The CPA societies of five states in the New England region of the United States have approved a merger plan to form a regional organization with approximately 14,500 members. Association leadership stated that this move will strengthen industry advocacy capabilities and help address the talent challenges facing the accounting profession.

Effective July 1, the CPA societies of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont will merge into the "New England Society of CPAs." The new organization will retain staff in all five states while continuing state-specific advocacy efforts and local member services through a regional leadership structure.

The merger will create one of the largest CPA society organizations in the nation. Leadership stated that the combined organization will provide accounting and finance professionals with richer learning opportunities and more resources, while enhancing the industry's ability to attract future CPAs.

"This is a member-first opportunity to build a more influential industry organization in New England by leveraging the strengths of each state society," said Zach Donah, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Society of CPAs, in a statement. Donah will serve as President and CEO of the new organization.

The merger also aims to strengthen the industry's talent pipeline. Leadership stated that consolidating resources across the five states will enable the organization to expand outreach efforts to students and future CPAs, and increase awareness of accounting career opportunities throughout the region.

Will more state societies follow suit with mergers?

Although merger proponents emphasize goals such as talent development and member advocacy, the move has also sparked speculation about whether other state societies might seek similar consolidation.

On the June 1 episode of "The Accounting Podcast," co-host David Leary said the merger may be more than just a regional consolidation of resources. "It's kind of wild," Leary said. "They combined like the 'Voltron ring.'" He was referring to a comedic prop from the movie "Deadpool."

Leary noted the significant differences in membership size among the merging societies. Massachusetts accounts for approximately 11,500 of the new organization's projected 14,500 members, while Vermont has about 800 members and Maine about 1,000 members.

Nevertheless, he said the economic logic behind the merger is understandable—smaller professional organizations face increasing pressure to demonstrate member value and sustain operational resources. "For small states, merging makes sense," Leary said. "With so few members, how do you build an executive team? How can you afford the staff a state society needs?"

Leary believes state societies face pressures similar to those of the broader accounting profession, including membership growth challenges and changing member expectations of value. "What's the value of joining a state society?" he asked. "In the past, it was for CPE, but now you can get CPE anywhere." He said the bigger question is whether the New England merger will serve as a model for other regions. "Will we end up with just four or five 'super societies'?" he asked rhetorically.

While acknowledging this speculation is hypothetical, Leary believes a few larger regional organizations could ultimately have greater influence in national discussions on CPA mobility and licensure reform. "If you see a few more mergers happen, eventually forming four or five large organizations, they would have much more influence over NASBA and the AICPA," Leary said. "We may be witnessing a shift in the power landscape."

The industry has trended toward closer collaboration

The New England merger follows years of strengthened collaboration among state CPA societies, particularly in reforming CPA licensure requirements and improving cross-state mobility.

In an April 2025 interview with CFO.com, Calvin Harris Jr., CEO of the New York State Society of CPAs, said "there is more communication between states than people think," adding that state societies maintain "constant contact" in advancing CPA licensure reform proposals. The New York State Society is one of the largest in the nation, with 21,000 members.

This collaboration has become increasingly evident in the industry's debate over the "150-credit hour rule." Over the past two years, dozens of state CPA societies have worked together on legislative and regulatory reforms aimed at preserving the traditional 150-credit hour path while adding alternative pathways to improve industry access and address talent shortages.

During a 2025 webinar on CPA licensure reform, accounting industry leaders noted that more than 30 states are actively collaborating on alternative licensure pathways and mobility changes.

Efforts to advance mobility reform have also prompted states to think beyond traditional geographic boundaries. In the same webinar, Jen Cryder, CEO of the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs (an organization comparable in size to the New York State Society), described the proposed mobility reforms as a shift from a "state-based concept" to an "individual mobility pathway."

These developments echo the core arguments of New England merger supporters. When announcing the merger, leadership repeatedly emphasized the need for greater scale and stronger advocacy, while seeking to enhance the industry's influence as businesses and professionals navigate changes in areas such as technology and talent development.

Whether the New England Society of CPAs will become a model for future consolidation remains unclear. For now, the merger represents one of the most significant unions of state CPA societies in recent years, providing an early test of whether greater scale can help the industry address talent challenges while strengthening its voice on issues important to accountants and financial leaders.