December 2011 President's Address

Dear IMA-GMC Members,

The old saw goes “timing is everything” if that is the case, your IMA-GMC has everything you need.  After the tentative deal between owners and players was reached on Nov. 26, the NBA is in the process of opening up training camps, revising games schedules and winning back fans!   Join us at the Wisconsin Club, 900 West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee December 19 to hear Danica Olson, Accounting Manager of the Milwaukee Bucks enlighten the IMA-GMC on the “Business of Basketball”.

The chapter will once again be requesting that you bring non-perishable food items for donation to The Hunger Task Force and the proceeds of the 50/50 raffle will be sent to Goodwill Industries NCW along with other donations we collect.

The corporate sponsor for December is Superior Support Resources, Inc.  Contact SSR today to see how they can become your single source technology partner.

I would like to thank John Couper for his presentation last month, “Sharing Financial Information with Employees in Privately Held Companies”.  Those of us in the audience heard how Charter Manufacturing changed its culture to become more competitive in difficult times.  John made the same point to the audience that Jeff Thomson CEO of the IMA, made during the September program that the real action in business is not in auditing but in management accounting, operations and costing.  We were fortunate to have a substantial number of students in the audience to hear this.

I would also like to thank Dick Deschane of Access Information Management for the sponsorship of the November meeting.

Looking into 2012, the IMA-GMC will be hosting Wendy Hambleton of BDO as she speaks on the topic of IFRS, January 16.  Wendy is the Director of BDO USA’s National SEC Practice and heads the firm’s IFRS Task Force. Previously she was a partner in the SEC practice and was the Regional Technical Director for the Midwest region.  The meeting will be held at the Radisson Hotel, Mayfair Road in Wauwatosa.  With a speaker of this caliber, we will probably have a number of guests; I encourage you to sign up early.

If you haven’t been joined us in a while, please consider the chapter or council for your CPE or educational needs.  The Mid-America Council just announced its Leadership Training Session will be Friday, April 20, 2012 at the Northern Illinois Outreach Center in Rockford, IL.  According to Bruce Hamilton, MAC President-Elect, this year’s LTS has “A very impressive array of speakers will help you build and refine your skills in interpersonal communications, team building & succession planning. Breakout sessions will be offered for both new and returning chapter officers & directors, and the day will conclude with a presentation by Dr. William Miller, CPA, winner of the 2011 Carl Menconi Ethics Case Competition.” Questions- please contact Bruce at hamiltoncpa@sbcglobal.net.

I wish you safe and happy holidays, and hope to see at The Wisconsin Club, December 19th.

Regards,

Forrest Ramsel, CMA, CPA 

(414) 313-7140     forrest@summitcfos.com