When the AICPA was founded in 1887, we were named the American Association of Public Accountants. The original members of the AICPA were primarily English and Scottish chartered accountants working in

what had been a poorly defined profession. Founding members wanted to ensure that accountancy gained respect as a profession and was practiced by ethical, competent professionals. Even though the AICPA has merged with other professional accounting organizations and reorganized over the last hundred years, we have always retained these goals.