For nearly 100 years, IMA has been a champion of—and resource for—management accounting and financial professionals.
Our story is one of steady transformation yet unwavering commitment: As we’ve progressed through each decade, we’ve never lost our mission-led purpose to uphold the profession.
The organization was founded in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1919 as the National Association of Cost Accountants (NACA) to promote knowledge and professionalism among cost accountants and foster a wider understanding of their role in management.
In 1957, our name was changed to the National Association of Accountants (NAA), beginning an era in which we would later develop our hallmark credential, the CMA®.
In 1991, the organization's name was again changed to the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), signifying our broader role as the association for accountants and financial professionals working inside organizations.
Today we are known by the shorthand—IMA—and continue the legacy of professional excellence begun nearly a century ago.
Our Timeline
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1919 |
Founding of the National Association of Cost Accountants (NACA) in Buffalo, N.Y., an early incarnation of IMA |
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1920 |
First chapter of NACA formed in Chicago |
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1925 |
NACA Bulletin introduced |
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1935 |
Library established at NACA national office |
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1943 |
First international chapter chartered |
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1945 |
Research committee established |
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1949 |
NACA Bulletin becomes monthly publication |
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1957 |
NACA becomes National Association of Accountants (NAA) |
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1959 |
Student Publication Services inaugurated |
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1969 |
Management Accounting Practices Committee established |
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1972 |
Certified Management Accountant (CMA) program created |
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1983 |
Standards of Ethical Conduct of Management Accountants, the first code of ethics for management accountants in the U.S., issued |
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1989 |
Financial Executive of the Year Award (FEYA) program established |
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1991 |
National Association of Accountants becomes Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) |
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1992 |
IMA becomes a founding member of the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), a private-sector organization dedicated to improving the quality of financial reporting |
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1994 |
IMA celebrates its 75th anniversary and publishes Proud of the Past–75 Years of Achievement |
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1996 |
IMA establishes the Certified Financial Manager (CFM®) program |
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1997 |
CMA and CFM tests are computerized |
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1999 |
IMA relaunches and renames its flagship magazine, Strategic Finance, which also becomes available online |
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2000 |
First IMA Student Conference held in Colorado Springs, Colo. |
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2006 |
First IMA Global Conference held in Dubai, UAE |
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2009 |
LinkUp IMA, our exclusive online professional community, launched |
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2011 |
Simple Chinese version of CMA exam introduced |
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2012 |
CMA program celebrates 40 years of success |
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2013 |
Simple Chinese version of CMA exam introduced |
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2014 |
New IMA regional offices open in Shanghai and Cairo |
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2015 |
IMA launches new book line with first book on innovation |
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2016 |
ICMA awards 50,000th CMA certificate |