Graham McIntosh awarded Honorary CPA designation for outstanding contributions to accounting education

Graham McIntosh, executive director of the Diploma in Accounting Program (DAP) and Continuing Business Studies (CBS) at the UBC Sauder School of Business, has been awarded an Honorary CPA designation by the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC) for his outstanding and innovative contributions to the advancement of accounting education in B.C. for over 25 years.

“It’s a great honour and extremely humbling to be recognized by both friends and peers in the profession through this designation,” says McIntosh. “Looking back on my many years of work with a lot of great people, it feels like I have now joined them professionally in a more meaningful way.”

Graham McIntosh, CPA (Hon.) spearheaded the launch of the DAP at UBC Sauder in 1999. He has made exemplary contributions to the profession by making the CPA Professional Education Program more accessible to students from diverse academic backgrounds. DAP is a post-baccalaureate program for students with a bachelor’s degree in non-accounting disciplines, and under his leadership, it now produces 150-200 graduates annually, nearly 4,000 since its inception. Many continue into the CPA program, and DAP graduates account for approximately 9 per cent of all Common Final Examination writers in B.C. 

“The essence of the DAP program has always been predicated on diversity: attracting students from diverse academic, national and cultural backgrounds,” says McIntosh. “These are students from non-business backgrounds who are given the opportunity through DAP to enter this innovative new pathway to become professional accountants. I think that diversity has really enhanced the profession as a whole, and I’m very proud of that.”

In response to COVID-19, McIntosh led the transition of all DAP courses to an online format within 10 days. Under McIntosh’s direction, the program’s achievements have garnered national attention, and other post-secondary institutions across Canada have implemented similar program models based on this success.

McIntosh works tirelessly on behalf of accounting students, meeting with industry leaders to discuss opportunities for graduates and providing financial backing through scholarships, including the CPABC Bill Johnson DAP Student Achievement Award, which he founded. Under his direction, DAP has evolved into a flexible program that students can tailor to their needs and schedules.

“Looking forward, I’m excited to continue to work with the accounting profession in the future, in concert with my roles with the DAP program as well as with UBC Sauder Continuing Business Studies (CBS),” says McIntosh.