Last month the Board of Directors of CFA Society Minnesota met to discuss the status of our current three to five-year strategic plan, which has been in place for two years now. We took some time to reflect on what we have accomplished, debated whether any goals needed revising, and brainstormed ideas on what we hope to accomplish in the upcoming year. I was once again impressed by the commitment of your Board of Directors, as 18 board members spent three and a half hours at the end of a work day engaged in strategic planning, which isn’t every analyst’s idea of a good time.
CFA Society Minnesota’s Mission and Vision, which you can find on our website under the About Us tab, guided us in the creation of our current strategic plan and continues to guide our thinking about how we run the Society. Our Mission is “To promote and advance the professional excellence, ethical behavior and fellowship of our members through quality programs, educational offerings, and volunteer opportunities.” Our vision states that “We envision a CFA Society of Minnesota that is highly valued, well respected, and widely recognized by investors, academia, and the business community in our region.” Both our mission and vision were updated in 2013. They align with and compliment the CFA Institute’s mission and vision, recognizing that each entity (Society and Institute) has different capabilities and goals.
Our current strategic plan has three main objectives. They are:
- Member Engagement: Expand participation and involvement among Society members
- Industry Awareness and Involvement: Increase awareness of and involvement in the Society among professionals and firms in our local investment industry
- Operational Excellence: Improve the effectiveness and sustainability of the Society’s business processes
Each of these objectives is supported by 2-3 specific, measurable goals. These include finding ways to assist our members as they grow in their careers (leadership training, writing and speaking groups, etc.), building a brand campaign and adopting policies and procedures that will aid in long-term financial and organizational stability. If you would like to see a detailed strategic plan, please contact the Society office at executivedirector@cfamn.org and they would be happy to provide the latest version. If one of these objectives or goals is an area you would like to support please let our staff know that as well. We are always looking for thoughtful, energetic volunteers to help us accomplish our strategic plan.
Joshua M. Howard, CFA
President, CFA Society Minnesota