Barry Melancon, CPA, CGMA, was named leader of the AICPA when he was in his mid-30s. Now, in his final months as CEO of AICPA & CIMA, he discusses his background and upbringing, his unlikely path from rural Louisiana to speaking to leaders around the world, and why he puts extra emphasis on trust.

Part 2 of the conversation, recorded in July, will be published next week. Below are links to the previous two-part discussion with Melancon, episodes that were published in December and January:

n  News and trends affecting CPAs

n  Business model transformation, private equity, and more

What you’ll learn from this episode:

·         More from Melancon about what he calls “a great journey.”

·         His assessment of how the profession has changed since the mid-1990s.

·         Some of the skills learned during his tenure as CEO.

·         Why he says the world is “devoid of trust.”

·         A preview of topics discussed in Part 2 of the conversation, scheduled to publish next week.