MICHIGAN COUNCIL

Fall 2002 Conference Report and Pictures

Report on the 1st Annual IMA Michigan Fall Conference

Wednesday, 30-October, 2002

Our first annual IMA Michigan 2002 Fall Conference was a great success based on the attendance (over 100 in attendance), the speakers (they were great!), the conference facilities (MSU Kellogg Center did a super job), and the feedback we heard from attendees. Our conference speakers provided our conference participants with 8 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE).

After participant registration and a continental breakfast, former National IMA President Bud Kulesza welcomed the conference participants and let them know they were in for an outstanding conference. Christine Edwards, Executive VP, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary from Bank One in Chicago was our first speaker and provided a good education about the new regulatory requirements public companies face. Next, John Russell, President and CEO-Electric from Consumers Energy enlightened the group with his view on what the CEO expects from the finance staff. After a brief break, William Wagner, Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Ethics & Responsibility at The Thomas M. Cooley Law School held the participant's attention on the topic of ethics and professional responsibility. Our morning session concluded with Rich Keevey, Director from Unisys Corporation in Virginia addressed the group on financial management in the government sector, including technology used in financial related operations.

For our luncheon program, we went to the Lincoln room where Harve Kragt, IMA Michigan Council President, presented awards and recognition to Bob Stoma, past IMA Michigan Council President for his leadership in winning the IMA National Council Award of Excellence. He also presented awards to several students and to the CMA Exam winner. Next, our keynote luncheon speaker Pam Prinz Stewart, Vice President for Global Operations Audit, Robert Half International, and former National IMA President, made a presentation on "The Next Generation Accountant". Pam provided a lot of humor by sprinkling examples of resume bloopers throughout her talk!

In the afternoon, Mike Fleming, CPA, Principal & Shareholder, and Director of Financial Reporting for Rehmann Robson CPA's, educated the participants with the many changes in financial reporting requirements. Next, the participants were engaged in thoughtful discussion at their tables with several ethics mini-cases involving ethical situations that financial professionals face. An outstanding Ethics Panel, with Sue Bos, Chair, IMA Ethics Committee; William Wagner, Cooley Law School; & Mike Fleming, CPA, Rehmann Robson, CPA's, helped the participants understand the ethics principals involved and suggested the right thing to do in each case. To conclude the conference, our special motivational speaker Bud Kulesza, retired CFO of ITT Automotive, and former IMA National President, spoke on the "P's" of Leadership. He used various hats as props to illustrate each of his points in an entertaining and humorous way. Bud had us all singing "God Bless America" by the end of his talk, and it was a stimulating and patriotic way to end a successful day'

Many thanks to our Corporate Sponsor for this event - Robert Half International (sponsoring the keynote luncheon speaker). Many thanks also to our Corporate Contributors include Granger Construction Company, Carcoustics, Jet Engineering Inc., Enprotech Mechanical Services Inc, and Andrews Hooper & Pavlik PLC. These companies, along with our conference speakers and the organizations who provided conference speakers - Bank One, Consumers Energy, Unisys, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, and Rehmann Robson CPA's - helped make this event possible. Proceeds from this event will be used to promote education, certification and professionalism of management accountants and to improve the profession of management accounting and financial management.

Thanks to all who attended, and we look forward to seeing everyone again at next year's conference!

Jim Horsch, Conference Co-Chair, IMA Michigan Council
Tony Curtis, Conference Co-Chair, IMA Lansing Jackson Chapter
Lynn Margulies, Sponsorships & Marketing, IMA Lansing Jackson Chapter
Penny Weller, Registration and Conference Materials, IMA Kalamazoo Chapter
Bob Maddox, Website, IMA Ann Arbor Chapter
Harvey Kragt, Michigan Council President