There’s still plenty of time to register for #ACE2017, IMA^®’s most popular educational event, to be held in Denver, Colo., on June 17-21, 2017. Visit www.imaconference.org for more information and to register.

This year’s conference, themed “Elevate Your Perspective,” promises more than 65 educational sessions on a range of topics, including technology enablement, leadership strategy, risk management, internal controls, ethics, and much more. New this year, the sessions will be categorized into eight specialty tracks, which allow participants to select the sessions that best suit their educational needs. In total, attendees can earn 25+ hours of NASBA-approved CPE credits and enjoy more than 15 networking events.

Along with dozens of informative sessions, the Conference will feature four keynote speakers, including:

• Daymond John, founder and CEO of FUBU, co-star of ABC’s Shark Tank, and CEO of The Shark Group, “Achieving Your Goals” – In this keynote, John will take audience members on an inspiring, emotional roller-coaster ride, describing how a man with no formal business training went from driving cabs and waiting tables at Red Lobster to creating a global fashion empire with retail sales exceeding $4 billion and a starring role on a hit reality business show. This session will motivate, inspire, and teach attendees about how to set and pursue goals with new-found focus and determination.
• Terry Jones, founder of Travelocity.com and founding chairman of Kayak.com, “Disruption Off-Innovation On!” – In his session, Jones will explore the fundamentals of innovation and give leaders simple but powerful ideas they can use to create a more innovative organization. Jones will discuss how to turn innovation from an academic exercise into an everyday skill, and will review the top 10 technical forces of disruption, including artificial intelligence, big data, and the internet of things.
• Laurie Brlas, CMA, CPA, former executive VP and CFO of Newmont Mining Corp, “Trek to the Top: My Journey to the CFO Summit” – This session will discuss how a nontraditional student from a tiny college in Ohio eventually became the CFO of two Fortune 500 companies and the chairman of the board of another. Brlas will share the secrets and challenges of her journey from small-town soccer mom to the boardroom, describing some of the strategies she employed that can help attendees advance their careers.
• Tony Byers, Ph.D., global director of diversity & inclusion at Starbucks, “The Multiplier Effect of Inclusion” – In this game-changing session, Byers will discuss how a properly managed diversity and inclusion program can increase engagement, creativity, and business performance. Byers will show how to create a multiplier effect of inclusion that can increase utilization of talent and resources – more than doubling the capacity of a team to positively impact products and services, build brand image, and increase profits and performance.

Said Steve McNally, CMA, CPA, chair of the IMA conference planning committee, “We’re excited to offer such an outstanding slate of keynote speakers this year. These presenters will provide our attendees with inspiring, thought-provoking insights based on their unique personal and professional experiences.

“In addition to these keynote sessions, the conference will offer sessions that align very closely with the CMA^® (Certified Management Accountant) body of knowledge. As noted above, we are offering eight specialty tracks that will allow participants to select sessions that coincide with their specific interests, such as financial reporting, risk management/internal control, leadership, and more. Attendees will be able to focus on their selected track the entire conference, or ‘mix and match’ if they choose. I commend the hard work of our volunteer committee and the IMA conference team, who worked so diligently to assemble such an accomplished group of speakers. This conference is an educational and networking experience that truly offers something for every IMA member.”

For a complete list of speakers, click here.

You can also view video highlights from last year’s conference in Las Vegas, Nev., and follow the conversation on Twitter at #IMA17ACE. For full conference details, including a detailed schedule, please visit www.imaconference.org.