It has been a while since I have been here. However, that does not mean that I have not been active. Here are some of the things that have been going on:
–The Moravian University School of Business and Economics is proud to announce it ‘s business programs have once again achieved accreditation from the Accreditation Council For American Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). for the next ten year cycle. This is a mark of distinction for our School, its programs, faculty, students and our alum. Please join me in congratulating Dean Sonia Aziz and other members of the faculty for this accomplishment! I was the coordinator of this project, and it was truly a ton of work.
–With Dr. Heather Kuhns, I have been co-authoring a blog for the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants. We have published a number of these blogs already. Their focus is the management of a CPA firm rather than the technical accounting. You can find them in other locations in this website. I have to add that Dr. Kuhns also was an instrumental part of the SOBE accreditation process, including the update of the SOBE website and writing about our compliance for ACBSP Standard 7.
–I am finishing up my course work for my D.Min. degree. On the the major project (akin to a dissertation.).
–I am also active in my church as an ordained deacon, and serve on the Bishop’s task force for licensing and programming for its seminary.
In short, a lot has been going on. I will be back to the Not For Profit blogging very soon!
Hello Everyone! I have been absent from here since the beginning of the Spring semester. My only excuse is that my workload has been extraordinarily heavy recently. During the past semester, I was promoted to associate professor and have picked up some additional responsibilities at the Moravian School of Business and Economics (SOBE). Before I go on, I want to thank the members of the Board of Trustees, the Administration, our Dean, and my colleagues for their support throughout this process. I couldn’t have done this without them.
So what else have I been doing in my spare time? I have been tasked with leading the ACBSP reaffirmation efforts for SOBE and have been actively working on the Moravian answer to the 150 credit hour issue for CPA licensure. Much more about that subject in later posts. I continue to work on my second doctorate. We also completed a successful search for a new accounting professor at SOBE. I completed one course already this Spring (my second overall), and am signed up for a summer course. I am considering taking another course this summer and have a working dissertation subject. My target completion date is two years from today. Perhaps that is overly optimistic, but as my favorite singer belts out, “if we’re all going someplace lets get there soon!” I have also been attending the Catholics on Campus meetings whenever I can. As I was discussing all of this with one of my colleagues he said to me, “Stop whining and get on with it!” Never was more sagely advice offered and accepted.
As times change, we do leave things behind. For the past few years, I have been the faculty advisor to Sigma Phi Epsilon, one of the fraternities on campus. Given my change in circumstances, I have reluctantly asked to be relieved of this duty. I also dropped my membership in the Disciplinary Review Committee at the College. Effectively, I am trading working with students for some more administrative roles. This is sad, since I enjoy working with young adults. Nevertheless, the wheels of progress continue to roll.
Despite changing circumstances, some things do stay the same. I will remain as faculty advisor to Stitches, the craft club of Moravian. It is hard to describe what this hardworking group of women have accomplished. Two of the recently graduated seniors have been accepted into doctoral programs. Another is starting a master’s degree program. Pound for pound, this group had the most academically gifted club membership at the College. More importantly, they demonstrated great concern for the less fortunate. Through their hard work, Stitches raised $700 for the local women’s shelter by selling crocheted Valentine’s Day and Christmas ornaments This was no mean feat considering they were selling their wares to other students at less than market prices. Stitches members also crocheted a dozen sets of scarves and hats that were donated to the same shelter. It was a most satisfying semester for everyone involved.
Many years ago, I recommended a tax planning strategy for the bank I was working for. I thought it was a very slick plan and it truly was when it came to avoiding ( as opposed to evading) taxes. Tax avoidance is legal. Tax evasion is a crime. Unfortunately, the strategy looked very, very wrong when it hit the newspapers. Without going into details I didn’t personally profit from this action but the bank did. Despite this, and with hindsight, it just wasn’t the right thing to do. As one of the directors of the bank said to me, “Mark, it was legally right but morally wrong”. There are many examples of this principle. Think about slavery. For centuries it was legal in the United States but certainly ethically repugnant.
I learned a very important lesson that day. Thinking about how people will perceive an action has to be included in the consideration of the action. The same director was later the Vice-chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. She was one of the first (if not the first) female graduates of the Penn Law School. For those not following the latest news, the President of Penn resigned and is going back to teach at this same law school. Liz Magilll was forced from her job when she, after repeated questioning would not say if calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the university’s conduct policy. Relying on what sounded like a legalistic defense, MacGill insisted this was a matter of “context”. Those of us that work in academia understand academic freedom and how important it and context is. I have wondered what my old director (who sadly passed away before her time) would say about this situation. I can almost hear her say, “ Penn was legally right, but morally wrong.” Perhaps the presidents of other colleges should evaluate their positions under this same standard.
A similar situation has come up in the Vatican. Pope Francis recently met with the staff of the office of Vatican Auditor General. He asked that disclosure of financial impropriety be balanced by “merciful discretion”. Anyone that knows anything about auditing understands auditors have a fiduciary duty to their client, in this case the Pope. Francis was absolutely correct in asking for confidentiality. On the other hand, Francis was supposed to “clean up” Vatican corruption during his pontificate. One must ask in the wake of the trial of Cardinal Becciu for financial malfeasance writ large on a massive scandal (one financial deal on its own was said to lose $150 million dollars) whether this is the morally right thing to do. Aren’t donors entitled to see how their gifts have been squandered?
I have always been deeply distrustful of the excuse of letting something illicit pass “for the good of the organization”. This is often only code for “someone needs to be protected.” In the case of the Vatican, too much water has gone under the bridge, and it is time to realize “merciful discretion” is interpreted by many as continuing to cover up corruption. Sunshine is the best disinfectant for the disease of corruption. It is odd to say, but even the Pope can be legally right and yet morally wrong.
The Ethics Resource Council advocates the use of the PLUS model of ethical decision-making. PLUS stands for:
Policies–does an action conform to the organization’s policies and procedures?
Legal–Is the proposed action legal?
Universal–Does the proposed action conform to the organization’s values and universal principles?
Self–does this action comply with my own view of right or wrong?
I have proposed a variation of this model I have called PLUMS. In the modern world, one has to consider how other people will view a proposed action. How will it be perceived by others when it hits the media? It is often a good idea to just step back and think about how your action will look when it hits X, Youtube, or Facebook. Maybe this pause for reflection can prevent you from doing something that is legally right, but yet morally wrong.
Even though Giving Tuesday has come and gone, we continue through the holiday season. Please remember to give generously to your favorite Not For Profit Organization. I am proud to say that Stitches, the crafts club of Moravian University crocheted hats and scarves for the local emergency shelter. They also raised $500 for the same organization by selling hand made Christmas ornaments and gathering donations. Stitches has a small membership, but they all have big hearts. Congratulations to the members, as they try to change the world by helping people as much as they can when they can
I am proud to take part in the Financial Literacy Series hosted by the Nazareth PA library system in May and June 2023. Come on out to learn some basic financial theory and management!
This blog is usually devoted to not-for-profit organization management issues, but today I would like to deviate from that subject and talk about some developments in my beloved accounting profession. As many of you are aware, the regulators in virtually all jurisdictions require 150 credits (five years of college education) for professional licensing as a certified public accountant (CPA). This has been the norm for almost four decades now. For instance, Florida was one of the first states to require a fifth year of college to qualify for a CPA license back in 1983. Other states fell into line until today only the U.S. Virgin Islands does not require 150 credits for licensure.
Interestingly enough, the extra 30 credits do not have to be taken at the graduate level or in a business related subject at all. Students can satisfy the requirements by taking classes in any academic subject as long as the additional credits appear on a college transcript. In recent years one of my students completed a second bachelor’s degree in music and that qualified her to become a CPA when she passed the Uniform CPA Examination. Other students will complete their bachelor’s degree and then take additional courses at a community college.
What was the purpose of requiring another year of college education? Presumably the business world was becoming and still is becoming) more and more complex and the profession recognized it over forty years ago. As the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) website (1) notes: “A certified public accountant (CPA) in today’s environment must not only have a high level of technical competence and a sense of commitment to service, but must also have good communications and analytical skills, and the ability to work well with people. Employers are looking for individuals who have the ability to analyze and evaluate complex business problems and the interpersonal skills and maturity to make decisions in a client- and customer-service environment.”
Why were business subjects or additional accounting courses not required? I think a close reading of the above quote puts everything into perspective. At the time the profession seemed to believe there were several deficiencies in the training of accountants, including communication skills. Therefore, even more liberal arts courses would help an accountant become a more critical thinker and better business person. I also believe the profession wished to have well-rounded professionals who could function not only as a CPA but as an informed member of society. As I tell my students, accounting firms can hire computers to do accurate accounting. However, the firms are looking to hire interesting people who can relate well with the clients, stakeholders, and other employees of the firm. I believe this has happened but I also think it is time to rethink the 150 hour requirement.
To be sure I don’t want the 150 hour requirement to be abolished. That would be a step backwards in my opinion. State Boards of Accountancy are not inclined to do that either since there is reciprocity and portability among the various states. CPAs licensed in one State can temporarily work or be licensed in another State since each has similar educational requirements. Removing the 150 credit hour requirement would need to be done by all jurisdictions or there would be mass confusion as CPAs from one state tried to work in another. No one wishes to see that.
The requirement does have several serious implications though. First, the extra cost has increased the barrier to entry. While the AICPA disputes this, the actual results seem to tell a different story. Minority groups are underrepresented at the professional level in accounting firms (2) and some believe the 150 hour requirement is a cause.The total number of accounting graduates seems to be dropping (4) and firms are afraid they will not be able to secure sufficient talent in the near future. The latter concerns were expressed at a meeting of the State Board of Accountancy of NJ during its May 2022 meeting (4) During the same meeting the State Board took direct aim at the fact the additional credits did not have to be in a business related subject, saying this requirement “…makes little sense.” It should be noted that even the AICPA believed most students would pick up the additional education through graduate programs such as a Master’s of Accountancy degree. The NJ State Board also noted there seems to be very little correlation between the extra year of college education and success as a CPA.
As a result of these concerns, the NJ Board approved a “Work for Credit” program where students can earn 30 credits by working in a co-op program with an accounting firm. Students will work for nearly a year with a sponsoring accounting firm to achieve the extra 30 credits. Since the students will be paid, there will be significantly less financial burden on them. Hopefully, this will also increase minority participation within the profession. I am very much inclined to agree with this approach to solving some of the problems in the accounting profession. Afterall, who can disagree with better trained CPAs and greater opportunity and participation in the profession?
This week I wanted to spotlight a small NFP organization that provides a wonderful service to young mothers. There are many organizations providing essential services out of the good of the volunteers heart. My hat goes of to Zair Burris, the driving force behind Moms Offering Mom’s support. Please generously support this organization with your time, treasure, and talent! Here is the transcript of the interview:
Tell my readers about you. You have an interesting background.
I’m from the Oregon coast- I have a master’s in marine biology and a PhD in oceanography. All of that training was actually really helpful for starting and running a nonprofit- from writing grant applications to developing databases to track our donations to data analysis to get an idea of the impact we have in the community (number of people we help, for how long, etc.).
How did you become involved with this organization? Why did you start this organization? How has it grown or changed?
I started thinking about starting this nonprofit (Moms Offering Moms Support) about 6 months after I had my first baby. I read an article about “diaper need”- how in the US, 1 in 3 families can’t afford to buy enough diapers for their baby. Having a baby is so stressful and exhausting on its own, I couldn’t imagine having to worry about having enough diapers to get through the night.
We opened 4 months before the covid pandemic hit, working out of my house, with no volunteers other than myself and occasionally my husband (he had a full-time job). We had to work out the kinks pretty quickly- we went from providing 5 babies a month with baby supplies to over 40 in a matter of months! We started with no money in the bank, so it really increased our impact when we started partnering with the Lehigh Valley Diaper Bank. They give us diapers every other month. I cried when we got our first shipment- it was such a relief to not have to worry about how I would come up with money to purchase diapers for our babies. Diapers are still the number one item requested by our families.
Surprisingly, the nonprofit runs almost exactly the same as when we started 3 years ago- we provide the same things, but just more of them and to more families. Because we get more people wanting to donate than we can handle, we are able to be pick and choose what we accept. We used to have to take everything, no matter the condition, because something was better than nothing. Now we only accept things in great condition. This saves us a lot of time cleaning and reduces the number of things that get thrown away.
We’ve also started partnering with hospitals and social workers to get those families most in need referred to our program (young moms, homeless families, women who have escaped domestic violence, and undocumented moms). We have started a number of “Programs”, for instance our Car Seat Program provides families with car seats donated to us by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Our Full Bellies Program is mainly funded by local grocery stores (especially Giant Food Stores) and provides baby food, highchairs, formula, and breast-feeding supplies to families. Our Safe Seep Program is mainly supported by local grants (Leona Gruber Trust, Caroline JS Sanders Trust, John & Margaret Post Foundation, etc.) and allows us to provide bassinets and portable cribs.
Can you tell me about the work your organization does and the wonderful program you run? As a follow up, what differentiates you from other organizations?
Right now, because of the formula shortage that started in February, we are helping a much broader segment of the population get infant formula. Normally, we provide low-income and homeless families with baby supplies once a month until their baby turns 1-year old. While we focus on infants, we also provide maternity clothing and toddler clothing (many of the babies we serve have older siblings). We provide anywhere from 45-85 infants/toddlers with supplies each month. We are a donation-based organization, so what we have available each week changes constantly, but we normally provide: diapers, formula, wipes, toys, clothes, shoes, shampoo, car seats, bassinets, etc. We are different from other organizations because we deliver the baby supplies directly to the family’s door. This was very important to me when I was developing the nonprofit- it is a lot of work to go anywhere with a newborn baby, especially if you don’t have a car and rely on public transportation (as many of our families do). We didn’t want moms having to bring their babies out during winter to get their supplies. Similarly, we make it easy to donate by doing no-contact porch pickups from donors. We started this as a covid precaution and it stuck because it makes it easy for everyone – families can leave their items out for us and we collect everything during a scheduled pickup window. We are also all volunteers, including me!
What do you think your constituents would say is the best thing about your organization?
I think the thing that our families appreciate the most (in addition to the wide range of items we supply) is how easy it is for them to get their stuff each month. To become registered with us, they have to show proof of need just at the first delivery (most show us their WIC or snap card) and a note from their doctor if pregnant or discharge paperwork for their newborn. After that, all they have to do is fill out our online request form each month and select what they need from a list. Then we deliver it right to them, typically within 3 days of their request.
What results does your organization achieve? How has your program improved over time?
Last year, we provided over 49,000 diapers to more than 230 infants, 101 pack-n-plays, and 46 car seats. These supplies keep babies safe and help parents keep their jobs. Most daycares require parents to provide diapers for their babies. If a family runs out of diapers, the baby can’t go to daycare, and the parent has to take off work to stay home with them. This obviously makes it harder for the family to afford diapers. In addition, babies with clean diapers have fewer rashes and other health problems, which has been shown to reduce parental stress.
Similarly, during the first year of life babies are prone to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). SIDS has been linked to unsafe sleeping habits, where babies are put to sleep in unsafe environments like on a couch, floor or chair, or who co-sleeping with parents. By providing a place for babies to sleep (i.e. pack-n-plays and bassinets), we are keeping them safe during their vulnerable first year!
We also try to support breast-feeding moms by supplying pumps, and nursing bras and shirts. Breast-feeding has long term health benefits for both the mom and baby, so this is important to us.
What are your goals for the next three to five years? What priorities will help you achieve them? What barriers are in your way?
We would love to be able to move out of my house and into a physical storefront where families can have the option of physically picking out the items they need from the donated goods. This would also allow us to shift from picking up donations to having people bring their donations to us. This would allow us take in more donations and help more families. In order to do this we would need to secure funding to rent a space and be able to pay for utilities. Right now we don’t have any funding for that!
What is the hardest decision the organization has had to make recently, and how did you evaluate the tradeoffs involved?
Recently, I had to make the tough decision to stop providing monthly deliveries to families in Bethlehem. They still get one big delivery, but I don’t have the time or volunteers to do it anymore. The need in Easton alone is more than I can handle since having my second baby (I do the nonprofit work when she naps, or early in the morning or late at night). I may have to reduce the work load again next year when I have to go back to work. I am trying to get grant funding to be paid at least part-time for the work I do with the nonprofit, but I haven’t been successful. If I do get funding, I would be able to increase our aid in Bethlehem again.
What do you, personally, spend most of your time on?
Right now I only have 1 volunteer, so I do about 99% of the work myself. Most of my time is spent delivering supplies to families. After that, it’s sorting donations, putting together deliveries, data entry, and grant writing. I don’t spend enough time updating our facebook page or website!
If people want to contact you to help out, what is your website and how do they reach you?
Certain phrases originally having innocuous meanings sometimes take on bad connotations. Many times it is not entirely clear how or why this happens, but you use these phrases at your own peril. Here are some recent examples you might run across:
Data Mining is the process of extracting and discovering patterns in “Big Data”. Recently, while taking a continuing education course I was a little astonished to hear the instructor tell us not to use the phrase “data mining”. It has picked up some nasty connotations. He advised using such terms such as data analytics and prescriptive analytics instead. Last week I came across an article on Fox News with the headline “Utah parents heated after discovering DOJ ‘mining’ racial data, names of their children: ‘absolute overreach’. It seems data mining has become synonymous with invasion of privacy, marketing manipulation, security risks and a plethora of other nasty activities.
Neuromarketing is the measurement of neurological and physiological reactions to determine customer motivations. It developed out of neuroscience and neuroeconomics and is now tinged with the stain of manipulation. Many people feel that marketing itself is a form of manipulation, but now tailoring marketing campaigns to produce dopamine and provoke involuntary reactions to stimuli seems to be an even worse form of manipulation to many.
Nudging was described by Richard Thaler, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2017, and Cass Sunstein, a Harvard law professor who is brilliant in his own right, in their 2008 book Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness. The book was amazingly well written and accessible by almost anyone, but the premise was controversial. Thaler and Sunstein believed in “liberal paternalism” where people could be guided into “right” decisions through a process of nudging people in the direction of the “correct” answers. Examples in the book include how this process would work in picking retirement savings and health insurance plans. Nudging has many advocates, but it has many detractors too. Some critics have called this theory yet another type of manipulation by the government.
What do these all have in common? It seems to me the issue with each of these is a perceived restriction on freedom and some form of perceived manipulation. I say perceived in both cases because I personally believe the jury is still out on whether this is the case or not. Thaler and Sunstein state the careful application of nudge theory is not really manipulation but rather a simple use of techniques and/or technology to lead people to the right decision about critical life decisions. Yet people feel uneasy about giving up their right to be, well….wrong. People obviously do not want to be manipulated, nor do they want to surrender their privacy. In fact, people have now become less trusting and are becoming leery of anything that could even potentially be used to violate their own personal space. They fear data mining, neuromarketing and nudging (whether by the government or by big corporations) could be the beginning of this path. Only time will tell, but for now, I would suggest staying away from using these terms. You may only be looking for trouble if you do.
The April 29, 2022 issue of the Warren Reporter, a newspaper affiliated with NJ.com, contained a very balanced article written by Ted Sherman about the investigation of clergy abuse of minors in the State of New Jersey. State officials created a task force in September 2018 to investigate the allegations against clergy dating back decades. We need not go into the details of the allegations here as they are well known already. Suffice it to say there have been only three prosecutions as a result of this task force and the promised final report on the matter has not materialized. As a result of such a small number of indictments, many have doubted a special grand jury to investigate this matter was even empaneled. We can only hope and pray the absence of prosecutions was the abuse was not as widespread as has been suspected or reported. We also hope church officials have taken their duty to protect minors make appropriate disclosures as seriously as they should.
As heinous as these crimes may be, I want to focus on another insidious aspect of this situation: the financial devastation such mismanagement has caused. NPR reported that by 2018 this scandal has already Catholic Church $3 billion. That total has continued to grow in the last four years. Recently, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden, like many other Catholic dioceses, was forced to declare bankruptcy because of the projected cost of litigation surrounding the abuse of minors by its clergy. The diocese recently announced the settlement of such lawsuits and the creation of an $87.5 million dollar fund to come into existence over the next four years to pay out survivors of such abuse. The source of these funds was not reported and the settlement must still be approved by the bankruptcy court.
With such vast sums of money being thrown around, the question arises: Is this why donors contribute to religious organizations? To fund such horrible management by its leaders? It is high time large religious organizations are required to file a Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service. All charitable organizations except for religious organizations must file the Form 990 every year. Religious organizations are specifically exempted from this filing. While no one wants the federal government mucking around in Church affairs, the Form 990 contains information any contributor and/or member of the congregation would generally be interested in. This, form requires not only financial disclosures but also information about the adequacy of internal controls. As of right now, many religious organizations do not release financial information. Perhaps some sunshine on the matter would make those who run religious organizations a little more cautious when it comes to spending the hard earned donations of its members. For example, do members of the Diocese of Camden know a substantial amount of their donations over the next four years will probably be directed to this fund? Will the Diocese of Camden disclose where the funds will be coming from? We shall certainly see.
While there has been a lot of attention aimed at the abuse issue, financial frauds and scandals often “fly under the radar”. Again, we need not go into the details of such events as they are documented elsewhere, but my sense is these are but the tip of the iceberg, an opinion I formed being connected to the financial management of several religious and Not-For-Profit organizations. The lack of internal controls and the weak control environment can often be frightening. I hate to recommend this, but it is time for the government to compel financial disclosure from the larger religious organizations. As for the objection that this will be expensive, let me counter this by saying somewhat tongue in cheek that Rome wasn’t built in one day. Perhaps the reporting would only be required for any organization with gross receipts in excess of $1 million (or some other appropriate number). At the end of the day the cost incurred for preparing such a report will be more than made up for by the tighter financial controls religious organizations will have to put into place to make the proper reporting.
I am very proud to join the Vibrant Publishers Advisory Board. Vibrant is a growing publisher with a varied content! Here is the text of the press release:
This board is made up of industry leaders and subject-matter experts with a combined experience of more than 75 years working in academia and industry. The Board will assist Vibrant Publishers in developing rich academic material and educational resources.
Vibrant Publishers is focused on presenting the best texts about technology and business and books for standardized test preparation.
The New Board Will Provide Strategic Insights to Co-Create an Array of Practical, Actionable, and Affordable Learning Tools
Formation of the board is a direct reflection of our commitment to making a wider range of top-quality books available for our customers.”
— Deep Udeshi, CEO of Vibrant Publishers
BROOMFIELD, CO, UNITED STATES, February 9, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Vibrant Publishers, a publishing company with a focus on educational books, is excited to announce the formation of a strategic Advisory Board. This board is made up of industry leaders and subject-matter experts with a combined experience of more than 75 years working in academia and industry. The Board will assist Vibrant Publishers in developing rich academic material and educational resources for current and future generations of learners.
Vibrant Publishers’ Advisory Board is made up of the following respected leaders, who each bring a wealth of knowledge and decades of real-world experience to the company: Mark Koscinski, Carrie Picardi, and Dr. Denean Robinson.
Mark Koscinski is a certified public accountant with over forty years of experience in the corporate and not-for-profit worlds. An assistant professor of accounting practice at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Mark teaches undergraduate courses in accounting and decision analysis on a graduate level. He served as chief financial officer and corporate controller of companies in the toy, banking/investment banking and defense-contracting industries. Mark earned a doctorate from Drew University.
Carrie A. Picardi, Ph.D. is an Industrial/ Organizational Psychologist with over 25 years of experience including human resource management positions within the manufacturing and education sectors, as an organizational research analyst and consultant, and as a professor of management. She has designed and led initiatives in the areas of talent acquisition and retention, job analysis and design, training and development, compensation strategy, performance management, employee engagement, leadership development, and technology/systems assessment. In addition to several peer-reviewed research publications, Carrie is the author of three textbooks: Research Methods-Designing and Conducting Research with Real-World Focus (Sage, 2013); Recruitment and Selection: Strategies for Workforce Planning and Assessment (Sage, 2019); and Leadership Essentials (Vibrant Publishers, 2021). She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Cornell University.
Dr. Deanean Robinson has been teaching Management, Marketing, Business and Education classes at various colleges and universities across the Washington D.C metropolitan area over the last 17 years. In addition, Dr. Robinson has developed corporate and educational training programs for various government and private agencies. Her training has been implemented in the areas of career development, personal management, strategic planning, and organizational development.
Vibrant’s Advisory Board aims to unite the best of academia and industry expertise to create accessible and affordable educational material for learners from all walks of life. As Carrie Picardi states, “As an Advisory Board member, I am looking forward to collaborating on relevant and forward-thinking educational resources for current and future learner needs. I am honored and excited to share my expertise with Vibrant Publishers and fellow board members as we work to co-create an array of learning tools that are practical and actionable as well as rigorous, with ease of use for both learners and educators.”
“I am honored to welcome these industry experts to our advisory board,” said Vibrant Publishers’ CEO Deep Udeshi. “Formation of the board is a direct reflection of our commitment to making a wider range of top-quality books available for our customers. Right from the start, we have focused on reducing students’ debt by introducing low-cost, concise top-quality management textbooks. With this Board, we plan to introduce books for community colleges & university courses, thereby reducing a lot of debt for students. Vibrant’s eBooks sell as low as $9.99, & Paperbacks are sold at around $25-$30, in comparison to the $200+ textbooks published by other publishers.” Board member Dr. Denean Robinson’s statement reflects her commitment to this cause. She says, “I joined the Board of Directors for Vibrant to be a change agent and voice for the underserved student population.”
We are excited to have this trio onboard to assist us in improving our brand legacy. Here’s to a new era of collaboration, learning, and positive impact in the world of educational book publishing!
About Vibrant Publishers Vibrant Publishers, Colorado, is a publishing house with a focus on high-quality books for entrepreneurs, professionals, and students. Vibrant Publishers has redefined how rich content is made available to today’s fast-paced generation. We have three academic book series, dedicated to Self-Learning Management, Job Interview Questions, and Test Prep.
### Media Contact: Sales, PR and Marketing Jisha Maniar 3621 Harvard Pl Broomfield, CO 80023 +1-315-413-6418 reachus@vibrantpublishers.com
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Mark Koscinski CPA D.Litt. 