Sad News In The Accounting World; Alan Salmon Has Passed Away

Alan Salmon was Canada’s leading analyst in the area of accounting technology and was well known to people in the accounting and bookkeeping industry.

I had worked in the past at a professional bookkeeping member association and had the honour to meet Alan in person at an Intuit Conference at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. I also had written a spotlight about him.

This was the post I wrote and was published on the IPBC website dated September 26, 2016.

“Monday Member Spotlight- Alan Salmon, IPBC Board Member and Managing Director of K2E Inc.

IPBC had the opportunity to speak with Alan Salmon recently.  Alan is recognized as Canada’s leading analyst in the area of accounting technology.  He has a very impressive bio and many years of business experience.  A few among many to list are: over 30 years of business, management systems, education and journalism experience.  As the Managing Director of K2E, Alan is responsible for the Canadian operations of this International consulting group, which provides professional development technology education for accountants across Canada and the USA.  Alan holds a degree in Science and an Advanced Teaching Certificate from the University of Toronto.

What you may not know about Alan Salmon is that he is a current Board Member of the IPBC. Alan has been involved with IPBC almost from its beginning.  He began as an advisor and then for the last two years as a Board Member. In the past few years, Alan has chaired the IPBC Task Force on Technology, the 2015 Benchmark Survey and this year, the Awards Committee.

Alan has always been an avid volunteer and believes in “giving back” to others.  In the past, he was the National President of the Canada Jaycees, Chair of the Rotary Club, as well as donating two weeks of his time each year between 1999 to 2012, to co-manage the Internet café at the Lion’s Clubs International Conference at different locations around the world.  

Alan Salmon is a real professional. From instructing over 50 different courses on technology topics to over 15,000 bookkeepers and accountants to 24 years as a technology columnist and editor for the Bottom Line Newspaper, this doesn’t even come close to how successful he is.

In 2006, Alan was the highest ranked instructor for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario with a rating of over 93.5%. Now that is a feat in itself.

We asked Alan what advice he would give to someone who is just embarking on a brand new bookkeeping career and this is what he told us:

“Understand that you are embarking on a journey that is constantly changing. First, develop your skills as a Professional Bookkeeper. Second, become a CPB to show the world that you are certified.  And finally, never stop developing your skills”  

Alan feels that joining the IPBC membership would be great for your career.  This is what he says on that regard: “Bookkeeping is an unregulated profession and the IPBC CPB designation is now the Gold Standard for bookkeepers. It sets them above the crowd and it personally generates more income for the CPB whether they are in business for themselves or employed as a bookkeeper”.

Alan Salmon was awarded a Fellowship at the IPBC conference in Niagara Falls in 2015.  He has a dream that IPBC will become the premier bookkeeping association in Canada providing outstanding services in both English and French to not only its members but also to the entire bookkeeping community. 

Until a medical set back four years ago, Alan and his wife were avid travellers; have flown over 1.9 million miles on Air Canada and over 500,000 miles on other airlines. He has been around the world 9 times from bungee jumping in New Zealand to climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge to meeting the Grandson of King George V in London among too many amazing adventures to mention. 

Alan Salmon has now retired from teaching and manages K2E Canada Inc.  He lives in Brampton, Ontario with his wife Nancy.  He has four daughters and nine grand-children. He has received many awards for teaching and service, including a Luca Award from ICB-Global, a Paul Harris Fellowship, a Melvin Jones Fellowship, the Canadian Internet Award and a life membership in Junior Chamber International.

Retirement hasn’t slowed Alan down; he is a force to be reckoned with and we are so lucky to have him as a part of the IPBC team.”

This was a Coffee Themed Day and was the picture that Alan had sent me

Condolences to Alan’s wife Nancy and to his family. To learn more about Alan Salmon, please visit https://www.salmon.ca

You will be missed by many and made a difference as a mentor and teacher.

June 21, 1936 – November 24, 2020

Alan Salmon passed away peacefully with wife Nancy at his side.

Author: Darlene Morrison

Mom of four living in Newmarket with my family. Love writing, reading, and studying Fundraising Management. Loves hanging with my children, running and spending time with friends and family