A member moment in the American West

Following his retirement from the accounting profession, OSCPA member Stewart Meyer, CPA, has discovered a new frontier to explore - the American West. 

Meyer earned his CPA license and joined the OSCPA nearly 50 years ago. He spent his career providing his clients with personalized and knowledgeable service.

In 1974, Meyer and Steve Wilsey, CPA, founded the Oklahoma City firm Wilsey and Meyer, now Wilsey, Meyer, Eatmon, Tate, PLLC. Meyer continues to be involved with the firm of counsel.

Meyer attended a book review event at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. He was captivated by the exciting history of Cowboys and rich Native American culture found in the museum and saw an opportunity to learn about his own family's history in the Cherokee Nation.

Meyer became a docent at the museum and now guides guests through the exhibits and galleries, sharing his insight and knowledge. 

Meyer's tour of the museum is energetic and enthralling. By telling unique stories and painting an honest and intimate picture of daily life for people in the American West, museum guests receive a historical perspective from Meyer that is deeper and richer than they would find walking the museum without his guidance. 

The museum is vast, and Meyer's knowledge extends from Native American history and hand-crafted clothing to cross-country cattle driving and the iconic cowboys of the big screen. 

Even now that he can spend his time admiring the artwork in the halls of the museum, rather than working through tax forms and spreadsheets, Meyer continues to dedicate his time and expertise to the OSCPA.

Throughout his membership, Meyer has served on many OSCPA boards and committees, and he is a current member of the Society's Advocacy Council. 

As a member of the Advocacy Council, Meyer helps establish the OSCPA's relationship with the Oklahoma legislature and key policy makers. The Council expresses issues impacting the CPA profession by pooling the financial resources of our members into a single, strong voice. 

Meyer is passionate about advocating for the profession and preserving the esteem of the CPA license. He compares a CPA's responsibility to uphold the prestige of their license to that of rancher in the American West representing their cattle brand.

"In the Old West, open range ranching required cattle to have an identifying mark, called a brand, to represent the cow's owner. The brand would reflect the quality and value of the cattle, and ranchers held the responsibility of defending the brand and its property from rustlers, who would modify the brand on a cow to take possession of it, ultimately damaging the brand's reputation," Meyer explained.

"A CPA certificate is a brand that stands for the integrity of those who own it, the quality of the product produced under that brand and the ability of the owner to defend all that the brand stands for," he said. "Remember to ride for the CPA Brand."

Q&A with Stewart Meyer:

Wire: What do you think the importance of having a museum dedicated to Western history, art and culture is, and what would you say to encourage others to visit and explore the museum?

Meyer: Our American West was a significant factor in shaping the social and cultural story of North America and the U.S. The art and artifacts displayed help visitors gain an understanding of this story. The art gives life to history. As guests walk through the museum galleries and see the story an artist is telling, I hope that they will discover something or someone they relate to.

Wire: As a member of the Advocacy Council for the past two years, how would you describe the importance of advocating for the profession?

Meyer: With help of strong, experienced mentors, I came to understand how important the role of the PAC is. The Advocacy Council was initiated to inform the PAC of matters facing Oklahoma CPAs and to share concerns about professional issues such as the protection of the CPA credential with the membership. This information is used by the PAC and advocacy effort to promote and monitor legislation addressing these issues.

Wire: What are some of the important responsibilities you have been involved with in the Advocacy Council?

Meyer: We are accountable to fellow CPAs and ensure the legislators we support are held accountable to us. We have personal contact with each of them, and they are informed about issues of concern to us. 

Wire: As a retired CPA who has been certified for more than 40 years, is there any advice that you would give to young CPAs earlier in their careers?

Meyer: Whether you are practitioner, partner or employee, be certain that you own and manage your CPA practice, and the practice doesn’t own and manage you. Spend the time and attention needed to keep relationships with your faith, family and friends alive. When your “professional time” is gone, they will still be with you.