Special Report: 2017 Economic Expectations


A deeper look CPAs flesh out this year’s survey V


irginia Business and the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants held a roundtable discussion to analyze the group’s latest Economic Expectations Survey. This year’s CPA panelists were Dave Cotton, chairman of Cot-


ton and Co. in Alexandria; Marty Einhorn, managing shareholder with Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer PC in Norfolk; Clare Levison,


head of Clare Levison Consulting in Blacksburg; and Gary Thomson, regional man- aging partner at Dixon Hughes Goodman in Richmond. The roundtable was conducted by Virginia Business Editor Robert Powell and


Special Projects Editor Veronica Garabelli in September at VSCPA’s headquarters in Richmond. The following is an edited transcript.


Virginia Business:The majority of CPAs believe that the national economy is moving in a positive direction. What are some [examples] of the positive momen- tum that CPAs are seeing?


38 NOVEMBER 2016


Thomson: In Virginia, I think we’re optimistic because for the first time since the Great Recession we’ve seen our employment numbers return to what they were before 2007-2008. That in and of itself creates a great sense of opti- mism: to see people out there working, to see our clients actually have the opportu- nity for employment and [engagement.] It’s an important, positive sign for us.


Levison: Because I work so much in the personal finance space, I tend to feel like the economy is moving in a positive direction when the average person feels that it is — when they feel it in their


Photos by Rick DeBerry


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