While we’ve dedicated considerable resources to this U.S. campaign, we remain very focused on increasing our international footprint as well. We continue to enjoy success outside the U.S., as shown by the number of new CMAs from around the world—including the Middle East, Europe, and the Asia/Pacific regions—all of whom recognize our certification as the gold standard for management accounting.
In keeping with our commitment to international expansion, later this month I will travel to Southeast Asia where, in large part because of our great success in China, we’re seeing a growing interest in management accounting. I’ll visit the new office we just opened in Singapore, which enjoys a strong banking and finance-based economy, and will meet with industry groups, educational organizations, and corporations in Malaysia and Vietnam. This will be the first time that an IMA Chair has visited these countries, and I am honored to serve as the standard-bearer as we seek to develop new relationships in this region.
Because we remain committed to expanding awareness about the CMA program and management accounting throughout the world, we will continue to identify other new opportunities throughout the balance of the year. Two possible areas of future interest include Hong Kong and southern China, both of which have thriving economies that can significantly benefit from the skills offered by CMAs.
To shift back to the U.S. for a moment, I would be remiss if I didn’t use this opportunity to mention that our Annual Student Leadership Conference (SLC) will take place November 10-12 in Detroit, Mich. This SLC, themed “Make It Happen,” is a wonderful opportunity for our youngest IMA members—those still enrolled in undergraduate programs—to learn about the lifetime of career benefits they can realize by becoming CMAs.
I hope this reminds all of you who are CMAs that, on whatever continent you reside, you can feel proud and confident of your CMA credential because you earned it. And if you’re one of our members who hasn’t yet joined their ranks, why not consider doing so today?
I invite your feedback and suggestions on this or anything else on your mind. Please share your thoughts with me at mpalker@imanet.org.
November 2016
