Hello Texas!
I’m excited to serve as President of the IMA Texas Regional Council for 2023-24.
Our membership encompasses accounting and finance professionals including those with a strong focus on IT applications who are dedicated to our profession, faculty who are committed to educating the future of our profession, and students who represent that future.
For the last 6+ years, I have served as the VP of Member Engagement for the San Antonio chapter. During that time, as part of an active and engaged board with lots of terrific volunteers, our chapter activity level and membership has dramatically increased. Those volunteers (including myself!) were guided and encouraged by experienced IMA members across the state. So, in many ways, this new role for me is an attempt to return the favor for the likes of Jimmie Smith and Bud Kulesza.
I believe in Darren Hardy’s philosophy as expressed in his book The Compound Effect – get a little better every day. That’s something the San Antonio chapter has pursued in the last several years and with a recipe that can be adopted by each chapter and ‘seasoned’ locally.
If there is one thing we’ve all learned coming through COVID, it’s that we can leverage technology to shrink the sizeable Texas geography between us. Several Texas chapters have been following that approach by now offering hybrid meeting with relevant and timely topics. This means each Texas IMA member can benefit very easily from the outstanding speakers local members are able to see in person.
I am committed to strengthening each of our chapters and am very open to any suggestions you have – including holding joint meetings and cross pollinating practices that are working.
Being active in your local chapter ensures that you have a dynamic and reliable professional network – especially when looking for new challenges and opportunities as well as when you are looking to add to your team.
As we celebrate the start of the CMA’s second 50 years, I strongly encourage you to pursue IMA’s offered certifications - the CMA and CSCA. These certifications validate mastery of accounting and finance content and skills and set you apart in the marketplace.
Finally, June 9-12 of 2024, IMA is holding its annual conference in San Antonio at the beautiful JW Marriott Hill Country Resort & Spa. Even if you haven’t attended a conference in the past, make sure you block out the dates now – and bring your family if you have one! This is a venue that needs to be shared!
I look forward to our upcoming year together. Let’s show the rest of the Association what active, engaged and thriving local chapters look like!
Sincerely,
Mike Lovelace, CMA, CPA, CISA
Interim / Fractional CFO / Controller