CalCPA ProtectPlus

Few individuals have given as much for as long to CalCPA or been as intimately associated with its growth as John Dodsworth. Actively engaged in committee work since he joined in 1972, Dodsworth was appointed Director of Business Operations for CalCPA in 1984, a position that included responsibility for the financial aspects of the organization, continuing education, and the insurance program. A few years later he led in the creation of CAMICO—where he served as Director from 1986 until his retirement in 2009—and in expanding the Group Insurance Trust. Today he continues to serve on the boards of both CAMICO and the Trust.

Curiously, his first step toward this distinguished career began with a college job in the mail room at Union Carbide in San Francisco, and among his duties was delivering mail to the internal audit department. “I got to know some of the employees,” he recounts, “and they encouraged me to look into accounting as a profession.” As a math major he felt an affinity to the work they were doing. He recognized that “math is the language of accounting,” and saw that accounting offered something practical to do with the math he was studying.

After finishing college and a stint in the army, he went to work for the public firm of John F. Forbes & Co. “They were big in professional association involvement,” he comments, and so he joined CalCPA and became active in committee work for the San Francisco Chapter, eventually chairing the Accounting and Auditing Committee. During those years he was working his way up at Forbes. He made partner in 1977 and then opened an office for the firm in San Jose in 1981. When his firm won the engagement as auditor for CalCPA, he learned how the organization functioned, and he got to know its then executive director, Jim Kurtz. (continue reading…)

“It may be a cliché,” says Stu Weinstein, chair of the Group Insurance Trust Claims and Plan Design Committee, “but I have gotten a lot out of my relationship with CalCPA as member, and so serving as a trustee, and finding products and services that benefit members, is a great way to give  back.” To this he adds, “Its enjoyable to be associated with something as successful as the Group Insurance Trust has been.”

In addition to his spirit of service, Weinstein also embodies a broad range of professional experience that helps him understand the circumstances of different members. Having graduated with a degree in accounting from the University of California, Berkeley in the late 1960s, Weinstein started his career with a large regional accounting firm where he served until receiving his license. From there he moved to a consulting firm and then to a job as controller in McKesson Corporation’s International Division.

He comments that this experience was a unique opportunity

“to observe the  inside of a business from the client’s perspective, something that many CPAs don’t get a chance to do.”

He was fascinated to see how an enterprise is built, how people are responsible for the bottom line, and how they report to others. He was also engaged by the process of building appropriate controls. At the end of the day, however, he found the work repetitive, and he turned back to public accounting with renewed interest.

He joined his father, who had been working as a solo CPA, in forming Weinstein & Company, where he stayed until 1999. At that point he found himself ready for a more corporate structure and moved to Rooney, Ida, Nolt and Ahern, which had just opened a San Francisco office. He liked the fact that they had separate departments with specialties and that clients were shared.

This structure also meant that his clients had a place to stay as he transitioned into retirement during the years from 2005 to 2007. Currently he still provides occasional services as a consultant and also continues as a director of CAMICO Mutual Insurance Company. (continue reading…)

Having recently completed what looked like a paperwork endurance contest,  GIT staff and trustees were rewarded in  May when the Trust received a financial strength rating of B++ from insurance  company rating agency A.M. Best. In a press release announcing its positive evaluation, Best stated that the rating reflected the Trust’s “synergy with CalCPA, favorable level of capitalization and positive operating performance.”

The release went on to say that the Trust’s risk-adjusted capital position “remains favorable,” and is built upon “its historically positive operating results.” This gives a tremendous boost to all the GIT plans, affirming that they are as reliable as they are valuable.

Extended Rate Guarantee
On the heels of this good news, the Trust has announced that it will guarantee current 2009 premium rates for any newly enrolling firms through December 31, 2010. In terms of cost, there will never be a better time to switch to ProtectPlus than now. As CalCPA members you have available a variety of high quality health insurance plans that are already  competitively priced. By acting now, you and your employees can maintain current 2009 rates throughout 2010. Add to this the fact that ProtectPlus rate actions have averaged 7 percent over the past six years, which is significantly below average annual rate increases industry-wide,  and you should have all the incentives you need to enroll now. (continue reading…)