Representative John A. Maher has been a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since September 1997, representing the 40th District. The district is composed of the Township of Upper St. Clair and part of the Borough of Bethel Park in Allegheny County, and the Township of Peters in Washington County.
A Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania since 1983, Rep. Maher is founder of one of the largest CPA firms founded in western Pennsylvania during the past half-century. He is a 1979 magna cum laude graduate of Duke University, with an A.B. degree in Management Sciences/Accounting. He also completed scholarship studies at Oxford University and the Australian Graduate School of Management.
A resident of Upper St. Clair, Rep. Maher is involved in a variety of community activities, helping to promote the efforts of churches, civic groups and cultural organizations.
Legislative Service
John authored the Open Records Law, Act 100 of 2002, establishing the first progress in 45 years for Pennsylvanians' right to access state and local government records. For his dedication to this issue, John was awarded the “Northrop Award for Open Government" from the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association in 2003.
He also authored Act 166 of 2002, which adopted a uniform definition of earned income across the thousands of localities and school districts, and is the author of pending legislation to end Pennsylvania's distinction as the only state in the nation with no laws governing lobbying.
Various other legislative initiatives introduced by John have become law as freestanding legislation or as amendments to other bills.
Respected for his CPA talents, John has been called upon to serve on the House Appropriations (2001 to present) committee, and currently also serves on the Transportation, Professional Licensure and Labor Relations committees. He serves as Majority Chairman on the Public Transportation Subcommittee. In 2003, John was appointed to the Majority Oversight Committee by House Speaker Perzel. Since 2001, he has served on the Tobacco Settlement Investment Board, directing the investment of several hundred millions of endowment funds. John also has served on select committees/task forces on Investment Integrity (2002), Mental Retardation (2000-2001), and the Philadelphia Airport (1999).
CPA Experience
John began his accounting career with the Pittsburgh office of a national CPA firm, where he served clients ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. During 1987 and 1988, he served in the firm's national office. There he led two industry groups, negotiated with international members of the firm to establish a uniform audit approach, and interacted with the bodies that promulgate generally accepted accounting principles and generally accepted auditing standards.
In 1989, John started a new CPA firm. Within three years, the firm grew to be among the 25 largest CPA firms in the Pittsburgh region. John continued to lead the growth of the firm until he joined the legislature, by which time John's company was the largest firm founded in western Pennsylvania in its industry in a half-century.
Publishing and Instructing
John has a long list of credits in publishing and instructing. Notably, he was keynote speaker at the 2003 Cambridge University International Symposium of Economic Crime, where he also instructed “Accounting for Integrity." His audience included business and law enforcement leaders from more than 60 nations, including the heads of Interpol and Europol, attorneys general and ambassadors of many countries. He also taught “Forensic Auditing," a course for government officials, at the Cambridge University International Symposium of Economic Crime in 1999.
In 2003, John taught “Government Financial Information for Reporters" for the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association's Reporter's Boot Camp, and in 2002, “The Lessons of Enron," for the North American Association of Securities Administrators, national annual conference of regulators.
Other publications include: “Overview of Government Accounting," Applying Government Accounting Principles (standard text published by Matthew Bender & Co.), July 1995; “Fair Cities," The Economist, January 23, 1993; “Reporting on Solvency," Mergers & Acquisitions Journal, September/October 1988; and “The Housecall Makes a Comeback," The Pennsylvania CPA Journal, Winter 1986.
John has been a guest instructor at Carnegie Mellon University, Heinz School; a member of the Community College of Allegheny County adjunct faculty; and has taught dozens of seminars to local, state and national audiences. From 1994 to 1999, he served on the National Advisory Board, Center for Government Accounting Research and Education.
Community Activities
John is a resident of Upper St. Clair, a suburban Pittsburgh community in Allegheny County. As a representative of this township and neighboring Bethel Park and Peters, he is involved in numerous community activities. John is a member of the board of directors for the Boy Scouts of America, Greater Pittsburgh Council. John was a member of the Pennsylvania Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aged Alignment Task Force (2001-2003); a board member and treasurer for the ALS Association of Western Pennsylvania (1990-1996); member of the Health Agency Coalition (embracing Alzheimer's Association, Lupus Foundation, Epilepsy Foundation and others) board of directors (1992-1996); and the Irish American Partnership, National Board of Governors (1994-1997). He twice received awards as a member of the Western Pennsylvania Community Accountants (1990-1997) for volunteering professional services to non-profit organizations.
As a member of the General Assembly, John has earned a long list of awards and recognitions from civic and political groups, including the “Seven Seals Award" for Meritorious Leadership and Initiative in Support of the Men and Women who Serve America in the National Guard and Reserve, 2003, issued by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for the United States. He was named “Republican of the Year" in 1999 by the Upper St. Clair Republican Committee, and in 1998, by the Bethel Park Republican Leadership Council.