The annual fall conference of the Insurance Accounting Systems Association’s (IASA) Utah Chapter was held September 29. The conference gave its members the chance to take in the amazing views from the club house at Eaglewood Golf Course in North Salt Lake while learning more about the Utah laws and rules for Certified Public Accountants and the new science of decision making. Larson & Company was a sponsor of the event and brought along a team of (mostly) talented golfers to learn and have a little bit of fun together.
Susan Speirs of the UACPA addressed the group and spoke about the requirements in Utah for obtaining and renewing a CPA license. This training was brand new this year as there is a new requirement for Continuing Professional Education for CPAs in Utah. Susan is a passionate leader in the world of public accounting and is an advocate for all in the profession. Her insight and knowledge is drawn from her time in the profession, which greatly complemented the presentation.
Bill Tayler of Brigham Young University spoke about the new science of decision making. Mr. Tayler discussed how judgment traps and judgment biases influence our decision making. His presentation showed ways to recognize those traps and biases and how to overcome them throughout the process of decision making. One concept that resonated with the group was making sure that the correct problem has been clearly defined before the decision making process begins. Many times we fall into the trap of finding a solution to the wrong problem, and don’t realize it until after the decision has been made.
The fall conference ended with a golf tournament consisting of teams of IASA members. We had a fantastic time enjoying a beautiful fall day networking with our colleagues.