The Foreign Service Journal, May 2014

62 MAY 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS AFSA Helps Out Common Ground Book Festival AFSA welcomed the invitation to support the fifth annual Common Ground International Book Fest & Business Expo at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W. Va. The March 1 event showcased the work of authors, playwrights, filmmakers, musicians and craft vendors with a host of activities, seminars and book signings. It was organized by Women for Shepherd University, the Shepherd University Foundation and Harambee Conference. AFSA arranged for retired Foreign Service officer Patricia McArdle to be the featured speaker at the event’s keynote luncheon. McArdle is the author of the novel Farishta (Riverhead Hardcover, 2011), win- ner of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. In addition to copies of The Foreign Service Journal , AFSA also donated copies of Inside a U.S. Embassy: Diplomacy at Work that were given as awards in various student competitions and as a door prize. n David L. Mortimer, CPA 5500 Holmes Run Parkway C4 Alexandria VA 22314 Tel: (703) 743-0272 Fax: (202) 204-5199 E-mail: David@mytaxcpa.net Web site: www.mytaxcpa.net F I RST C ONSULTAT I ON F REE • Income tax services • Financial planning • Practiced before the IRS • Electronic tax filing • Member AICPA David L. Mortimer, CPA, has more than 20 years of experience in tax planning, research and com- pliance. This experience includes developing tax minimization strategies, planning business trans- actions and tax audit representation. America Counts on CPAs NEWS BRIEF MATTHEWSUMRAK NEWS BRIEF March Job Search Program Reception On March 28, AFSA and DACOR co-hosted the graduation reception for the most recent Job Search Program group at the Foreign Service Institute. We were pleased to honor the 46 Foreign Service employees who were retiring from diplomatic service with champagne and hors d’oeuvres. Earlier that week, AFSA’s Membership Department hosted a brown-bag lunch with the same group to let them know about AFSA’s services to retirees. AFSA looks forward to welcoming them as retiree members of the association and continuing to work on their behalf as they begin a new chapter in their lives. n