Blogs

December Member Spotlight

By Corbin Lynn posted 2 days ago
🌟 Member Spotlight: Austin Elsey, CMA, CFE, CRC, CSCA, MAFF, CDFA 🌟 Austin Elsey completed a Bachelor of Science at Missouri Southern State University with a major in finance. Being that Joplin, MO was not an investment banking hub, Mr. Elsey joined a local community bank to build some professional experience. After a semester hiatus, he decided to keep momentum going and pursue his MBA. Mr. Elsey enrolled with the University of Florida online, allowing him to complete that program in an accelerated format. He also has obtained certifications as a Certified Management Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner, Credit Risk Certification, Certified in ...

Launching the Performance Management Shared Interest Group

By Hessel H. Brouwer posted 5 days ago
We're excited to launch the Performance Management Shared Interest Group (SIG) with the Institute of Management Accountants. The SIG addresses the "Performance Management Problem": even with advances in management theory, behavioral science and technology, many organizations still struggle to implement strategy, waste a lot of time on planning and budgeting, and find it hard to course-correct when targets are not met. The SIGs mission is to provide business professionals with though leadership, a forum for exchange and best practices on performance management so they can act as experts to help improve the performance of their organizations. This will ...

Webinar Alert!!!: Why you matter in your workplace: Unlocking your full potential.

By Rohit Kumar Gupta posted 11-03-2024
Topic (Title of session): “Why you matter in your workplace: Unlocking your full potential” Speaker Name, Bio, and Picture: Nelly Suhel, CMA,CSCA,MBA Nelly is a seasoned Senior Financial Manager with over 12 years of experience in budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning for large corporations, particularly in manufacturing. With expertise in financial modeling, root cause analysis, and data visualization tools like Tableau and Anaplan, she has a proven track record of driving profitability, enhancing operational efficiency, and integrating systems that streamline processes. Her collaborative leadership style has allowed her to build strong ...

November Member Spotlight

By Corbin Lynn posted 10-31-2024
🌟 Member Spotlight: Michael Trimble, CMA 🌟 We’re excited to highlight Michael Trimble, a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) with expertise in financial analysis, budgeting, and data analytics. Michael earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Colorado State University, where he specialized in Investment Analysis and Financial Planning. Michael currently works with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a nationally recognized industry group for ranchers and agriculturists. As a senior financial analyst, he uses Power BI to streamline through budget planning, P&L reporting, and data visualization. ...

October Member Spotlight

By Corbin Lynn posted 10-31-2024
🌟 Member Spotlight: Corbin Lynn, CPA, CMA 🌟 We're excited to highlight Corbin Lynn, a skilled and dedicated CPA and CMA, with a strong background in public accounting. Corbin is currently a Senior Tax Associate at CBIZ MHM, LLC, where he focuses on passthrough entities and high-net-worth individuals. He holds a Master of Accountancy in Taxation and a BS in Business Administration concentrated in Accounting from Colorado State University. He recently joined the Board of the Denver/Centennial IMA Chapter as our Director of Website. Corbin is also very involved in student outreach and recruiting at CBIZ. While at CSU he was ...

CMA Program - Best Offer of the Year

By Trent Kramer posted 10-24-2024
Greetings, Now through November 7th, the IMA is offering a 50% discount on the CMA Program Entrance Fee. Use promo code: 50FALL1 This is the biggest discount of the year and sets the stage for a great 2025 development opportunity. Earning the CMA boosts your salary potential and can open new doors. If you know what kind of role you aspire to attain, look at both the required and advanced qualifications. A professional credential or advanced education can go a long ways what is a 40+ year career. It is not to early or too late for adding more skills to your tool belt. Click here for more details.

IMA Announces Corporate Membership Plans

By Trent Kramer posted 10-13-2024
The IMA recently announced Corporate Membership plans. This offers similar benefits as the individual membership with group discounts available. The Corporate Membership is designed to enhance employees' skills, broaden their knowledge, and support their career growth by offering: Access to a diverse range of on-demand courses and training materials Participation in exclusive webinars and events Opportunities for networking through professional communities Tools for tracking progress and managing certifications More information is available here: https://enterprise.imaglobal.org/pages/pricing

IMA Student Leadership Conference 2024 (Nov 7-9 in Anaheim)

By Trent Kramer posted 09-27-2024
The Minneapolis Chapter is offering scholarships to assist students in attending the IMA Student Leadership Conference in 2024. Members of the Twin Cities Student Chapter at Metro State and Concordia are eligible. A handful of scholarships will be awarded to those expressing interest. Additional information including registration is available here: https://www.imastudentconference.org/event/3a7467d8-6dbf-4661-9714-c34197cd132e/websitePage:d040cd9b-8a1c-4c93-b1e9-7ee6dcdf6c0a

Management Accounting & The Blockchain

By Nathan Mavelil posted 09-11-2024
I'm beginning the process to learn and research more about how management accountants will pave the way to the future of building accounting systems on the blockchain. The blockchain technology is something I'm still struggling to understand and wrap my head around, and I think that my research findings will be useful to other accountants interested. I'm using this space to post my questions to ChatGPT and what was outputted as a resource thread around the topic of blockchain and management accounting. For my initial post, I would like to set a baseline what is the blockchain, benefits and the terminology used when referring to the system. Blockchain ...

Remembering Val Felske, CMA (former Minneapolis Chapter and Northern Lights Council leader)

By Trent Kramer posted 06-17-2024
Val Felske went to heaven earlier this month at the age of 73 following a short battle with pancreatic cancer. She served in a variety of leadership roles at the IMA including President of the Minneapolis Chapter, President of the Northern Lights Regional Council, National Vice President and was a member of the Stuart Cameron McLeod society. She earned her CMA back in 1991. Needless to say, she was a significant contributor to our IMA community and cared for by those who were fortunate enough to know her. The link to her obituary that was published in the local Star Tribune is below: https://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/0000491069/ ...

IMA Minneapolis Chapter Election Results 2024-2025

By Trent Kramer posted 05-18-2024
Here are the IMA Minneapolis Chapter election results: President – Lianne B. Loeks Munson, CMA, CSCA Vice President of Engagement – James Powers, CMA Vice President of Communications – Ashley Davis, CMA, CSCA, FPA Past President – Trent Kramer, CMA, CPA, CSCA Treasurer – Todd Stenson, CPA Director of Education – Andrew Galas, MBA Director of CMA & Student Engagement – David Franz, CMA Secretary – Willy Arevalo, CMA Chapter Delegate – Ryan Chase, CMA, CSCA Chapter Delegate – Warda James-Hester, CMA, CPA One year terms are effective July 1st through June 30th. Our new board will convene to make ...

IMA Minneapolis Chapter Elections & Board Opportunities

By Trent Kramer posted 03-24-2024
Greetings, Chapter elections will be done online in April. Keep an eye out for that communication. It will be a google poll again. There are some role transitions and new opportunities this upcoming year. If you are interested in exploring a board role, please reach out to minneapolis@imachapter.org. We have introductory positions all the way up to key contributors. Our board very much want to get back to our in-person events and have been pursuing knowledgeable speakers with relevant expertise. We'll continue to balance in virtual events as they offer an added level of convenience. Any referrals or suggestions are appreciated. Until then, I'd highly ...

IMA Student Leadership Conference (SLC23)

By Trent Kramer posted 12-05-2023
In mid-November, the IMA hosted its annual Student Leadership Conference (SLC23) in Detroit, Michigan. Our chapter provided scholarships to four soon-to-be Metro State grads who represented us. This included Sam Heaston who is the IMA Twin Cities Student Chapter President. Over the course of three days, attendees learn about the latest trends in the profession and real-life industry case studies and more while taking it all in with fellow peers. These annual events specifically catered to students are dubbed “Accelerate your journey from the classroom to the board room”. These are great networking opportunities and attracts employers ...

New Financial & Managerial Accounting Associate (FMAA) Certification

By Trent Kramer posted 12-02-2023
The IMA is introducing the new Financial & Managerial Accounting Associate (FMAA) designation in January. This is another opportunity for Accounting & Finance professionals (young and alike) to expand their knowledge. The exam focuses on the five disciplines pictured below. https://www.imanet.org/FMAA-Campaign Anyone can take this exam regardless of an education or experience requirement. The price and time commitment look right. Check it out.

PACE Free Two-Day Virtual Conference (September 14th & 15th)

By Trent Kramer posted 08-30-2023
The Profitability Analytics Center of Excellence (PACE) is hosting a two-day virtual conference on September 14th & 15th. This is offered to members at no cost of which joining this organization is also free. Members of IMA's leadership are directly involved within this like-minded group furthering our profession. Free membership and registration is available here: https://www.profitability-analytics.org/profits-plus Date and time: Thursday & Friday, September 14-15 from 7:30am-12:30pm CST Topics and speakers include the following: More about this organization: The Profitability Analytics Center of Excellence ...

Exemplary Young Professional Award --> Ashley Davis, CMA, CSCA, FPA

By Trent Kramer posted 07-06-2023
As our chapter was celebrating our 100th anniversary on the eve of the biggest event of the year (IMA23 in Minneapolis), our very own Ashley Davis was presented with the Exemplary Young Professional Award . This honor recognizes y oung professionals who display outstanding and creative approaches to problem solving within the Accounting and Finance profession. There were three members worldwide this year honored as such with the other recipients being within the Philippines and the Beirut chapters. So, this is a very select crowd to be a part of. Ashley Davis serves as our Vice President of Communications and does an exceptional job in this role. ...

IMA Champion Award --> Shari Nepper, CMA, MBA

By Trent Kramer posted 07-04-2023
As our chapter was celebrating our 100th anniversary on the eve of the IMA's biggest event of the year (IMA23 in Minneapolis), our very own Shari Nepper was presented with the IMA Champion Award. This honor recognizes a member who has demonstrated exceptional volunteerism and leadership skills that are beyond the call of duty in service to the IMA and serves as an example for others to follow. This is a prestigious award attained by only a select few having consistently demonstrated unselfish commitment and exceptional performance in support of our organization. For well over a decade, Shari has and continues to exhibit the exceptional leadership qualities ...

IMA23 Annual Conference Recap

By Trent Kramer posted 06-17-2023
The IMA's annual Accounting & Finance Conference was hosted in Minneapolis June 11-14. This was an excellent opportunity to further your understanding of our profession as well as earning CPE credits and networking with fellow participants. The IMA brought in a bevy of exceptional speakers onto the grand stage. Attendees had the opportunity to choose from up to four simultaneous presentations to choose from at a given time slot. Keynotes and round-tables brought us all together in the Hyatt Regency Nicollet Ballroom. Meals were provided in the Tech-Knowledgy Center along with the opportunity to visit around 50 exhibit booths. There was even a relaxation ...

IMA Minneapolis Chapter 100th Anniversary Boat Cruise Recap

By Trent Kramer posted 06-11-2023
We celebrated the IMA Minneapolis Chapter's 100th anniversary tonight with a boat cruise downtown on the Mississippi River. Thank you to all of those who were able to attend. We had nice weather and were able to host this on the eve of the IMA's biggest event of the year. Off on the right foot -- looking forward to the IMA23 conference. This should be a week to remember.

Chapter Election Results 2023-2024

By Trent Kramer posted 04-27-2023
Below are the IMA Minneapolis Chapter election results for 2023-2024: President – Trent Kramer, CMA, CPA, CSCA Past President – Lianne B. Loeks Munson, CMA, CSCA Vice President of Engagement – Bhavesh Parekh, CMA, PMP, ACMA Vice President of Communications – Ashley Davis, CMA, CSCA, FPA Vice President of Professional Education – James Powers, CMA Treasurer – Shari L Nepper, CMA, MBA Director of Education – Andrew Galas, MBA Director of CMA & Student Engagement – David Franz, CMA Secretary – Willy Arevalo, CMA Chapter Delegate – Warda James-Hester, ...