Friday saw our latest speaker in our MAcc Director's Speaker Series, Cindy Fornelli, Executive Director of the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ).   Cindy spoke to the current MAcc cohort, as well as local CPA's and accountants at the UVM Alumni House.   She highlighted this is a great time to enter the profession, CAQ’s 10th Annual Main Street Investor survey results and the multi-pronged efforts across firms to find top talent.   CAQ’s talent initiative helps attract and retain the best and brightest, enhance diversity, education students about the auditing profession, communicates benefits of an auditing career, highlights the variety of career paths, and works to dispel myths and misperceptions about a career in auditing.   Cindy also emphasized the connection between the US regulatory environment (The U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)), the PCAOB, and other legislation and the auditing profession. Also included were the major investments the auditing firms are making in data analytics, the importance of increasing cybersecurity and the auditor’s need to identify the implications of a breach on the financial reports and the internal controls of an entity, and the continuing fight against financial statement fraud.   “I really enjoyed Cindy’s presentation style. She used a variety of tactics to engage the audience throughout the presentation and frequently paused to welcome questions” said Renee Cruise. Tucker Capobianco said “she clearly understands the intangible benefits that are achieved through principles, but if there are not rules there will be no compliance.”   Thank you Cindy for taking the time to visit UVM and speak to our students, faculty and guests.