President's Message

Incoming Council President's Letter-June 2010

Welcome to another council year.   I am looking forward to helping both the chapters and the members of the Michigan Council.    The Michigan Council is not just the fifteen or so board members.   No, the Michigan Council is all of the IMA members in the council area.   I, as your president, am here to assist both you and your chapter through the IMA experience.

Let us thank Chris Mishler and the 2009-2010 board for yet another Council of Excellence Award, thirteen in a row!  Chris will be a hard act to follow.

The board’s hard work continues to pay dividends to our members.

I am writing this message on a beautiful spring afternoon.   However, my thoughts are on the fall and out 9th annual conference.   I am certain that this year’s conference will be as great as the last eight conferences.   This year’s conference will be on Monday, October 25 at the same location as the last eight conferences.

Those members who would be interested in attending our annual planning meeting, please reserve the date of July 14.   The meeting is at La Senorita Restaurant in Lansing at 5:30pm.   (Don’t worry if you are a bit late).  The tentative dates for Michigan Council Board Meeting are:


All Meetings are held at the La Senorita Restaurant on Lake Lansing Rd in Lansing

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As the Council President for this year, I would like to tell you a bit about myself.   I live in the Allen Park area.   I am married with two sons and two grandsons.   I recently received my CMA.   I have been an IMA member for over 20 years and am a past president of the Detroit Chapter.   I continue to be on the board of the Detroit Chapter.   I currently work for Ford Field and the Detroit Lions football team.   My position is Manager of Financial Reporting.

As a final note, I would like to thank all of you for your commitment to the IMA and your local chapter.   I am here to assist both you and your chapter.  Please feel free to either call or email me.

Chuck Phillips,CMA
Michigan Council President 2010-2011
cphillips@detroitlions.com
313-262-2223
Fax:  313-262-2224

Outgoing Council President's Letter-June 2010

As the outgoing president of the Michigan Council, I can express my gratitude for being allowed to serve in this capacity over the last year.  As we started out the year, we had goals and a vision that we were able to either achieve or make progress toward. Then we had some unexpected bonuses as well. 

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The website renewal was so successful that the Ann Arbor Chapter won the National Bronze Award for quality, having been based on our site. Bob Maddox accepted the award from Chairman John Brausch (See photo). Many thanks to Lee Bennett and his efforts in this regard.  In another transition, Lee has been training Joe Nycum in the intricacies of web newsletters and updating the site.

 

After eight years of fantastic leadership by Jim Horsch in organizing the well-attended Michigan Fall Conference, we found we need a whole group to replace him in selecting the speakers.  (Feel free to suggest program items.) Thank you to Jim for the many hours of continuing professional education, one of our main goals as an organization. We saw 160 attendees at the conference, almost level with last year’s figures in spite of the worsening economic environment in Michigan.

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As a summary of the all our efforts at the Michigan Council, we were able to pick up another Council Award of Excellence at the Annual Banquet in Baltimore on June 8.  Sue Bos assisted in the receiving of the plaque from Chairman John Brausch commemorating the 13th award in a row that we have achieved the honor. 

 

 

Some of the other initiatives carried out in the 2009-10 year included:

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Our own Sue Bos led the Women’s Leadership Forum at the national conference. The photo nearby shows me paying close attention at Stacy’s table (Ohio Council).  Last summer saw a major emphasis on the No Worker Left Behind program in response to the Detroit Chapter’s request for assistance.

 

 

On the student front, we are pleased to find ourselves with two new student chapters: Lake Superior State University and Grand Valley State University both assisted by their local chapters.  There has also been increased activity at Michigan State University through the encouragement of Dr. Sue Kattelus and Lisa Beaudoin’s continued efforts.

Overall, we had a successful year, thanks to the continual energy and ideas of our board.  Those of you readers who have not had the pleasure of serving at all or for long on the board, I urge you to join the group of dedicated leaders at our regular board meetings every quarter, especially in support of our new leader, Chuck Phillips, as I move on to become our council’s Regional Vice-President. I will do my best to represent our interests in the global IMA board, so please give me your input whenever you think of something that needs to be brought to the attention of the national organization. Thank you to the board and all our members who show up at the chapters and board meetings so faithfully.

Chris Mishler, CMA, CIA

Michigan Council President 2009-2010

clmish@hotmail.com

 

Council President's Letter-March 2010

As the new year progresses, we find ourselves more than halfway through the IMA’s competition year.  It is a good time to take stock of the accomplishments the Michigan Council and its Chapters, boards, and members have made.  Nationally, IMA has seen some turnaround in the pace of membership growth at the chapter level.

Consider some of the exciting activity in the Council sphere of influence.  Dr. Susan Kattelus has led the charge among the Michigan State accounting students.  This sizable group of aspiring accountants has been given a steady diet of information on the IMA, the CMA, and technical advice in Excel spreadsheet practices with a drumbeat of the benefits of the professional organization on the agenda.  In another move to support our students, Professor Ronald Jastrzebski has promoted a student chapter at Lake Superior State University with the sponsorship of the Upper Peninsula chapter.  The CMA Learning System continues to crank out stellar CMA passing rates out of the Cleary University facility under the watchful eye of Lisa Beaudoin.  Please know that Lisa will go to great lengths to talk to interested groups about the Certified in Management Accounting designation.  The CMA exam has been reconstructed to more reflect the current issues facing our profession.

New leadership roles, other than my own, have been playing out in other ways.  Chuck Phillips, as the president-elect, has taken on the task of reviewing our strategic plan with a group of volunteers. The last overhaul was in 2006, so we are due for a revision.  He has also taken the lead in ensuring our council’s compliance with the new Ethics policy.  Another incredibly successful Fall Conference was held in East Lansing, thanks in large part to the efforts of our chair, Jim Horsch.  We will be seeing a change in the leadership of the conference with Chuck taking on the role of coordinating our efforts.  He ensures we stay on track to win yet another Council Award of Excellence by tracking against our goals, so let’s hear it for Chuck Phillips! 

  

Penny Weller (Kalamazoo) and Anne Meehan (Lansing-Jackson) did yeoman’s labor in the area of Corporate Development. I know a couple of the chapters participated fully, even though we could not pull the trigger on the final project because of the quality of the corporate contact information.  John, of the Detroit chapter, provided valuable insight as well.  This effort is not wasted if we can see our way to more accurate contacts, which would be an excellent place to accept more chapter participation. This kind of initiative can only help boost membership and the energy in our meetings.

We can also count on even more improvements in our web presence, thanks to the tireless efforts of Lee Bennett; and by Joe Nycum, who has been picking up more responsibility for communications.  At this time, we are also considering some social network or group sites that might make our council communications even more effective and efficient. 

Remember that the Council counts on these and the other unsung heroes of the board not only to continue fulfilling important roles, but to look for new members to step up to their potential at the board level.  Many chapter board members, including past presidents, may have a lot of wisdom and energy to convey in the wider venue of the Michigan Council. I encourage all chapter leaders to look for a way to contribute by joining the Michigan Council.  Even if you are unable to take a formal board position, for which we are now seeking candidates, just come and see why this is such a fun and successful group effort year after year. The opportunities to network are at a different dimension when you consider the breadth of coverage of the Council’s chapters, and the involvement of the board members at the national level where we have ongoing input by members like Sue Bos, Penny Weller, Jim Horsch, Dana Collins, and others.   It is very interesting to learn about the broader organization’s efforts to keep our profession at top performance levels.  The many changes and the pace of these changes should lead to the conclusion that being in the know is even more important. Come join us!

The next Michigan Council board meeting will be held in Lansing at La Senorita Restaurant near Lake Lansing and US 127, On Thursday, October 4, at 5:30 p.m. Just let me know if you can make it and we’ll save a place for you at the table to both learn and give your valuable input. Thank you for making this another great IMA year!


 

Chris Mishler, CMA, CIA

Michigan Council President 2009-2010

clmish@hotmail.com

Council President's Letter-December 2009


Fresh off the successful Michigan Council Fall Conference held on October 29, I have some reflections on the state of our association.  One of my stated goals for our council is to strengthen and revitalize our chapters, so we can see how that goal is going.  We know that the competition for our members’ and potential members’ mindshare is fierce with many rival groups and duties vying for their time.

The economic situation is a double-edged sword in that the tougher job situation “drives” more job-seekers toward our networking and educational opportunities at the chapter and council level.  Face-to-face meetings are one of the most effective ways to expand job prospects.  As an example I can thank a connection on the IMA Michigan Council board of directors for leading me the job I have had for the last four years.


The strong promotion and quality of the Fall Conference helped keep the number of attendees relatively steady compared to last year.  The Lansing-Jackson chapter is back on its feet with a new board of directors.  We have broadcast the details of the NO WORKER LEFT BEHIND program to help our unemployed and underemployed colleagues revamp their educations.  We continue to represent our members with strong involvement at the national IMA board level.  We are pursuing the growth of our student ranks by collaborating with our contacts at Michigan State University and Eastern Michigan University to keep the management accounting profession in their vocabulary and the IMA as the premier provider of the profession’s knowledge base and certification.  We have sponsored a group of students, in cooperation with our chapters, to attend the Student Leadership Conference in November.

One of our national board members, Penny Weller, and Anne Meehan, a VP of the Lansing-Jackson chapter have been collaborating on a strong program to promote the IMA among the corporations in the Michigan area in order to increase the number of chapter members. We have also been deliberating on the best ways to increase our ranks in our council board meetings, with my conclusion that there are many paths we can choose to succeed in attracting new members, including board members. The key is to “do something.” We can also learn lessons from the crises we have already endured in a couple of our chapters and work toward injecting our chapter boards with more energy and ideas through active recruitment.


What do we need to do from here for the rest of the year through June?  Mainly we need to execute our plans and current efforts.  The commitment of our council board members is phenomenal.  They expend time, energy, and funds to give our members the greatest opportunities to excel through the increase of their networks and knowledge.  I am proud to be associated with this dedicated group of professionals whom I count as friends.  I will let you in on a secret – this is a fun board of directors!  I invite any IMA members in our chapters to join us at the December 3, 2009, Michigan Council board of directors meeting held at La Señorita Restaurant near Lake Lansing Road and US 127, starting around 5:30 p.m. to observe this dynamic team in action.


In the month of November, we celebrate Thanksgiving. Let’s take time to be thankful for our country first of all, but also to reflect on how the efforts of those in our IMA leadership are working for our mutual benefit.
 

Chris Mishler, CMA, CIA

Michigan Council President 2009-2010

clmish@hotmail.com

Council President's Letter-September 2009

September marks a new professional education year for most of the IMA.  Having participated in several planning meetings over the summer, I know we are gearing up as a region for another excellent program of continuing education. Expect us to reel in yet another Council Award of Excellence for what would be the thirteenth in a row!  We strive to do what’s right for our chapters and their members.

Our chapter leadership is mostly in place as well, although a few gaps exist.  I encourage our existing leaders to go ahead and ask members to participate on the chapter boards. It does not hurt to ask, and you may get some fresh ideas and energy on the board to drive your successful year.

To name just a few initiatives, we have revamped our council website, and are making a special effort to get every chapter’s website current.  Keep an eye on www.imamichigan.org for new articles and links.  Over the summer, we saw the revitalization of the Lansing-Jackson chapter with a new board of directors taking charge.  We have promoted the CMA certification review courses, partly by researching the reimbursement for eligible members’ costs of taking the CMA Learning System course at Cleary University in Ann Arbor, and planned a terrific Fall Conference (register at http://www.imamichigan.org/conference ). We’ve also continued to participate through our council members in the IMA’s national committees which make an ongoing difference in the experience of our members.

So, how do we look to the future to continue and expand this success?  In the 2009-2010 year, we aim to begin new and extend existing initiatives to invigorate our chapters, while representing them at the national level. Penny Weller, an accomplished consultant, is assisting us with a corporate development project in which our chapters can participate, at least by providing the calendar of events for the year so we can promote it to the local organizations. 

Those of you, interested in attending our Fall board meeting, please reserve the date of September 3, at La Señorita Restaurant in Lansing at 5:30 p.m. (or come when you can).  The tentative dates for remaining Michigan Council Board meetings held at La Señorita Restaurant in Lansing are:

September 3, 2009, December 3, 2009 and March 4, 2010

 

The Michigan Fall Conference will be held October 29, at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing (see agenda and registration information at www.imamichigan.org/conference ).

The priorities of my tenure as Council President will include

Your input is welcome, as always.  Given the quality of our members, I know we will give a good “account” of ourselves this new year. 

Chris Mishler, CMA, CIA

Michigan Council President 2009-2010

clmish@hotmail.com

June 2009-Inaugural President's Letter for 2009-2010

As we enter June, a new year begins for the leadership of the Michigan Council of the IMA.  Lest we forget, let us thank Bob Maddox and the rest of the board who have energized us to yet another Council of Excellence Award, the twelfth in a row!  We must be doing something right in seeking to serve our member chapters and their constituents.

Be glad also for the numerous achievements of our chapters in the national competition, and congratulate the board members and presidents who made them happen:

At the council level, we have revamped our website, with a special effort to get every chapter’s website current.  We took steps to shore up one of our struggling chapters, added a new chapter (Michiana), made progress in re-establishing another student chapter, promoted the CMA certification with advertising and sponsoring review courses, had a high attendance at our renowned Fall Conference, and participated through our council members in the IMA’s national committees that make a big difference in the experience of our members, to name just a few initiatives. 

After patting ourselves on the back for the deserved acclaim of our hard work, we look to the future to continue and expand this success.  In the 2009-2010 year, we aim to extend the initiatives to invigorate our chapters, while representing them at the national level. Those of our members who would be interested in attending our annual planning meeting, please reserve the date of July 14, at La Senorita Restaurant in Lansing at 5:30 p.m. (or come when you can).  The tentative dates for Michigan Council Board meetings held at La Senorita Restaurant in Lansing are:

The Michigan Fall Conference will be held October 29, at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing, with an exciting program to keep us abreast of our fast-changing industry.

As the Council President this year, let me tell you a bit about my background.  Some of you know I have a large family, with seven children, living in Ann Arbor.  Currently and for the last few years I have worked for various clients of Jefferson Wells, a national accounting and finance consulting firm.  Prior to this position, I was Vice-President of Administration at Jobo Fototechnic, a photographic equipment distributor based in Ann Arbor, working my way up from warehouse clerk.

 Ironically, I started out in a field of study far from accounting – speech pathology.  When I took career test at age eighteen, my lowest score was in accounting! Shows you how much we know at that age.  I went on to obtain an MSA (Masters of Science in Accounting) from Eastern Michigan over thirteen years while working full-time and raising that big family.  Upon completion of the master’s degree, I took and passed the CMA and CIA exams, at the urging of Dr. Bob Okopny, a strong IMA supporter.  As a life-long learning enthusiast, a couple summers ago I took the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam and passed that, much to my relief. I am studying for the Microsoft Professional certification, just to stay sharp. I have held various chapter and council board positions, including student chapter and Ann Arbor Chapter president, partly through the encouragement of mentors and colleagues.

So the themes of my tenure as Council President will include encouraging the chapters such as I “grew up in” to be strengthened and well-supported as professional education and networking opportunities, pushing the establishment of a student chapter in East Lansing, and the promotion of our own council professional education efforts such as the hugely popular Michigan Fall Conference.  As a way of promoting our chapters, we will consider how to use the position of corporate development on the boards of the council and chapters to pick up membership and attendance at our very interesting presentations around the state.  I hope to be in close contact with as many chapter board members as possible personally. I welcome your input. As a product of all our efforts, I expect to hoist a thirteenth Council of Excellence Award at the 2010 Annual Conference and clap for at least as many chapter awards as in the past year.  By the way, if any chapters need a technical speaker, I have a nice one-hour presentation on “Excel Best Practices” I would be glad to give.  As a final note, thank you for all the sacrifices and efforts you make as members, especially serving on our chapter and council boards.  You need to know that your service makes a difference in the lives of your colleagues and friends. 

Chris Mishler, CMA, CIA

Michigan Council President 2009-2010

 

 

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