Mark Hugh

CPA
Mark Hugh PLLC

Mark is a well-known and award-winning speaker regarding state and local tax issues, and his audiences since 1992 have included thousands, including accountants, industry groups, and attorneys. His work includes planning and tax reporting reviews for a variety of organizations in all states. He has represented thousands of taxpayers, from field auditors to administrative appeals. He is the instructor of the Washington Tax Series webcasts: Washington Tax for Service Businesses, Washington Sales Tax, and Washington Tax Audits.

He is a CPA, a graduate with honors from the University of Washington, and holds a master’s degree in federal income taxation from Golden Gate University. He is the winner of the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants award for Outstanding Discussion Leader, the award for Public Service, and the Chair’s Award for outstanding service as a board member.

Mark is also author and instructor of Washington Ethics and New Developments, a Washington State Board of Accountancy approved course for regulatory ethics, Oregon Ethics and New Developments, an Oregon Board of Accountancy approved course for regulatory ethics, Ethics for CPAs, the Pragmatic, Possible, and Practical, a course on national ethics, and CPA to Consultant, a course on creating and providing consulting services.

He was a four-term board member of the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants, and was the 2011 to 2012 Board President. He was also a three-year member of the AICPA Council, the governing body of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Mark is currently a CPA member of the Washington State Board of Accountancy, the government body that initially qualifies and monitors the quality of CPA’s and CPA firms in Washington.

Mark on mentorship

I am passionate about the next generation of professionals and future leaders. They are highly intelligent, thoughtful, diverse, well grounded, technically accomplished and in retrospect, their accomplishments in business and beyond in national and local leadership will far outstrip those of the post World War II “Greatest Generation”. If I am a good steward of the present, it is my duty to help this generation of professionals begin their own journey to create a better future for everyone.

I have been in the world of CPAs and finance for 35 years, and in different leadership roles in the national and state level, and I would be a good personal and career development mentor for anyone interested in accounting, both public and private.

Specialty topics

• Career development
• Building upon your own strengths
• Mitigating your own weaknesses
• Finding your own path to professional and personal happiness

Learning resources

On a daily basis, I read the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Seattle Times, and the Economist Magazine on a weekly basis, the latter an excellent resource for a global view on the world.

Fun Facts

During the pandemic I have worked on my guitar playing and my secret goal is to, before I die, become a singer songwriter. But don’t tell anyone about that, remember it’s a secret!