Ontario candidates," said Carol Wilding, FCPA, FCA, President and CEO of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario. "Qualifying to become a CPA is a very challenging process and the resulting career is rich in rewards and opportunities. CPAs play important leadership roles in organizations of all types and sizes, from Bay Street to Main Street. The skills and knowledge that CPAs bring to Ontario's workplaces are crucial to our province's future success."

Interviews with Honour Roll students and/or photographs are available on request.

Media experts - Consider a CPA the next time you're looking for a subject matter expert to answer critical financial or business questions or when you need a panel expert to offer insight in a group discussion or debate.

About the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario

CPA Ontario protects the public interest by ensuring its members meet the highest standards for integrity and expertise. CPA Ontario serves and supports its more than 80,000 members and approximately 20,000 students in their qualification and professional development in a wide range of senior positions in public accounting, business, finance, government, not-for-profits and academe. Certified General Accountants (CGAs), Certified Management Accountants (CMAs) and Chartered Accountants (CAs) are now unified under the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation. Chartered Professional Accountants are valued by organizations of all types and sizes for their financial expertise, strategic thinking, business insight, management skills and leadership. For information on the profession, visit cpaontario.ca. To become a CPA in Ontario, visit gocpaontario.ca.

SOURCE The Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario