OKLAHOMA CITY — Nine CPAs from across the state received honors at the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants Annual Members Meeting on June 8 at the Renaissance Hotel in Tulsa, Okla.

Among the awards given were Distinguished CPA, Gold and Silver Pen Awards, Public Service Award and an induction into the Oklahoma Accounting Hall of Fame.

Jimmy J. Williams, CPA, was inducted as the 47^th member of the Oklahoma Accounting Hall of Fame. Williams, owner of Jimmy J. Williams and Co. CPA, in McAlester, Okla., was chosen based on contributions he made to both the OSCPA and the Oklahoma accounting profession.

With her history of community service and volunteerism, Angela Swift, CPA, the vice president at Francis Oil and Gas Inc., in Tulsa, honored as the recipient of the Public Service Award. Swift has been an active volunteer for more than 15 years.

Terry J. Westemeir, CPA, partner in the Tulsa-based accounting and financial services firm of Tullius Taylor Sartain & Sartain LLP, was announced as the Gold Pen Award recipient for his article, “Judging Experts: A View from the Bench.” It was published in the September/October issue of the CPAFOCUS, the OSCPA’s member magazine.

Robin Byford, CPA, received the Silver Pen Award. Byford, a senior vice president with Stillwater National Bank in Oklahoma City, won for her article, “Highlights of the Pension Protection Act of 2006.” It was published in the November/December 2006 issue of the CPAFOCUS.

The eight-member editorial board of the OSCPA selected first and second place writing awards from overall member contributions to the publication for the preceding fiscal year. Articles are chosen based on readability, content, technical appeal and relevance.

Additionally, the editorial voted to bestow special recognition upon Mike Crawford, CPA. Crawford, a partner at Crawford & Associates PC, in Oklahoma City, received a Continued Participation Award for his column, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Work,” which has appeared in almost every issue of the CPAFocus since January 2004. Crawford plans to publish the series, which highlights humorous stories from his professional career.

Seven CPAs received the Distinguished CPA Award, including Marilyn M. Geiger, CPA, executive director for the Norman Regional Hospital Foundation in Norman, Okla.; Eric J. Johnson, CPA, a supervisor and business administrator for the Pathology Department of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City; Steven E. Milam, CPA, of Milam & Associates in Tulsa, Okla.; Bill W. Rahhal, CPA, managing partner of Hulme Rahhal & Henderson Inc., in Ardmore, Okla.; and Michelle Sumpter, CPA, a staff accountant with CBEW Professional Groupin Stillwater, Okla.

OSCPA chapters select their Distinguished CPAs based on criteria measuring community involvement, professionalism and activism in the CPA profession.

With more than 6,000 members in public practice, industry, government and education, the OSCPA is Oklahoma’s only statewide professional association of CPAs. Since 1918, the organization has continued to provide professional education, conduct quality reviews and promote and maintain high standards of integrity and competence within the accounting profession. Visit www.KnowWhatCounts.org for a free CPA referral and 30-minute consultation.

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