Respecting my word limit for this column (and the remainder of your cup of Joe), the past 12 months have been no less than…colorful. Without even opening the global spread of social media before us (and, some may argue, its sensationalism as a result), we need only to look up at the sky, East and West to national capitals, and especially within our own IMA®, to witness major events in the mirror. For IMA, these mile markers have been significant:
(1) There are now 108,000-strong IMA members around the world from Albania to Yemen, from California to Maine;
(2) The majority of our growth is now from outside North America in other rapidly expanding markets; and
(3) Your Global Board has adopted some best practices in the continual evolution of its nominating process, the first change since the early 2000s.
One area that deserves special mention is the dedication and commitment I’ve witnessed from our staff and volunteers during my travels, both to Montvale, N.J., and around the world. Having personally engaged with numerous IMA local markets, including China and the Middle East, it was extremely illuminating to hear the life-changing impact of the gold-standard CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) credential, of professional careers made, of lifelong friendships (yes, even marriages!) forged, of breakthrough academic innovations realized, and, especially, of service to one another. More than 100,000 of us not only share common goals of advancing and advocating for our profession—we also share a kindred bond as a global family.
As I approach the beginning of my term as your global Chair-Emeritus, I can’t help but write with a heart filled with gratitude, with respect for every member, and with optimism for our next 100 years as we kick off IMA’s century-birthday celebration.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you, and I look forward to the great potential our phenomenal organization will continue to realize.
I welcome your comments at aeng@imanet.org.
June 2018
