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Entry posted 12/23/09 by Jeffrey Thomson
IMA Members,
Just a brief end of year message. By now, you may have received IMA's e-card "Happy You Year". While You rhymes with New, this was a purposeful play on words. At the end of the day, not to mention the beginning of the day, it is all about you - creating sustainable value that enhances your career and your organization's performance. That is our unwavering commitment to you. In 2010, we are raising the bar and are committed to delivering even more relevant products and services. Stay tuned.
- Entry posted 12/16/09 by Jeffrey Thomson
Hi Everyone,
Are you familiar with all of IMA's "pillars of value" - products and services to enhance your job, your career, your organization's performance?? We have talked for nearly the past month on one of our pillars, the CMA certification. The CMA is IMA's "crown jewel" and primary market differentiator so it deserves the attention especially with the first curriculum change in 6 years. But, there are many other pillars of value. Take the time to explore the website, read our award winning publications, ask questions on LinkUp IMA, call me, ... REALLY get familiar with your member benefits and pillars of value!!
- Entry posted 12/10/09 by Jeffrey Thomson
Hello Everyone,
In the spirit of not repeating past comments on the revised CMA curriculum announced a few weeks ago, I wanted to offer two new thoughts...
- Entry posted 12/2/09 by Jeffrey Thomson
Hello everyone. It has been about one week now since we made our big announcement on the revised CMA curriculum. The entire IMA/ICMA teams are mobilized to answer the excellent questions we are receiving. We appreciate the candor and respectful discussion - including suggestions on positioning and creating greater awareness - to enable the CMA to reach new heights in the global marketplace! Thank you very much. I wanted to reinforce a few points.
- Entry posted 11/25/09 by Jeffrey Thomson
Be Proud of your CMA - And Help Us Reach New Heights!!!
I am writing here more as a former SBU CFO at AT&T and CMA candidate more than as the president and CEO of IMA.
First, anyone who holds the cherished CMA should be proud of their accomplishment. The new CMA exam (the last update was July 2004) is at least as rigorous as previous exams and will require AT LEAST 300 hours of study to pass the 2 parts. The rigor has been validated by statisticians and psychometricians. Dennis Whitney, Senior Vice President of ICMA, and his team have done a fabulous job in balancing rigor and the needs of the marketplace.
The new exam tests the competencies required by today's CFOs, financial and accounting professionals in business. There is deep and intense focus on financial planning, budgeting, risk management, internal controls and decision support (in fact, the emphasis on risk management and internal controls has nearly doubled). How do we know these are the critical competencies? We asked the market. We conducted a 2-year study which included CFO surveys from Wharton and The Economist and our own surveys and focus groups of CFOs and finance managers around the globe. This is what THEY told us. The new exam is more focused and aligned with today's market. It is a challenging exam.
Why did we make the change? One, every credible certification body re-aligns its curriculum to market needs every 4 to 6 years. Secondly and most importantly, we truly believe that this new exam - combined with a supply chain approach which includes stepping up marketing, corporate development, learning systems and technology enablement - will allow the CMA to reach its true potential around the globe. The new exam is not competitive but rather complementary to the CPA, MBA and other advanced certifications and degrees.
But we need one more ingredient to make YOUR ASSOCIATION AND YOUR CERTIFICATION reach its true heights - YOU and the power of viral marketing. I am confident you will help us in spreading the word - be proud of your CMA! The more credible CMAs we have on the global stage, the greater voice we have to influence our careers, our organizations and economic development. Nothing less should be expected of us.
Thanks,
Jeff Thomson
IMA President and CEO
Entry posted 7/23/09 by Marc GerroneIMA's Chief Marketing Officer Maureen Walsh comments about LinkUp IMA and IMA's online social networks in the July 17 edition of WebCPA.
Entry posted 6/30/09 by Dennis WhitneyHello everyone:
The new issue of Strategic Finance just came out and it includes the annual salary survey. Once again, the results show that CMAs earn, on average, over 20% more than accountants who are not certified - demonstrating the value of the CMA in the market. And IMA is working very hard to increase that value even more.
Does anyone have a story to share about getting a substantial raise or bonus after completing the CMA?
Dennis Whitney, CMA
Senior VP - ICMA
- Entry posted 6/11/09 by Jeffrey Thomson
Hi everyone,
Last post from Denver. We kicked off the conference last week with TWO sessions on ethics, a cornerstone of our profession and our professionals who serve as trusted business advisors inside organizations.
We ended the conference with the focus on leadership, particularly in these challenging times. A panel moderated by Dr. Peter Brewer included a young professional, a mid-level professional, and a seasoned professional which provided a diversity of perspectives on leadership challenges. In short, regardless of what stage you are in your career, the management accountant needs a mix of "hard" skills (technical) and "soft" skills (e.g., communication, negotiation, collaboration) to exert influence in an organization. In the coming months, be looking out for some exciting announcements from the IMA in the area of leadership development.
Very exciting to be part of the global IMA community!
Thanks,
Jeff
- Entry posted 6/9/09 by Jeffrey Thomson
Hi everyone,
Nearing the end of our Denver annual conference. I will be brief, since I am told that my last blog was too long winded!
The outing at the Denver Zoo was wonderful and exemplifies what being part of the IMA community is all about (in addition to certification and education) - trading business cards, getting to know each other, catching up, sharing life experiences. As we plan for our annual conference in Baltimore next June, do you believe that adding social or family events will increase attendance and/or improve satisfaction levels?
An unwavering commitment to ethics means that we as management accountants - trusted business advisors in our organizations - must set the example when it comes to ethics and integrity. And we do. We kicked off the 90th annual conference in Denver with TWO keynote sessions on ethics and integrity. Today, many of you approached me and said that Marianne Jenning's session on ethics was heart-felt, relevant, instructive, and inspiring, all at the same time.
Thanks, chat soon.
Jeff
- Entry posted 6/8/09 by Jeffrey Thomson
Hi everyone,
This was the title of the keynote talk given here in Denver by the Honorary Mr. David Walker, former U.S. Comptroller General. The talk focused on the unacceptable level of national debt, the source of our debt, and the transformational actions required by government and citizens to correct the situation over the long run.
For our international members in attendance, I know this topic seems U.S.-centric but in many ways, like it or not, the U.S. is at the center of the global economic recession. We must become part of the solution, not just part of the problem.
Many thanks to our own Kim Wallin, CMA, former volunteer chair of the IMA and State Controller of Nevada, for getting Mr. Walker to speak at our event.
Resources available include the website www.pgpf.org (Peter G. Peterson Foundation of which Mr. Walker serves as CEO) and search on the movie I.O.U.S.A. which offers a 30 minute educational video on the national debt and what can be done about it.
So, taking off your taxpayer hat what can management accountants do? Continue to be the guiding posts for ethics and integrity, serving as trusted business advisors, protecting investors, and driving business performance. Upgrade your skills and competencies by getting certified and taking educational programs. There are MANY areas where we serve to protect investors which contributing to increased productivity and economic development: risk management; advanced costing techniques; working capital management; planning and forecasting; and, financial literacy and leadership.
Which leads to another excellent keynote presentation this morning in Denver. Jeff VanKooten from the Center for Generational Studies gave a relevant and fun talk - at 7 am in the morning - on the importance of different generations understanding their respective values and attitudes. If you are to be an influencer inside your organization, it starts first with engagement and an open mind.
All for now. COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOME!!