Public protector: integrity defines extraordinary forensic CPA

California CPA, August, 2004 by Jerry Ascierto

BETTERING THE PROFESSION

Regan's commitment to bettering the profession can be seen by his extensive involvement at the national and state levels.

Among his work at the state level, Regan was on the California CPA Education Foundation's board of trustees from 1997-2003 and served as treasurer, first vice president and president.

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He is the immediate past chair of the Litigation Sections and has served as chair of the Economic Damages Section, Litigation Services Conference, Advanced Litigation Forum Planning Committee and Computer Show and Conference.

Nationally, Regan has been an AICPA Council member since 2003; a member of the AICPA Litigation and Dispute Resolution Services Subcommittee from 1998-2001, as well as chair of its National Economic Damages Subcommittee from 1999-2001; and a member of the AICPA's Auditing Standards Board National Computer Audit Subcommittee.

He also has served on the American Arbitration Association's National Panel of Arbitrators and has been involved in leadership roles with the Western Association of Accounting Firms.

PUBLIC DUTY

Regan's civic contributions include serving on the board of trustees at Golden Gate University and the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley since 2002. And some of his civic contributions hit close to home.

Since 2002, he's been mayor of Hillsborough, about 20 miles south of San Francisco, where he lives. He's also been vice mayor and commissioner of finance for the town, and has served as president of the Hillsborough City School District Board of Trustees and the Hillsborough Recreation Commission.

Regan began working with the town when budgetary problems threatened to roil the school district in 1985. "I volunteered to help work with the budget, which led to my involvement with the school district," he says. "My CPA background has really helped me serve the public in more ways than one."

A FAMILY AFFAIR

Regan and his wife of 36 years, Barbara, have three children, and Regan's passion for accounting has inspired two of his children to follow in his footsteps.

The oldest, Greg, began his accounting career with Ernst & Young and then moved to be controller of SupportSoft, a software maker that he helped turn a profit and launch a successful IPO. Itching for his next challenge, he began asking his dad about forensic accounting and career opportunities at Hemming Morse.

"For about six months, he talked with various partners of mine. I didn't want to influence his decision," says the elder Regan.

Now, a year and a half later, Greg Regan is a manager in the forensics practice of Hemming Morse. Dad reports, "He's doing a great job."

Tim Regan also caught the accounting bug--specifically auditing--and is a manager at Ernst & Young in Palo Alto. Regan's daughter, Courtney, is an account executive for an advertising agency in San Diego.

TEARFUL BEGINNINGS

Regan's accounting acumen, problem-solving abilities and sense of public duty have formed an extraordinary career. It's a good thing, too.