In 1995. Canadian native Maria Messina achieved one of the most sought-after career goals in the public accounting profession when she was promoted to partner with Accountants, the Canadian affiliate of the Us.based Deloitte& Touche, Chartered Deloitte& Touche, LLP In an interview she granted to an accounting trade publica- tion shortly after receiving that promotion, Ms. Messina noted that"Becoming a part- ner is exciting because you are a part of everything"1 Messina's promotion earned her the respect and admiration of her family, her friends, and her colleagues and standard of catapulted her to a much higher tax bracket and a more comfortable living. But another opportunity soon arose, an opportunity that promised even more intrinsic and extrinsic rewards for Messina.