AICPA postpones ENGAGE 2020 due to coronavirus pandemic

Concerns about the coronavirus pandemic have prompted the postponement of ENGAGE 2020, one of the largest accounting and finance conferences in North America.

ENGAGE was scheduled to be held June 7–11 in Las Vegas. Details on the timing and format of the rescheduled event are still being set, as the situation surrounding the outbreak is fluid, the AICPA said in a news release.

The sponsors of ENGAGE 2020 are the AICPA and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

“We want our attendees, staff, and speakers to be safe, so this is the most prudent step to take at this point,” said Clar Rosso, executive vice president–Engagement & Learning Innovation at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the global organization that comprises the AICPA and CIMA. “We also know that families, small businesses, and companies of all sizes will be depending on CPAs and management accountants to help guide them through unexpected financial and economic challenges in the weeks ahead, so we are bearing that in mind, too.”

Given the restrictions on normal activities stemming from the coronavirus, the AICPA and CIMA continue to explore ways to support their members in professional and personal development through expanded digital offerings and other virtual learning opportunities, according to the news release, which said that more information will be available on these enhanced options soon.

ENGAGE 2020 attendees who are already registered and others interested in details about the rescheduled event can sign up for updates on aicpaengage.com. More information about the postponement, refunds, and other policies can be found in FAQs on the site.

Several other upcoming AICPA conferences will also be postponed, including the AICPA CFO Conference, which will now be held Sept. 16–18 at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego; the AICPA Employee Benefit Plans Conference and the AICPA Not-for-Profit Industry Conference, with plans for the latter two still to be determined. Please visit aicpaconferences.com for more information on events in the weeks ahead.

For more news and reporting on the coronavirus and how CPAs can handle challenges related to the outbreak, visit the JofA’s coronavirus resources page.

— Jeff Drew (Jeff.Drew@aicpa-cima.com) is a JofA’s senior editor.