Distinguished Service Award winner: James Kuhn. (Awesome!).

Making sure that CPAs keep current with new ideas is one reason James Kuhn is receiving this year's Distinguished Service Award. Kuhn, who will be honored at the July Council meeting, was instrumental in ensuring that CPAs must accumulate CPE credits to maintain their licenses. As CalCPA president in 1969-70, he advocated the requirement before the state Legislature. Then-Gov. Ronald Reagan signed the legislation making continuing education mandatory in 1972.

"It was a heck of a contribution to the profession," says Kuhn with pride. "California was among the first states to enact the requirement, and CPAs went along eagerly. There was very little opposition among members."

Not so among foot doctors, though. As a member of the California Board of Podiatric Medicine in the 1970s, Kuhn urged a continuing education requirement for podiatrists. "They looked at me askance," he recalls. "But eventually they came around."

Kuhn's promotion of accounting education dates to the 1950s. He taught several accounting courses at San Diego State University and San Diego City College. He was a founding member of the Education Foundation's board of trustees and later served as its vice president. He also conducted CPE classes for the Foundation.

The La Mesa-based CPA is a former CalCPA San Diego Chapter president and chaired several of its committees. He was a founding member of CalCPA's litigation support committee and was a member of the California Board of Accountancy's administrative committee, which he chaired for one year.

Nationally, Kuhn has served on the AICPA Council and was a member of its committee for relations with state CPA societies and its committee on relations with the American Bar Association.

"He's a great role model for our members," says John Dodsworth, past DSA recipient and chair of this year's selection committee. "He's somebody who is willing to put time into the profession to make it better for everybody."

Kuhn also has worked to improve his community. In the late 1970s, he was among the founding organizers of what is now the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl and served as the bowl association's president. He has been chair of the Greater San Diego Sports Association and president of the Arthritis Foundation for San Diego and Imperial counties, the San Diego Stadium Club and the San Diego State University Alumni & Associates. His community activities earned him CalCPA's public service award in 1993.

An Army and Air Force veteran, Kuhn received a bachelor's degree in accounting from San Diego State in 1952.

After graduation, Kuhn was a partner in several accounting firms. Since 1992, he has been a sole practitioner.

He and his wife, Darlene, live in Temecula.