The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) is the recipient of the 2005 Clarion Award in the Public Affairs Campaign category from the Association for Women in Communications (AWC). The AICPA will accept the award at the annual AWC professional conference in Lubbock, Texas on October 22.

“The recognition our program has received tells us that the CPA profession was right in identifying the need for financial literacy education in this country,” says Carl George, Chair of the AICPA National CPA Financial Literacy Commission and CEO of Clifton Gunderson, LLP. “These awards are also a tribute to the state CPA societies and the many thousands of CPAs who have devoted their time, energy and creativity to improving the level of financial literacy in America.”

The Clarion Award recognizes excellence across all communications disciplines, including advertising and marketing, publications, collateral materials, public relations and multi-media. It is the fourth award won by the 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy campaign since it was introduced in May 2004. Since it was launched, 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy has reached 150 million Americans according to the AICPA.

The purpose of the 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy campaign is to help the public improve their financial understanding. A multifaceted effort spearheaded by the AICPA and supported by State CPA Societies, it encourages CPAs to take broad leadership roles in volunteering to educate the American public.