The Personal Financial Specialist (PFS), Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV), and Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) credentials each must break even and have a minimum number of credential holders by certain dates:

• PFS, an older designation with 3,188 current holders, must have 3,600 holders by July 31, 2006.
• ABV must have 2,700 credential holders by July 31, 2008. Currently, 1,536 hold this credential.
• CITP must more than triple, with 1,700 credential holders by July 31, 2008. Currently, 527 hold this credential.

The Council also decided to provide financial support for the credentials, the underlying disciplines and the membership sections. In a resolution submitted earlier this month by the AICPA Board of Directors, the Board offered funding recommendations for Personal Financial Planning ($4.6 million in excess of revenues through 2006), Information Technology ($5.6 million in excess of revenues through 2008) and Business Valuation/Forensic & Litigations Services ($5.75 million in excess of revenues through 2008).

However, the coucil decided against a national branding campaign because of the costs and effort required to achieve that level of recognition.  Instead, the AICPA will develop marketing tools to help credential holders promote the designations in their local markets.

"The Institute will develop a variety of resources to help these practitioners deliver services to their clients and employers," said Robert Harris, incoming chair of the National Accreditation Commission. "NAC will coordinate its activities with the executive committee responsible for each underlying discipline to achieve an integrated approach that will help our members succeed in these specialty areas."

The vote came on the final day of the Council's fall conference in New Orleans.