IMA’s Accounting & Finance Conference (IMA22) will offer opportunities for CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) candidates to learn about the exam and hone their accounting and finance skills. The Conference will be held in-person on June 12-15, 2022, at the JW Marriott in Austin, Texas, and virtually. Visit the IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants) website to register.
On the first day of the Conference, there will be a special, interactive session, sponsored by Wiley and titled “CMA: Get Informed, Get Inspired!” In this session, available to in-person attendees only, participants will be able to test their knowledge with actual retired exam questions, more fully explore the certification process, and learn tips on exam preparation. Attendees will also hear from professionals who recently passed the CMA exam as they share their exam-taking experiences and discuss the value of the CMA to themselves and their employers.
Those who attend this session will have the opportunity to enroll (at no cost) in IMA’s exclusive CMA Guided Self-Study Program, which will kick off in September 2022 and be taught by an expert CMA instructor. Note: Joining the CMA Guided Self-Study Program requires an active IMA membership, payment of the CMA entrance fee, and the purchase of a comprehensive CMA study package from an IMA partner.
Other potential Conference sessions of interest to CMA candidates as they prepare for the exam include:
Intelligent Data?Mastering Data Analytics and Data Visualization. Led by Brian Conefrey, CMA, senior director, shared services, at C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc., this session will cover industry best practices for improving data analytics and data visualization. Attendees will learn how the establishment of key financial data and the correct key performance indicators (KPIs) can rapidly improve your business results. Also discussed: how to leverage technology and process improvement techniques to speed up reporting and improve staff productivity and effectiveness.
Unlocking the Decision Matrix: Support Your Decisions with Robust Cost Analytics. Matthew Smith, president and CEO of 3C Software, will explore the use of the decision matrix with an emphasis on cost models, information, and insights necessary to make sound, data-driven choices on strategy and tactics. This session will cover why cause-and-effect analysis in costing is critical to close the gap between the decisions you need to make and the information you have available to make those decisions.
Moving Beyond Budgeting to Create Agile Planning. Steve Player, CPA, managing director of Future Ready Finance, and Gretchen Stepke, director of business systems at HOLT CAT, will show you strategies and tactics needed to replace static budgeting practices with dynamic, forward-looking processes that better support financial performance management and decision making. Also discussed: HOLT CAT’s approach to agile planning transformation. Explore HOLT CAT’s successful operation without budgets since 2009, review how its planning process succeeds in a constantly changing world, and learn how your organization could do the same.
The Conference also offers an excellent opportunity for CMA candidates to network with other candidates as well as to meet current CMAs eager to share their professional advice.
To learn more about the Conference, please visit IMA22.