Tag Archives: Volunteer

A Letter from Our President

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By: Chris May, CFA, President, CFA Society Minnesota

“What are you going to do as the president for CFA Society Minnesota?” – This is the question that I have received most often over the past several months as I have prepared to take on this two-year responsibility. In a way this question makes complete sense. On the other hand, it demonstrates a misunderstanding of the situation. CFA Society Minnesota has already had the benefit of having more than 60 individuals volunteer to serve as board members over the past 10 years. Additionally, for every individual board member, there are many more folks who have volunteered over the years in a multitude of other capacities. And that is just in the past ten years. Imagine all the countless people who have been involved since the society was founded in 1952. It is a result of the cumulative efforts of all of these individuals over the years that has led us to where we are today. So many incredible things have been accomplished (Intellisight Conference – eight years, Compensation Survey – six years, Mentoring Program – five years), mistakes were made, friendships were created, and fun was had.

In January 2019 the CFAMN Board of Directors ratified an updated strategic plan. This built on the plan that preceded it and was the result of work done by the entire board, support from CFA Institute (our global parent organization), and feedback from our members. I offer all this up to put today into context. When I am asked about my term as president, it is all of this effort that I think about. In short, the work has been done. The plan has been drafted. Things are underway. I feel a responsibility to see that plan executed. Our plan is simple to understand but complex to execute. We are going to focus on three things:

1) Delivering Member Value
2) Enhancing the Brand of CFAMN and the CFA Charter
3) Building and Maintaining Operational Infrastructure

There are many components to each objective that create the complexity of execution. However, it is our goal that all of our actions will support one or more of the strategic objectives.
 
There is another item that is important to the board that is not captured in the strategic objectives. In our Mission Statement the word ‘fellowship’ is included. Thus, we believe that it is important that CFAMN provides opportunities for our members to connect and develop relationships.

With that in mind, I recognize that I do not have a relationship with the vast majority of our members. I’d like to change that. For those still reading, please consider this your invitation to take me up on this.

I value people that are willing to challenge the status quo and try new approaches. One such person is Sam Hinkie, former GM of the Philadelphia 76ers. So my ask is this – read his resignation letter and email me your thoughts.

On the other hand, if you want to drop me a note about anything else on your mind, please feel free to do that as well. I can be reached at lyndemay6@gmail.com.

Member feedback is critical to our future success. We begin board meetings with comments from members and we would love to share your feedback. The Berkshire Hathaway letters routinely include a shameless plug for Berkshire products. In that light, I will make a similar ask. If you are interested in getting involved in the society please check out the Volunteer Board or reach out to Diane Senjem at support@cfamn.org.

Thank you to each of you. We have much to do, but without each of your, our society would not be as strong as it is today.

All the best,

Chris May, CFA
President, CFA Society Minnesota

Volunteerism is Currency that Appreciates

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Craig Popp, CFA

People choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. Some want to give back to their community or support a cause they’re passionate about. Others see it as a way to develop a new skill or build real-world experience. Volunteering is an excellent way to boost your career prospects. But for many, it’s because someone asked them.

Don’t believe me? I’ll offer you proof. According to PTO Today, the number one reason people say they don’t volunteer is because no one asked them. It’s worth noting the asking part requires a personal approach. I am the example. My participation on the CFA Society Minnesota (CFAMN) Membership Committee began with an email from your Society Vice President, Chris May, CFA.

Hey Craig,

I hope that you are doing well. I wanted to follow up on something that we talked about a while back – CFAMN participation. Would you still be open to being a little more involved if it could work with your schedule? I lead the Membership Committee which is responsible for a few things, but in reality our main function is to ‘add value to CFAMN members.’ We have plenty of freedom to execute that……..

We lost a committee member due to relocation, but were lucky enough to gain a new member quickly. However, I would like to have one or two more individuals and I thought of you……

In the past, I made false promises to myself about getting involved. First it was “After I pass Level III.” Then “I have to finish grad school.” I easily could have said no to Chris with a valid excuse—given that I live 100 miles west of Minneapolis. You can surmise that I said yes.

The experience has been fulfilling. Witnessing engagement ideas develop is one of the highlights for me. Do you like seeing the Membership Milestones on the monthly email from CFAMN? That was a Membership Committee idea. Personally, I suggested an individual who participated in the Industry Roundtable event held last fall. I was proud to make a contribution to that great event.

Being an outstate volunteer isn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. The committee meets four to six times per year. I have attended half the meetings in-person and the other half via teleconference. When I attend in-person, I typically spend the day in the metro area conducting client meetings or catching up with colleagues. The committee also tries to schedule our meetings to coincide with other society events such as the Society Social or luncheons.

I’ve learned that involvement is a great way to meet people, and I’ve been able to develop relationships with other committee members. Attending society events is also more enjoyable—predominately because I know more people. Have you ever attended a Society Social and felt awkward that you didn’t know anyone? These events are littered with Society volunteers.

Volunteering is good for you—for your health, your career, your self-esteem and enhances your Curriculum Vitae. I’ll simply conclude by following the lead of Chris May and ask you to get involved with CFAMN. Many of your society committees are looking for help. If that’s not for you, CFAMN is always looking for volunteers to help with things such as the mentoring program, CFA Institute Research Challenge, or simply to have coffee with someone who wants to learn more about the CFA Program.

 

Bio/Disclosures

Craig Popp, CFA is a Financial Advisor with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC located at 115 Litchfield Ave SE, Willmar, MN. Craig Popp can be contacted at 320-235-1416 or craig.popp@raymondjames.com. Any opinions are those of Craig Popp and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James. Expressions of opinion areas of this date and are subject to change without notice. Investment Advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Raymond James is not affiliated with CFA Society Minnesota.

A Letter From Our Society President

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Joshua M. Howard, CFA

Society Members –

I write to you at the end of a very eventful year, especially for economies and governments. There were unexpected results in many elections and referendums, and the extent to which markets and pollsters misjudged major votes was astounding. Brexit, the Columbian Peace Deal, the US presidential election, the Italian constitutional referendum – the models and analysis that seemed to work so well in the past were upended by new trends and patterns that will require a major revision to the way political scientists, economists and investment professionals model the world. It is a good reminder to those of us who rely on quantitative models to continually test our assumptions, be skeptical of small sample sizes and not rely too heavily on historical data when predicting the future.

Another theme in 2016 was the dismal reputations that bankers and asset managers have in society right now. Each candidate in the presidential primaries and the main election seemed to get the loudest cheers when bashing Wall Street and hedge fund managers. But members of the CFA Society are helping to counteract this reputation. Besides our adherence to a Code of Ethics we have Society members providing financial education in high school classrooms with BestPrep, a partner program of CFA Society Minnesota. Other charterholders mentor younger colleagues through our professional mentorship program. Some help develop CFA curriculum through the Program Practice Analysis process, or teach our Level I, II and III prep classes, or do a myriad of other volunteer activities that help determine the future of finance and its reputation in the country.     

I sincerely appreciate all of the volunteers who support CFA Society Minnesota initiatives. I also want to thank each and every one of our members for the work you do each day for your clients, and for adhering to the highest ethical standards despite the turmoil that sometimes surrounds us. I am constantly impressed and inspired by the work being done by charterholders in the region, and I appreciate your commitment to our Society and the industry.

As 2016 comes to a close, I want to wish all Society members and their families a very happy New Year.

Josh Howard, CFA
President, CFA Society of Minnesota

A Letter From Our Society President

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Joshua M. Howard, CFA

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:

  1. Member Engagement: Expand participation and involvement among Society members
  2. Industry Awareness and Involvement: Increase awareness of and involvement in the Society among professionals and firms in our local investment industry
  3. 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