Scopes receives Institute’s highest honor for non-CPA

Gary M. Scopes received the AICPA Medal of Honor, which recognizes an individual who is not a CPA whose work has had a significant impact on the profession. The Medal of Honor is the highest AICPA award for a non-CPA.

Scopes, the Institute’s first full-time director of International Relations, served as an international ambassador for the Institute, interacting with accounting organizations in many other countries. During his tenure, he helped to significantly broaden the Institute’s international reach through establishment of the Global Accounting Alliance, development of the first international strategic plan, and building of the first AICPA international department.

Scopes has also served as a technical adviser on the International Federation of Accountants board, served as a member of the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council, and helped develop the first Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission internal control guidelines.

As an international consultant for seven years, he assisted more than 30 countries in developing their national accounting and auditing profession. 

While serving as a state CPA society CEO, Scopes helped establish the CPA Key Person advocacy program to educate Congress on legislative issues of importance to the profession, a program that has been replicated on the national level by the AICPA and in all state CPA societies. He also co-authored the first Joint Ethics Enforcement Program Manual of Procedures, which is still used by both state CPA societies and the AICPA.