President's Message

A Message from your Chapter President, James Lehman, CMA

Greetings to my fellow IMA DFW Volunteers, IMA Members, Students and Guests,

It’s my privilege and honor to be affiliated with the Institute of Management Accountants’ Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter. IMA DFW (website: dfw.imanet.org) is a 501(c) organization within a network of other chapters supported by IMA Global headquarters (website: imanet.org) in Montvale, New Jersey. Whether you are a professional-level IMA member, an IMA student member, or an accounting/finance professional guest with an interest in checking out this webpage, you are an important IMA stakeholder. Our chapter seeks to conduct its activities to fulfil IMA Global’s strategic initiatives while striving to meet the needs of our local stakeholders. Interest and membership in IMA aren’t limited to those with traditional accounting degrees and controllership backgrounds. Accounting, as a field of study, a career, and a vocation, has been modernized over recent decades to reflect an ever-expanding skillset necessary for the professional to function in today’s local and global accounting/finance job markets. This is especially the case in small-to-medium sized enterprises competing globally where financial controllers and rank-and-file accountants alike are wearing multiple hats on the job. Technology is driving these changes as opportunities and challenges as well as a necessity for businesses to thrive and survive economically.

 

Currently, the DFW Chapter’s local activities include an in-person network social gathering hosted by one or more of our professional-level volunteers normally on the third Thursday of each month. These events are announced here at dfw.imanet.org and at the chapter’s LinkedIn webpage at the group Institute of Management Accountants - Dallas Fort Worth Area Chapter. We are also offering and conducting visits to area colleges and universities to present IMA as a resource to students to help them understand how various accounting and finance disciplines apply to the workplace and how the Certified Management Accountant examination syllabus can give examination candidates a competitive advantage in those workplaces. Lastly, we strive to participate in local community service events such as those run by the Salvation Army.

 

I should mention at least a couple of national-level events recommended for consideration by IMA members, IMA students and guests regardless of your chapter affiliation. Firstly, and for all IMA stakeholders, the IMA24 Accounting & Finance Conference is a flagship IMA Americas event, June 9-12, 2024, which will be held in San Antonio at the JW Marriott Hill Country Resort. The conference will present technology and innovation amongst other topics and knowledge categories. The IMA Annual Student Leadership Conference is an opportunity for student stakeholders to see and hear about the accounting profession’s dynamic outlook and enhance their professional network in person at a flagship event to be held at the Hyatt Regency Orange County California, November 7-9, 2024. Both events and others can be viewed at imaconference.org.

 

James Lehman

IMA DFW Chapter President 2023-2024

IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants)

CMA® | It Makes All the Difference