Kitchener-Waterloo CA student captures Ontario Gold Medal

15 Ontario students earn honours in Canada-wide CA exam 

Toronto (December 5, 2008) – Anna Nowak of Kitchener-Waterloo captured the Ontario Gold Medal as the top writer of the Uniform Evaluation (UFE) in the province. A total of 15 Ontario CA students placed on the prestigious National Honour Roll, making 2008 a very good year for this province. Overall, a record 1,184 Ontario CA students have successfully passed the UFE, one of the world’s most challenging professional entry examinations. 

The UFE, written in September, is a national three-day evaluation that assesses competencies including essential knowledge, professional judgment, ethics and the ability to communicate. The UFE is an important component of the CA qualification program, which includes prescribed education, practical experience and examination requirements. Only those who complete this entire program successfully are entitled to use the internationally recognized designation of Chartered Accountant, a profession known for superior financial expertise, strategic thinking, business insight and leadership.  

Anna Nowak articles with Deloitte & Touche LLP in Kitchener-Waterloo and has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University. “Being named the Gold Medallist for Ontario was unbelievable and the last thing I expected,” she said. “I chose the profession because I knew being a CA would give me the experience I need to be successful in the world of business. Now, I’m taking it as it comes, with no ultimate career goals firmly in place, but I know the CA designation will afford me all sorts of opportunities in the future.” 

The following 14 other Ontario UFE writers have also achieved recognition on the 2008 National Honour Roll:

“Congratulations to all of the successful Ontario candidates and, in particular, our Gold Medalist Anna Nowak,” said Brian Hunt, FCA, President and CEO, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario. “Qualifying to become a CA is a very challenging process and the resulting career is rich in rewards and opportunities. I am confident that all of the students will make great contributions in their future careers and will uphold the high standards of the CA profession.” 

Interviews with Honour Roll students and/or photographs are available on request. 

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About the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario:
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario is the qualifying and regulatory body of Ontario's 33,000 CAs and 5,000 CA students. Since 1879, the Institute has protected the public interest through the CA profession's high standards of qualification and the enforcement of its rules of professional conduct.  Recognized internationally, the CA designation denotes financial expertise, strategic thinking, business insight and leadership. The Institute website is: www.icao.on.ca and the student website is www.guidetorulingtheworld.ca. 

For more information, please contact:
Perry Jensen
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario
69 Bloor St. East  Toronto, Ontario   M4W 1B3 
416-969-4271 or 1-800-387-0735 ext. 271
pjensen@icao.on.ca