New Jersey public accountant to head NASBA.

The nominating committee of the National Association of State Bounds of Accountancy named Milton Brown as its choice for 1997-98 vice-chairman. If, as expected, he is formally elected at the group's annual meeting this month, Brown -- a public accountant -- will become NASBA's 1998-99 chairman and its first licensed public accountant (LPA) chief executive. Brown spent 11 years on the New Jersey State Board of Accountancy, including 2 years as its president.

Fighter for reciprocity

The past chairman and current member of NASBA's Uniform Accountancy Act committee, Brown has long promoted the idea of substantial equivalency. Despite NASBA's and the American Institute of CPAs progress in this area, each individual state can set its own licensing laws. "It's terrible that it's often easier for an Australian or Canadian accountant to gain reciprocity privileges in the United States than for a U.S. accountant to have reciprocity with the state next door," said Brown. "It's kept the profession from moving forward." He cited the increasingly common engagements over the Internet: "Current regulations are forcing accountants to break state laws when the Internet takes them across state lines."

Eclectic background

Brown also has been active in the National Society of Accountants, serving as its president for 1994-95. The NSA membership consists of LPAs, CPAs, enrolled agents and unlicensed accountants. There isn't as much difference between the NSA and other groups as one might expect," said Brown. "As I see it, all accountants are concerned about what's best for the profession."

Brown has his own firm in Clifton, New Jersey.