Welcome to the CPA/Law Society! We are a group of professionals, comprised primarily of CPAs and attorneys, who meet regularly to hear speakers on various topics of interest and/or importance to their professions and personal lives. The presentations are not only informative but also typically entertaining as well.

The meetings provide an opportunity for professionals from two closely linked professions to get together on a regular basis in a relaxed, yet professional, atmosphere. The CPA/Law Society continued its success in 2009. As usual, we had many excellent speakers, including Jeff Henley, Chairman of the Board of Oracle Corporation. We were inspired in February ‘09 by Team USA’s only four-time Olympian and current Team USA water polo coach Terry Schroeder’s message at our Sixth Annual Scholarship Awards. Once again, it was truly a memorable experience. We again increased our scholarship program, awarding $60,000 in scholarships to 20 students at local colleges, bringing the total to more than $180,000 in scholarships over the past six years.

The Westlake Chapter and the CPA/Law Society of Santa Barbara continued to grow in 2009, as well as support the scholarship program. Between the three chapters, we held 18 events last year, with over 2,000 attendees.

We expect great things again this year for the group. We are planning another terrific scholarship awards function, where we will top the $200,000 mark in total scholarships over the past seven years. We have also set, and are planning, many unique and excellent programs over the next year. Thanks to broadening local support, our membership list continues to grow, and includes most of the large and well-known CPA firms, law firms, and banks in the area, as well as a great group of individual CPAs, attorneys, and related professionals. We also began a college student membership in 2010, which adds another fun element to the group and assists with scholarship fundraising.

We invite you to browse our website, and hope to see you at an upcoming CPA/Law Society meeting!

Douglas E. Kulper, President