At the spring council meeting, AICPA Board Chairman James Castellano presented the Institute’s 2002 Public Service Award to Robert F. Fay, CPA, of Canton, Ohio, for his extensive volunteer work, which included building homes for low-income families and maintaining shelters for victims of domestic violence.

The AICPA’s “America’s CPAs Start Here, Go Places” recruitment program, begun in 2001, received two awards from the Professional Marketing Association Inc. ( www.pmalink.org/html/2002reggiewinners.html ). Known as Reggies, the awards recognized the Institute for excellence in creating an effective Web-based direct marketing campaign ( www.startheregoplaces.com ) in collaboration with several media partners. The program targets students ages 16 to 22, dispelling misperceptions about the profession and explaining the attractions of a career in accounting.

In recognition of the effectiveness of the Institute’s System to Accept Responsibility for Job Performance (STAR) Program, which focuses on employee accountability and discipline without punishment, the Employers Association of New Jersey bestowed an Employer of Choice Award on the AICPA, which has an office in Jersey City. The citation praised the Institute in general for its commitment to excellence and in particular for the employee performance improvements the STAR program brought about.

The AICPA’s Women’s Financial Health Week, an online educational program that was held in January and offered tips on budgeting and selecting an adviser, won a Big Apple 2002 award from the New York chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. The campaign finished first in the “marketing communications for professional services” category.