Ben A. ‘Steve’ Stevens III is the FICPA’s 81st President

You might say that accounting is in Ben A. “Steve” Stevens III’s blood.

He’s the son of the late Ben A. Stevens Jr., a Florida CPA who recently was honored with the creation of an FICPA Educational Foundation endowment in his name. His youngest sister, Teresa Stevens Roades, is a CPA who once worked for Florida Power & Light and JP Morgan and is now a full-time mom. Stevens’ wife, Ginny, previously practiced as a CPA and is now a stay-at-home mother to their three children.

Stevens, the FICPA’s 81st president, sees his new role as another opportunity to give back to the profession that has played a central role in his life. It’s the latest chapter in his long history of FICPA service, which began when he joined the Institute in 1992.

“I think that’s what our profession is about,” said Stevens, chief financial officer for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in Pensacola. “There’s a feeling that we have a certain kind of knowledge, and we try to give that back. And when you drill down into the service of each of the (FICPA) board members, it’s not just that they’re giving back to the profession; they’re giving back to the community, their families and their churches.”

Immediate Past President Dave Dennis said that Stevens is an important representative of FICPA members in industry and government, as well as those from Northwest Florida. He also invoked a symbol and in-joke from his own presidency: "I'm confident that Steve will continue the era of flexibility with year two of Gumby," Dennis said.

On a more serious note, Dennis said Stevens' years of service to the profession are tribute to his late father's legacy.

"I was honored to have helped create an endowment for Steve's dad, and I know that Ben was proud of everything Steve has done," Dennis said.

Holly Benson, secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, agreed, saying the FICPA will continue to thrive under Stevens’ leadership.

“Steve and I have been friends for a long time, and for as long as I have known him, he has been a tireless advocate for the FICPA,” said Benson, a former state representative and secretary of the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). “I know he will bring incredible enthusiasm and passion to the job, and I think (FICPA) members are going to have a really fun year with Steve in charge.”

Stevens said his goal is to continue the Institute’s focus on major issues such as mandatory peer review, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and “mobility,” or practicing across state lines. But the top priority, he said, remains service to members.

“I want to continue what Dave started with the ‘members first’ philosophy and trying to make (leadership) visible not only at the chapter meetings, but at our different conferences,” Stevens said. “The members need to know that we are there, that we are listening and that the members come first.”

Career Ascent
Stevens began his studies at Florida State University as a pre-med student, but his interest in business eventually led him to earn bachelor’s degrees in accounting and finance. After graduating and returning to his hometown of Pensacola in 1989, Stevens got his first job from a CPA who is part of FICPA history.

“If you look at our articles of incorporation, there are a lot of names listed. One of those names is Charles Fairchild, and he had a small firm here,” Stevens said. “He needed some part-time help with one of his clients, and that’s where I started; on a contract engagement. He have me a chance to get some experience.”

Stevens later moved to his father’s firm, where he worked for five years. In 1994, Escambia County beckoned with an offer to run the county’s budget office, and Stevens accepted. Escambia County Sheriff Ron McNesby said Stevens’ knowledge and trustworthiness have been invaluable to the county ever since.

“Commissioners have to rely on their budget director, because they’re not CPAs,” McNesby said. “Steve did a good job of trying to recognize where the commissioners wanted to go.”

In fact, Stevens did such a good job that McNesby hired him immediately after he was elected Sheriff in 2001. McNesby was so determined to have Stevens as CFO that he tracked him down at the YMCA to offer him the job.

“I was in the gym working out one evening, and this kid came running downstairs and said, ‘Hey, Steve, are you in trouble? Because the Sheriff is on the phone,’ ” Stevens recalled. “I talked to the Sheriff and asked if I could meet with him and what his schedule would allow. He said, ‘I want to talk to you right now.’ I came to his office from downtown that night, and I was in shorts and a white sweatshirt. So I guess my interview happened after a workout in gym clothes … and here I am. It was not the usual application, and it’s been an adventure ever since.”

On any given day, Stevens’ tasks can range from handling payroll to working with an external auditor to helping precincts respond to natural disasters. The Sheriff’s Office has a fully self-supporting disaster response unit that was dispatched to Pembroke Pines after Hurricane Wilma and Harrison County, Miss., after Hurricane Katrina.

“It’s certainly away from the ticking and tying, the audit and tax work and the normal things you would think a CPA does,” Stevens said. “What it shows is that our value as CPAs is not just with a public accounting firm. That’s because of the standards that we maintain and the fact that we continue with our education.”

Sheriff McNesby speaks glowingly of Stevens, both professionally and personally. He credits Stevens with modernizing the office’s processes, negotiating good insurance and investment plans and generally putting his all into the job. Now that the Sheriff’s Office is faced with a flat budget, Stevens is at the head of efforts to negotiate up to $2 million in savings — and McNesby is confident that he will be successful.

“Not only has he done a tremendous job, but he’s become one of my very best friends,” McNesby said. “I trust Steve absolutely with anything I’ve got. People in political office have to be careful about who they trust. I could not ask for a better person to do what I need.”

Serving the Profession
Stevens brought the same enthusiasm to the FICPA, taking on leadership roles almost from the beginning. Shortly after passing the CPA Exam, he attended a local chapter meeting in Pensacola. Mere months later, he was treasurer of the West Florida chapter, eventually becoming chapter president. He went on to serve as regional vice president for Region I, and he chaired several task forces and committees along the way. Stevens eventually joined Board of Governors and the Executive Committee, completing an eighth term on the committee last year. He is currently president of Florida CPA/PAC-North.

“It’s been a fun time. We’ve seen a lot of changes in the profession over the last 13 or 14 years,” Stevens said. “The great thing about being part of this organization is not just what you put in, but what you get back.”

FICPA CEO-Executive Director Kathy Anderson, CAE, said Stevens’ record of involvement and leadership is proof of his dedication to the FICPA and its mission.

"Steve is truly committed to the CPA profession and has tirelessly serve the Institute for many years,” Anderson said. “He has been involved in every function of the Institute from legislative affairs to professional development. The FICPA is fortunate to have his leadership, and I'm really looking forward to working with him to ensure another successful year. Plus, I know it will be a fun year as well.”

Stevens downplays his individual importance, pointing out that steering the FICPA is very much a group effort. There is much that the FICPA already does well, he said, including CPE delivery, legislative advocacy, communicating with members and working with its affiliates, the Educational Foundation and PAC. Stevens also said that the Institute’s positive relationships with other bodies, such as the DPBR, the Legislature and the Board of Accountancy (BOA), allow the FICPA to be effective for members.

“It’s great to be the president, but I’m not going to do anything that the Board of Governors and the Executive Committee don’t want to do,” he said. “I think we have a very good governance system.”

Family Life
For all of Stevens’ professional accomplishments, friends also describe him as a dedicated family man. He refers to his wife, Ginny, as the “CEO/CFO of the house,” which includes 11-year-old Benjamin Amos IV, 9-year-old Joseph William and 7-year-old Jenna Elaine.

An avid saltwater fisherman, Stevens enjoys spending his free time boating and fishing with his children, scuba diving and coaching youth baseball. In his spare time, he also acts as president of the Pensacola Rotary Club. Said McNesby: “Steve is very family-oriented. He spends a lot of time with his kids, and I think that’s hard to do when you’re in public life.”

Stevens said it’s important to him to have a career that allows him to nurture other aspects of his life.  “With the skillset that (CPAs) have, we have the flexibility to do a lot of things,” he said. “It allows us to give back to our communities and spend time with our families, whether it’s coaching baseball or doing volunteer work.”

Despite the work ahead, Stevens said he expects the FICPA presidential role to be every bit as satisfying as the others he has filled over the last 16 years.

“The common thing here (among leadership) is that if it’s not any fun, we’re not going to do it anymore,” Stevens said. “But I’ve enjoyed all of my jobs. I’ve had a good time whether it was public accounting, being a lifeguard, running the county budget office or being CFO of the Sheriff’s Office. And I’m still having fun.”