MICHIGAN COUNCIL

Fall 2003 Conference Report

Our second annual IMA Michigan Fall Conference was a great success based on the attendance (over 100 in attendance), the speakers (again 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 Ernie Huband welcomed the conference participants and let them know they were in for an outstanding conference. Dr. Anthony Chan, Senior Managing Director & Chief Economist from Banc One Investment Advisors was our first speaker and provided an entertaining and informative economic update on the economy. Next, David Wells, Manager of the Litigation Services Group at Plante & Moran, enlightened the group on ways employees embezzle from their employers, and how to prevent it. After a brief break, Ernie Huband, former IMA National President held the participant’s attention on the topic of effective leadership for the 21st century. Our morning session concluded with Janet Seefried, President of Seefried & Associates, who educated the group on using the balanced scorecard.

For our luncheon program, Dana Collins, IMA Michigan Council President, recognized the Chapter Presidents, Council leaders, Ohio Council President, MSU student Chapter President, and the conference team. Dana and Kim Wallin, IMA National Chair, presented chapter awards to the Ann Arbor and Detroit Metro chapters - and to the Kalamazoo Chapter - the first place banner winner and recipient of the Stevenson Trophy. Kim then presented former IMA Michigan Council President Harvey Kragt with the Council Award of Excellence. Next, Chris Lucy, Regional Manager of Robert Half International presented James Skochelak, Controller of Atwell-Hicks, Inc., with the Financial Executive of the Year Award. To conclude the luncheon program, our keynote speaker Kim Wallin, IMA National Chair, made a presentation on "The Future of Our Profession in the 21st Century".

In the afternoon, Larry Cooley, CPA, Partner with Plante & Moran, PLLC, 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 Janet Seefried, Chair, IMA Ethics Committee; Sue Bos, Former Chair, IMA Ethics Committee and Chair of the IMA Finance Committee; and Larry Cooley, Partner with Plante & Moran; helped the participants understand the ethics principals involved and suggested the right thing to do in each case. To conclude the conference, Professor Mike Shields, Broad Professor of Accounting at Michigan State University, provided the conference attendees with research to support the performance measures that are most effective at predicting performance.

Many thanks to our Corporate Sponsor for this event - Robert Half International (Premier Conference Sponsor). Many thanks also to our Corporate Contributors including The Rehmann Group, Andrews Hooper & Pavlik PLC, and Hartland Insurance Group, Inc. These companies, along with our conference speakers and the organizations who provided conference speakers - Bank One, Plante & Moran, and Michigan State University - 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!

• Reception & continental breakfast / Participant welcome
• "Update on the Economy" - Dr. Anthony Chan, Senior Managing Director & Chief Economist Banc One Investment Advisors
• "Preventing Fraud and Embezzlement" - David Wells, CPA, CFE, Manager, Litigation Services Group, Plante & Moran, PLLC
• "Effective Leadership for the 21st Century" - Ernie Huband, CMA, CFM, CPA, Former IMA National President
• "Improving Performance Using a Balanced Scorecard" - Janet Seefried, President, Seefried & Associates, Performance Management Consultants
• Lunch, Awards, and Keynote Speaker
  Special awards and recognition - Michigan Council leaders, Michigan chapter awards, student awards, Financial Executive of the Year Award - Dana Collins, Michigan Council President
  Keynote luncheon speaker - Kim Wallin, CMA, CFM, CPA - IMA National Chair - "The Future of Our Profession in the 21st Century"
• "Financial Reporting and Sarbanes-Oxley Update" - Larry Cooley, CPA, Partner - Plante & Moran, PLLC
• "Ethics in Action" - Panel discussion involving ethical situations which financial professionals face - Janet G. Seefried, Consultant, and IMA Ethics Committee Chair; John T. Berry - Executive Director, State Bar of Michigan; Susan E. Bos, CMA - Former IMA Ethics Committee Chair & IMA Finance Committee Chair; and Larry Cooley, CPA, Partner, Plante & Moran
• "Which Performance Measures are Most Effective in Predicting Performance?" - Michael D. Shields, Ph.D., Broad Professor of Accounting, Broad Graduate School of Management, Michigan State University