Summer-2013

CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS | BRITISH COLUMBIA
IN THIS ISSUE
Y Features
11 In with the new
Your 2013-2014 CMA British Columbia Board of Directors
12 2013 CMA BC Leadership Conference
15 Keys to effective communication
By Michael Morrison, CMA
17 2013 Executive Tour
20 The science of team building
Four lessons managers can learn from the scientific community
By Margaret Heffernan
21 The HR cycle: Orientation
Investing the time to properly assimilate
new staff will pay dividends in the long run
By Doug Alley, CMA (Hon.)
22 Creating new leaders
Three fresh tactics for turning high-potential
employees into capable executives
By Natalie Michael, MA, Certified Coach
24 Putting your numbers into words
Your accounting may be solid, but are your financial
documents being undermined by sloppy writing?
By Sam Corea
34 Passing the torch
Update catches up with your Chairs, past and present
35 A look back at CMA history
Y Departments
4 Letter from the Editor
5 Message from your
President & Chair
6 News and notes
The latest CMA events, plus an
update on the merger
26 CMA spotlight
Roger Gil, CMA
28 Scholarships and donations
30 Member update
Members on the move, new faces and
members in memoriam
32 Program updates
Understanding the new CPA program
By Bob Gautama, CMA
ACCOUNTING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
SUMMER 2013 CMA UPDATE 3
22
1712
26

fter eight years and more than 30 issues, we bid adieu to CMA BC Update.
But worry not, because there are new and exciting things to come. Stay tuned
and check your mailboxes in September for several new joint publications from
CMA BC, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC and the Certified
General Accountants of BC.
Unfortunately, this will also be my last “Letter from the Editor.” While I’m not sure how
many of you will miss this column – or my smiling face at the front of every issue – it has
been a pleasure for me to discuss the subjects that matter to the membership. Though I
won’t be writing about these topics anymore, I am a part of the editorial committee
working on our new joint publications and shall remain active in
determining the content of the magazines. On that front, I want to
assure you that the CMA voice will not be lost, and our in-depth
coverage of strategy and management topics will continue. Several
members from the editorial task force of Update will be asked to
continue to help produce content and provide editorial guidance
for our joint publications, so CMA BC is well represented.
Knowing that this is the last issue of Update, we have decided
to focus on one of the key pillars of the CMA competency – leader-
ship. Michael Morrison, CMA, explores the fundamentals of
effective communication between leaders and their employees,
while Executive Coach Natalie Michaels offers some creative
tactics for developing successors. One CMA who exemplifies
strong leadership and innovation is Roger Gil, VP of Finance of the
Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) and the subject of our final CMA Spotlight feature. In
addition to giving us the lowdown on his favourite fairground treats (mini-donuts and
SuperDogs!), Roger discusses how he finds creative ways to generate revenue and increase
value for customers.
I hope you enjoy this last issue of CMA BC Update. On behalf of the entire editorial
task force, thank you for your support over the years.
Diane Chung, CMA
Vice President, Marketing and new Business development
diane@cmabc.com
4 CMA UPDATE SUMMER 2013
A
SUMMER 2013
EDITORIAL AND BUSINESS OFFICE
Suite 1000, 900 West hastings St.,
Vancouver, BC, V6C 0C4
Phone: 604-687-5891 | toll-free: 1-800-663-9646
fax: 604-687-6688
Email: cmabc@cmabc.com | Website: www.cmabc.com
We welcome your feedback.
Copyright CMa British Columbia 2013.
Publications Mail agreement no: 40065475.
Please return undeliverable copies to address above.
● ● ●
EXECUTIVE BOARD
CHAIR tammy towill, CMa, fCMa
PAST CHAIR Pat Kennedy, CMa, fCMa
FIRST VICE CHAIR Simon Philp, CMa, fCMa
SECOND VICE CHAIR dave hallinan, CMa
TREASURER Mark Kennedy, CMa, fCMa
SECRETARY Vinetta Peek, CMa (hon.), CMa
DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE
lynn Casey, CMa, gerald dragomir, CMa, fCMa,
Elaine Eccleston, CMa, fCMa,
timothy Edwards, CMa, fCMa, doris good, CMa,
diane Kerley, CMa, Bernard Magnan, CMa, fCMa,
Bruce Mclennan, CMa, fCMa, lyndon Peterson, CMa
LAY REPRESENTATIVES
Chamkaur Cheema, Maxine dehart, John hunter, Stephen Quinn
EXECUTIVE STAFF
PRESIDENT AND CEO Vinetta Peek, CMa (hon.), CMa
VICE PRESIDENT, PROGRAMS Bob gautama, CMa
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT diane Chung, CMa
VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Rick lightheart, CMa, fCMa
UPDATE STAFF
EDITOR – VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
diane Chung, CMa
ASSOCIATE EDITOR – COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST tiana Mah
UPDATE EDITORIAL TASK FORCE: david andru, CMa,
Karen Chan, CMa CandidatE, don Mclellan, CMa,
don nilson, CMa, fCMa, Jeffrey Sparling, CMa,
ann Wicks, CMa CandidatE
Canada Wide Media, 4th floor, 4180 lougheed highway,
Burnaby, B.C. V5C 6a7
Phone: 604-299-7311 | fax: 604-299-9188
● ● ●
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Matt Currie
ART DIRECTOR Edwin Pabellon
ADVERTISING SALES Michael Rochfort
PRODUCTION MANAGER/PRINT Kirsty Senior
PRODUCTION MANAGER/STUDIO Kristina Borys
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Kathleen almeida
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION Kim Mclane
ADVERTISING PRODUCTION allison griffioen, Chris Sherwood
SENIOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN debbie lynn Craig
ELECTRONIC IMAGING Mandy lau, laura Michaels
ELECTRONIC PRODUCTION ina Bowerbank
● ● ●
CHAIRMAN & CEO Peter legge, o.B.C., lld (hon.)
PRESIDENT gary davies
VICE PRESIDENT SPECIALTY SALES Rebecca legge
MANAGING DIRECTOR, CUSTOM PUBLISHING Mike Roberts
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT EDITORIAL AND CUSTOM PUBLISHING Kathleen freimond
VICE PRESIDENT EDITORIAL tom gierasimczuk
VICE PRESIDENT FINANCE farnaz Riahi, Ca
A NOTE TO READERS
Update is published four times a year by the Certiﬁed Management
accountants Society of British Columbia and is mailed to 5,000 CMas,
1,000 CMa students and industry partners throughout the province.
opinions expressed are not necessarily endorsed by CMa British Columbia.
®/™ Registered trademarks/trademarks are owned by the Society of
Management accountants of Canada. Used under license.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Upcoming Changes to Member
Communications
In the coming months, BC CMAs, CAs and CGAs can expect to see the following
joint member communications:
• CPABC In Focus — a new print and online member magazine launching early
September. In Focus is replacing CMa BC’s Update, iCaBC’s Beyond Numbers
and Cga-BC’s Outlook magazines. In Focus will be published six times a year.
• CPABC Industry Update — a new online magazine focused on topics of interest
for industry members; this online-only magazine will be launched in october
2013 and will be published four times a year.
• CPABC e-newsletter — a new monthly e-newsletter with events, professional
development opportunities, industry/professional updates and CPa news.
• CPABC social media groups on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn, as
well as a new website — look for them end of august/early September!

SUMMER 2013 CMA UPDATE 5Certified Management Accountants | British Columbia
MESSAGE FROM YOUR PRESIDENT & CHAIR
ummer is often the time to slow down, recharge and plan
for the coming year – but Society staff, as well as your
board of directors, aren’t slowing down this summer.
Everyone is busy working on merger integrations and
launching the new CPA Program, while continuing to run existing
member services and Society operations. Significant progress has
been made with the unification of the accounting profession in
B.C. this year. You’ll find a merger update in the “News and
Notes” section of this issue; however, we’d like to mention a
couple of key milestones, including the agreement all three
accounting bodies – CMA BC, ICABC and CGA-BC – signed
on May 8, 2013, to pursue a merger.
We are now working to unite under the Chartered Professional
Accountant (CPA) designation. To establish CPA in B.C., we are
working with the provincial government to enact CPA legislation,
and legally merge. We hope to be on the government’s upcoming
legislative agenda, enabling us to form CPABC in 2014. Last
month, CMA Society executives and the board of directors met
in Kelowna for our first joint board meeting with the ICABC and
CGA-BC executives, ICABC council, and CGA-BC board of
directors. For more merger updates, visit cpacanada.com.
With many changes forthcoming due to the merger, we would
like to take this opportunity to update members, CMA candidates
and students on exactly what changes they can expect to see with
member services, professional development and member
communications.
■ Increased access to professional development programming
– All members have been receiving the CA professional
development catalogs throughout the year. Starting this fall,
all Society professional development seminars and programs
will be integrated with ICABC and can be accessed by
members through ICABC’s PD website, icabc-pd.com.
CGA-BC’s professional development programs will be
cross-promoted and also accessible to members.
■ Educational program changes – The CMA Program is
running out in B.C., with the final two intakes of the CMA
Strategic Leadership Program in September 2013 and
January 2014, and the final intake of the CMA Executive
Program in September 2013. The new CPA Program was
launched last month for the pre-professional CPA
Prerequisite Education Program, known as CPA PREP, which
is similar to our CMA Accelerated Program. The two-year
CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP) incorpo-
rates technical topics with a capstone integrative module,
much like our CMA Strategic Leadership Program. Members
can learn more about the CPA Program on page 32.
■ Increased member benefits – Certified members (CMAs)
now have access to CICA resources, such as the CICA
Handbook and CICA member savings program, through
CPA Canada. In B.C., members, candidates and students
now have access to the employee and family wellness
services offered by PPC Canada. Members are also invited
to join a number of industry and technical forums with
their CA counterparts; registration for these forums can be
found in the members-only section of cmabc.com under
“Member Services” in “Volunteer Opportunities.”
■ Integrated member communications – Starting this fall,
selected member communications will be integrated with
ICABC and CGA-BC member communications. The
Society’s monthly e-newsletter, CMA e-news, and our
quarterly member magazine, Update, will be merged into
new joint member publications.
On a final note, we’d like to say goodbye to Update magazine.
Update has been B.C. members’ go-to resource for Society and
industry news, in-depth articles on strategy, management and
accounting, as well as member profiles and news. We know you
will enjoy reading the inaugural issue of our joint member
magazine, CPABC In Focus, in early September.
We hope you enjoy the rest of your summer, and look forward
to seeing many of you at upcoming Society or CMA Chapter
events this fall.
Best regards,
S
Tammy Towill
CMA, FCMA
Chair, CMA British Columbia
Board of Directors
chair@cmabc.com
Vinetta Peek
CMA (Hon.), CMA
President and CEO,
CMA British Columbia
vinetta@cmabc.com
On a final note, we’d like to say
goodbye to Update magazine. We look
forward to reading the new joint
member magazine, CPABC In Focus, this
fall – expect the inaugural issue at
the beginning of September.

Certified ManageMent aCCountants | British ColuMBia6 CMA UPDATE suMMer 2013
NEWS & NOTES
hroughout the spring and summer, the Society has
sponsored or attended a number of industry conferences
and events, including the Human Resource Management
Association’s annual conference and tradeshow (May 1-2),
BC Chamber of Commerce Tradeshow in Nanaimo (May 23-24),
Government Finance Oﬃcers Association of British Columbia (GFOA)
conference (May 29-31), and the BCBusiness Top 100 luncheon
and gala (June 26), which recognizes the province’s top-performing
private and public companies. Promoting the new CPA program with
employers, the Society held a Lunch-and-Learn session with the City
of Kelowna on July 9.
On April 23, CMA partnered with the
Vancouver Board of Trade’s Company
of Young Professionals Program for
a joint professional development and
networking event focusing on risk
management. Anthony Okuchi, CMA,
Manager of Commercial Operations with
Vancity, presented on Enterprise Risk
Management (ERM) and Assessments.
Cma sponsorships and events
Jennifer De vall, Cma and sFu student rosanna yusuf,
Cma mentor and mentee of the year awardees.
Jacob thekkakara, Candidate in the Cma program,
with ubC student yimin guo.
shannon thompson, senior manager, marketing,
Cma bC, with rolando Cardeno, Cma and earl reyes,
Cma at the mentor mixer event.
vancouver board of trade’s Company of young professionals.
Harold burgess, Cma and nicole Wears,
business Development officer, at the
vancouver board of trade Company of
young professionals event.
Cma bC’s mentor program
the annual Mentor Mixer for the CMa BC
Mentor Program was held July 11 in the
o lounge at Coast restaurant. Congratulations
to mentor of the year – Jennifer de Vall, CMa,
Budget analyst at Vancouver school Board, and
to the mentee of the year – rosanna Yusuf, a
uBC diploma in accounting student. CMa BC’s
mentor program pairs future CMa students
with members and CMa candidates for one
year of coaching and networking.
Keynote speaker
anthony okuchi,
Cma at the april 23
bot event.
vancouver board of trade
t

suMMer 2013 CMA UPDATE 7Certified ManageMent aCCountants | British ColuMBia
The seventh annual CMA BC
Leadership Conference (May
30-31) was sold out once again,
with nearly 450 CMAs, CAs
and CGAs, CMA students and
other business professionals
coming together for two days of
professional development and
networking. See pages 12-14 for
more from the Conference.
Do you have photos
from a recent
Cma event?
share them today!
Photos can be emailed to tiana@cmabc.com.
executive tour
each year, society executives and members
of the executive Committee of the CMa
BC Board of directors travel throughout
B.C. for the society’s annual executive tour.
the tour recognizes members who have
held their CMa designation for 25, 30,
35, 40, 45, 50, 55 or 60 years. Most of this
year’s events were held in partnership with
the chapters’ annual general meeting; and in
addition to the chapter agM and executive
tour, society executive and board
members gave updates on the merger
discussions in B.C. and across Canada.
Photos from the events and a list of this
year’s recipients can be found on page 17.
Career Fairs and
Campus events
raising awareness for the new CPa Program
and the last intakes of the CMa Program on
campus, the society attended or sponsored the
following career fairs and campus events: the
Vancouver island university career fair (april 4),
royal roads university career fair (april 10), the
uBC diploma in accounting Program (daP) wine
and cheese networking event (June 19), the sfu
accounting student association Banquet (July
25), and the uBC accounting Club and uBC daP
barbecue (July 22).
Cma Centre for innovation
on June 13, 2013, the CMa Centre for innovation
hosted a research presentation by alan Meyer, a
visiting scholar from the lundquist College of
Business, university of oregon. using organiza-
tional theory and sociology as theoretical
frames,hestudiesindustryemergence,corporate
venturing and technology entrepreneurship. a
copy of his presentation can be viewed online at
youtube.com/user/CMAInnovationCentre.
leadership
Conference
Kelvin stretch, Cma, FCma, Debbie stewart, and
luc peiterin, Cma at the networking reception of
the Cma bC leadership Conference.
right: 7th annual Cma bC
leadership Conference.
bottom: may 31 breakfast
panel with Ceos:
Cybele negris, nolan
Watson, Davis yung, and
alexander Fernandes.
Have a university degree but lack the prerequisites to enter a
professional accounting program?
www.sauder.ubc.ca/dap
BRIDGING THE GAP
Find out how UBC DAP can help you put
your career aspirations into action.

NEWS & NOTES
MA British Columbia
continues to be an active
participant in the discussions
surrounding the unification
of the accounting profession at both
the provincial and national levels. On
February 14, 2013, a Special General
Meeting was held where a bylaw
amendment was passed allowing the
Society to enter into an unincorporated
joint venture with ICABC. The joint
venture allows the Society and ICABC to
oﬀer the CPA Program in B.C. and start
integrating member benefits, services
and operations.
A major milestone for the unification
of the accounting profession in B.C.
was the return of the Certified General
Accountants of BC (CGA-BC) to merger
discussions on February 26, 2013, with
all three of the province’s accounting
bodies announcing that an agreement to
pursue a merger had been signed by each
body’s respective Chairs and Presidents
on May 9, 2013. Last month, the boards,
councils and executives of CMA BC,
ICABC and CGA-BC held their first
joint board meetings.
All three bodies are now working to
unite under the Chartered Professional
Accountant (CPA) designation. A
transitional steering committee has
been formed with board representatives
from all three organiztions to work
on an integration plan for uniting the
accounting profession in B.C.
To establish CPA in B.C., CMA BC –
with ICABC and CGA-BC – are working
with the provincial government to enact
CPA legislation, and legally merge.
We hope to be on the government’s
upcoming legislative agenda, enabling
us to form CPABC by spring 2014. Until
CPABC is established all members will
continue to use their legacy designation
(CMA, CA or CGA) and refer to their
legacy professional body for regulatory
matters and member services.
A united accounting profession
in B.C. will see more than 34,000
members and students under CPABC,
making it one of the largest professional
organizations in the province.
Nationally, on April 1, 2013, the
Chartered Professional Accountants of
Canada (CPA Canada) oﬃcially became
operational. CPA Canada had been
established on January 4, 2013, with the
unification of the Canadian Institute of
Chartered Accountants and The Society
of Management Accountants of Canada
(CMA Canada). In other provinces,
CPA Quebec celebrated its first year as
a merged organization in May 2013. In
Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick,
and Newfoundland and Labrador all
four accounting bodies have signed
agreements to merge.
Currently, almost 90 per cent of
Canada’s professional accountants’
provincial bodies are involved in
unification discussions – if unification
is achieved with all of the participating
bodies, the Canadian CPA profession
will be more than 150,000 members
strong, making CPA Canada one of the
largest accounting bodies in the world.
Visit cpacanada.ca for the most recent
developments on merger discussions
across the country.
This year’s annual general meeting was held on June 26, 2013, at the
Terminal City Club in downtown Vancouver. The 2013-2014 Board of
Directors can be found on page 11. Copies of this year’s annual report
can be downloaded at cmabc.com via the “I am a CMA” link, in the
“Membership Services” section.
2012-2013 Cma bC annual report
and new board of Directors
Cma bC’s annual
general meeting at the
terminal City Club
C
the leadership team of Cma bC, iCabC and Cga-bC signed the merger proposal on may 8, 2013. First
row from left to right: pat Kennedy, FCma, Chair of Cma bC board; gordon Holloway, FCa, president
of iCabC Council; and Candace nancke, FCga, Chair of Cga-bC board. second row from left to right:
vinetta peek, Cma (Hon.), Cma, president & Ceo of Cma bC; richard rees, FCa, Ceo of iCabC; and,
gordon ruth, FCga, Ceo of Cga-bC.
b.C. merger
update

tarting in September, CMA BC will be consolidating its professional
development courses with ICABC. All CMA CPLD courses and programs,
such as the Strategic Management Certificate Program, will be listed on
icabc-pd.com and included in the ICABC PD
catalogues. Information about the 2014 CMA Leadership
Conference will continue to be posted on cmabc-pd.com,
as well as iacbc-pd.com. CMAs, if you have never taken
seminars with ICABC before, please contact the ICABC
PD department at 604.681.3264 (toll-free in B.C. at
1.800.663.2677) to set up your profile first before
registering for any online PD seminars.
2013-2014 iCabC pD passports
The ICABC PD program oﬀers PD Passports for purchase that can save members
up to 40 per cent oﬀ regular seminar prices. CMAs who plan on taking multiple
PD seminars with ICABC throughout the year are encouraged to review the PD
passport options on icabc-pd.com/pd-passports.php.
Cpa brand ambassador
program
the Chartered Professional
accountant (CPa) designation is
coming to B.C. and we need your
help! for the past 60 years, you’ve
been great ambassadors of the CMa
designation in B.C. We are now looking
for members interested in helping
promote the CPa designation at their
workplace and in their communities.
CPa Brand ambassador activities
could include presentations at your
workplace, meeting with students
or helping us at industry events and
tradeshows. interested? email diane
Chung at diane@cmabc.com.
new Cpa advertising
Campaign
look for the new national CPa
advertising campaign this september
and october. advertising will run
in outdoor media, newspapers,
television, business magazines and
websites, and at the Vancouver
international airport.
s
looking for a past
issue of Update?
digital editions of CMA BC Update will
remain available for your research and
reading pleasure at cmabc.com.
Cma CplD courses are
moving to icabc-pd.com

Certified Management Accountants | British Columbia10 CMA UPDATE SUMMER 2013
Over 80 per cent of CMA employers support members
by paying 100 per cent of their annual member dues.
Planning for retirement, four out of six CMAs’ employers
make contributions to a pension plan.
Flexible benefits:
■ flex time 26%
■ work from home 13%
■ additional vacation allowance 13%
Highlights from the
B.C. Salary SurveyEvery two years, CMA BC conducts a member, candidate and student survey to track changes in members’
compensation, employer benefits and satisfaction with the Society’s member services. This year’s survey was
conducted May 13-27, 2013, and asked members to report on their salaries as of December 31, 2012.
Results from the salary survey are available for download at the members-only section of the CMA BC website:
secure.cmabc.com/wcm/cmabc under the “Member Services” tab.
Employment profile
BENEFITS
Over half of CMAs reported working
41+ hoursper week with 12 per cent spending
over 51 hours at work each week.
Self-employed CMAs had
median gross billings of
$200,000
Nearly 40 per centof CMAs living in B.C. and working full-time had
total earnings (salary + bonuses) over $110,000 in
2012. One out of five CMA candidates earned over
$90,000 (salary + bonuses) in 2012.
of CMAs participated
in a stock option
program in 2012.
Nearly one-third
of members,
candidates and
students work
for companies
with over 1000
employees in B.C.
Most members, candidates and students
are employed in the following sectors:
■ public administration/government 14%
■ finance, insurance, real estate 12%
■ manufacturing 11%
■ wholesale/retail trade 7%
■ technology 6%
■ public practice 6%
■ education 5%
■ not-for-profit 5%
Top roles CMAs hold:
■ controller 17%
■ vice president/CFO 10%
■ manager of accounting 8%
■ financial analyst 8%
Less than
10%

In with the new2013-2014 CMA British Columbia Board of Directors
ach year, CMA British Columbia elects members to serve on the CMA British
Columbia Board of Directors. The 2013-2014 board was elected at the Society’s
annual general meeting on June 26, 2013.E
LAY REPRESENTATIVES
ChamkaurCheema
Consultant,InvestorsGroupFinancial
ServicesInc.
MaxineDeHart
DirectorofSales
RPBHotels&Resorts
StephenQuinn
OwnerandManager
InteriorWeatherServicesLtd.
DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE
LynnCasey,CMA
Partner
PeppertreeGroup
DorisGood,CMA
TrainingManager,
FinancialInstitutions’
CommissionofBC
GeraldDragomir,CMA,FCMA
Partner
DragomirLiu&Co.Dba.,
Pace AccountingInc.
ElaineEccleston,CMA,FCMA
Educator/Instructor
CollegeoftheRockies
TimothyEdwards,CMA,FCMA
AssociateDean,Accounting,
Finance and Insurance
BCIT
CHAIR FIRST VICE CHAIR SECOND VICE CHAIR SECRETARYTREASURER PAST CHAIR
TammyTowill,CMA, FCMA
Instructor,FacultyofBusiness
CapilanoUniversity,and
Partner,PeppertreeGroup
SimonPhilp,CMA,FCMA
VicePresident
SeattleCorporateBankingGroup,
HSBCBankUSA,NorthAmerica
DavidHallinan,CMA
DirectorofCorporateServices
BCLotteryCorporation
VinettaPeek,CMA(Hon.)
PresidentandCEO
CMABritishColumbia
MarkKennedy,CMA,FCMA
Partner
BlackﬁshAccountingGroup
PatriciaKennedy,CMA,FCMA
ChiefOperatingOfficer
PaciﬁcFlyingClub
DianeKerley,CMA
NationalPracticeLeader–Accounting
andFinance,and Senior Consultant
DavidAplinRecruiting
BernardMagnan,CMA,FCMA
ManagingDirector
Bernard Magnanand AssociatesLtd.
BruceMcLennan,CMA,FCMA
Principal
McLennanConsulting
LyndonPeterson,CMA
Director,Leasingand
PropertyServices
NorthernHealth
YUKON
PRESIDENT
KellySteele,CMA
CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS | BRITISH COLUMBIA
John Hunter
PresidentandCEO
J.HunterandAssociatesLtd.
SUMMER 2013 CMA UPDATE 11

Y
he seventh annual Certified Management
Accountants of British Columbia Leadership
Conference (from May 30 to 31, 2013) brought
together nearly 450 CMAs, CAs and CGAs,
CMA candidates, students and other business
professionals for two days of networking,
professional development and sharing of best practices for how
to “Be Brave” in today’s unpredictable environment.
During the sold-out event, 17 seminars covered a range of
diverse topics including leadership, governance, updates on
Accounting Standards for Private Enterprises and International
Financial Reporting Standards, business transition financing
strategy, presentation skills, organizational change, business
development, project management, data visualization, and busi-
ness intelligence tools for Excel.
Highlights of the Conference included the three dynamic
keynote speakers: Amanda Lang, CBC’s senior business
correspondent for The National, and the co-host of The Lang
& O’Leary Exchange; Leonard Brody, Business and Technology
Visionary, and co-founder of NowPublic.com; and Margaret
Hope, internationally accredited Professional Speaker and author
of You’re Speaking – But Are You Connecting?
New this year was the breakfast panel discussion on day two
of the conference with four young and dynamic local CEOs who’d
successfully navigated their companies through the recession.
PanelistsincludedAlexanderFernandes,Founder,President&CEO,
Avigilon; Cybele Negris, President & Co-Founder, Webnames.ca
Inc.;NolanWatson,President&ChiefExecutiveOfficer,Sandstorm
GoldandSandstormMetals&Energy;andDavisYung,President&
Co-Founder, Fresh Direct Produce Ltd., Canada.
Another new addition to the conference was the Idea
Exchange Forum, which replaced the afternoon sessions on
day two. Forums for financing and general issues for small
business, forensic accounting and Internal Audit, managing
team dynamics, and Excel sessions were held and moderated.
Dates for the 2014 Leadership Conference in Vancouver will
be announced this fall. Visit www.cmabc-pd.com/conference for
more details, and for the call for speakers for next year’s event.
2013 CMA British Columbia
Leadership Conference
T
The seventh annual CMA British Columbia Leadership Conference, held at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.
Mia Maki, CMA, FCMA moderates the CEO panel. Panelists (left to right):
Cybele Negris, Nolan Watson, Davis Yung, and Alexander Fernandes.
Luncheon keynote speaker, Amanda Lang; Ken Puls, CMA moderates the Excel Ideas Exchange Forum; Lynn Casey, CMA leads the “Great Presenters are
Made not Born” seminar; Q&A at the social media seminar.

Tweet, tweet
Thank you to all participants who contributed
to the discussion on Twitter using the
#cmaconf hashtag. Here are a few highlights:
@EQadvantage listening to @amandalang at @
CMaBC Conference — smart, amazing, Witty
#fieryred #eQ #CMACONF
@AngelalChambers @cmamb @CMABC What a
great day! amanda lang gave a great keynote, and
so good to connect with some old friends!
@amandalang_cbc @BJMclennan thanks! it was
great to be at #cmaconf. Just sorry i had to split
— had to get to my show
@mia_maki @CMABC so excited to host the
panel @ #cmaconf awesome entrepreneurs with
much to offer!
@WarrenEverton good networking reception @
CMABC #cmaconf. it’s amazing how connected
we all are. #smallworld
@sweetmanstephen #cmaconf great
conference, 2 big take aways. data is doubling
every 48 hours and got to have PowerPivot
@kvbliek i am a data ninja! #cmaconf
@kpuls great day at #CMACONF really enjoyed
leading my sessions and recruiting new followers
to the #PowerPivot army!
@beak1 Whoever says accountants are boring,
they should see what happens when we get
together and discuss social media! #nChalmers
@#cmaconf
@jimcsek @beak1 @nCalmers good example of
reason to spend money in production of message
rather than trad, on distribution #cmaconf
#viralvideos
@cloudchange “more data created every
48hours then from the beginning of time to
2003” @lbrody keynote speaker at #cmaconf 2013
Y On Twitter? Don’t forget to follow @CMaBC.
CMA British Columbia thanks the
sponsors and tradeshow exhibitors
of this year’s conference:
Platinum Sponsor
robert half international
Gold Sponsors
executrade, optinet systems inc., tacit Management Consulting inc.
Silver Sponsors
Business development Bank of Canada, Bean evo, Canadian Western Bank, david
aplin group, intact insurance and lMs Prolink, Mercer Bradley, td Meloche Monnex,
and the university of Victoria’s Peter B. gustavson school of Business executive
Programs.
Tradeshow Exhibitors
Ballistic arts, Beanevo, Bfl Canada, Credit institute of Canada, i-worx, Jouta
Performance group, Mercer Bradley, Pay savvy
Y More photos from the 2013 leadership Conference are available at
www.facebook.com/cmabc.
From top left clockwise: Aga Jendo, Abbey Mohd, Diana Lindgren and Kithy Lee; Jayne
Brooks, Dorothy Vankoughnett amd Claudia Bouduel; Laurie Sheehan and Curt Walker;
James Anderson, Robert McElroy and Trong Lee. Bottom: Group discussion in “Leadership –
Building Capacity Through Empowerment” seminar.
See you next year for the 2014
Leadership Conference. Call
for speakers due September 9,
2013. Visit cmabc-pd.com.

Left to right: brainstorming at the “Grow Your Business: What Accountants Need to Know about
Business Development” seminar; Donnie Macdonald, CMA, FCMA at a conference seminar.
Left to right: luncheon keynote speaker, Leonard Brody; the procurify.com team – Harold Burgess,
CMA, Kenneth Loi and Aman Mann at the conference tradeshow.
Wisam Abdulla and Faiz Abdulla, CMA, CEO of PaySavvy Canada Inc., at the CMA tradeshow.
The Executrade team at the Leadership Conference tradeshow.

The truth is, most people are selfish when communicating,
largely because they don’t take the time needed to consider
their audience. They speak and write without much planning or
forethought.
Think of people you regard as effective leaders and consider
how they communicate. It’s likely they all do a few fundamental
things: plan their message, choose their words carefully, know
their audience, and choose the right time and method of delivery.
Planning your message
Great leaders know that mixed messages can be just as
detrimental as poorly articulated ones. Imagine a CEO who holds
a town hall meeting and talks about the need for everyone to be
more careful with spending and then just days later directs the
sales department to do whatever it takes to increase sales. Both
messages are valid and could help the company become more
profitable, but they might also conflict, leading to confusion and
possible clashes between employees.
This type of miscommunication happens all too often. You can
avoid it by taking time to develop your message ahead of time. This
can be accomplished using a simple ten-minute exercise to plan
in your head. First, define the purpose of your communication.
Next, develop key messages that do not contradict each other.
Third, write out the exact words for each key message in one
concise sentence. Last, draw lines to show how the messages
connect.
Taking time to think through what you are going to
communicate – focusing on your key points and how they might
connect or conflict – will strengthen your communication.
Words matter
Choosing the appropriate words to convey ideas, beliefs,
thoughts, or feelings can be tricky. In the English language there
are about a quarter of a million options to choose from. Using
the correct precise right word makes a significant tremendous
huge difference. One leader I worked with, an engineer who
specialized in work with lasers, wanted to describe how the work
of his section was aligned with the company’s strategic goals. He
said “our section’s work is collimated with the company’s goals,”
SUMMER 2013 CMA UPDATE 15CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS | BRITISH COLUMBIA
ACCOUNTING I
STRATEGY I
MANAGEMENT I
Keys to Effective
CommunicationBy MICHAEL MORRISON, CMA
eaders know actions speak louder
than words. The most effective leaders
know their words matter… a lot. In
every organization I have worked with,
“communication” was listed as a top
area for improvement. The way people communi-
cated (or failed to communicate) about their work,
customers, co-workers and company values had a
significant effect on performance and workplace
culture.
L
ISTOCK

which was great, except nobody in the room knew
what “collimated” meant.
Tone is also an important consideration. Another
leader I worked with was a man of few words. He
would send email messages with “thx” to show his
appreciation and respond to questions with a simple
“yes” or “no.” Most of the people that worked with
him did not realize that he was a wonderful, caring
person with great ideas and lots to share. They made
assumptions about him being unfriendly, cold and
arrogant because of the tone of his communication.
The tone of any given message can be viewed as a
continuum ranging from soft to hard, sad to happy,
or even gentle to harsh. Some people use a harsh,
demanding tone nearly all of the time. Others are
gentle in most of their communication. Overusing any
one tone, however, reduces its effectiveness. Skilled
communicators show a range in their communication
and vary the tone of their messages to ensure they’re
consistently engaging their audience.
Audience
Since it is the recipient that interprets the message,
effective communication requires you to keep your
audience in mind as you craft your message and
decide how to share it. Some people like a lot of
words, some like a few. Some people respond better to
a short presentation featuring only the key messages,
some want facts and figures or personal anecdotes
or pictures. At times, you’ll know your audience well
and can tailor your approach to suit their preferences.
When you don’t, you must take care to communicate
in ways that will have the broadest appeal.
One leader I’ve worked with used sports analogies
and pop-culture references to try to get his points
across. The people he was communicating with
struggled to interpret what he was saying; they
simply couldn’t relate to the references he was using.
He forgot to consider his audience and ended up
confusing them.
Miscommunication can happen just as easily with
the written word. Writing can take the form of simple
sentences that have words with few syllables. Writing
can also be an exposition of the capabilities of the
essayist characterized by compound sentences and
obscure methodologies for sentence composition
further embellished for effect. Consider the reading
ability of your audience and the language they use to
communicate with one another.
Delivery
The way in which you deliver your message is often-
times just as important as the content. A strong,
well-thought-out message loses much of its impact if
the method of delivery is inappropriate or inefficient.
For written communication, “thank-you” letters,
notes of encouragement and condolence letters are
best hand-written to add a personal touch to the
message. Termination letters, leases and contracts are
better suited to be typewritten, formal documents.
Whichever method you use, keep in mind, many
readers don’t read much of what is actually written,
deriving more meaning from the form in which the
message was delivered.
Options for oral communication are similarly
varied. Common methods for delivery include
face-to-face dialogue, broadcast, telephone, video tele-
conferencing and group presentations. Conversations
about employee performance are not well suited to
group conversations while briefings on company goals
and objectives are. Video-memos are a great way to
introduce a topic or idea, but not an ideal way to
present a technical schematic for a new piece of equip-
ment. Choose a method of delivery that makes sense
for the topic and objectives of your communication.
Mark Twain once said, “I didn’t have time to
write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”
Communication should be as long as it needs to
be. It takes time and effort to match content, tone
and duration to the needs of the recipient. Even if
the match is not perfect, the person delivering the
message must take the necessary time to cover the
key points, and it is wise to confirm that the recipient
has received and understood them.
Timing is also crucial. The perfect message
delivered in all the best ways a month behind schedule
is not very helpful. Communicating too early can
be just as bad. When selecting the way to deliver a
message, effective leaders seek the best time available
to share their message. Sometimes the right time is
easy to find – it is apparent and available. Other times
people may have to create an opportunity to get the
audience in the right mindset to receive the message.
Ultimately, good communication comes down to
meticulous consideration, of both your words and the
people to whom you’ll be delivering them. Identifying
and isolating key points in advance, then thinking
through how they relate to each other helps clarify
the message. After the message is clear in your mind,
it’s imperative to select the right words, the proper
tone and the right approach for delivering it, taking
into account above all else the needs and preferences
of your audience. Being thoughtful and deliberate
when addressing your colleagues greatly improves
the potency of your communication and, as a result,
the all-around efficiency of your work environment. ■
CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS | BRITISH COLUMBIA16 CMA UPDATE SUMMER 2013
Y ACCOUNTING
Y STRATEGY
Y MANAGEMENT
MICHAELMORRISONisthe
ChiefofStaffatCanadian
ForcesBaseEsquimaltin
Victoria.HeisaCMAandhasan
MBAwithaspecializationin
leadership. Dedicatedto
communityservice,in2012he
receivedaQueen’sDiamond
JubileeMedalforhisserviceto
Canadaandwasselectedasa
CMABCVolunteeroftheYear.

Y Y 25 Years – 1988
■ Mr. Peter S. Antturi, CMA
■ Ms. Linda Au-Yeung, CMA
■ Mr. Timothy Brookes, CMA
■ Ms. unjoo u. Burlie, CMA
■ Mr. Nevin Chernick, CMA
■ Ms. Jenny K M Cheung, CMA
■ Mr. Jeff A. Colbourne, CMA
■ Ms. Catherine Der, CMA
■ Miss Maria A. Di Marco, CMA
■ Ms. Wendy Dobi, CMA
■ Mr. Edward Duda, CMA
■ Mr. Ernest C. Dusdal, CMA
■ Mr. Craig Elder, CMA
■ Ms. Beverley F. Farmer, CMA
■ Mrs. Gail Hind, CMA
■ Mr. Daniel Ho, CMA
■ Mr. Robert Hodak, CMA
■ Ms. Catherine Hoefer, CMA
■ Mr. David Hrycan, CMA
■ Mr. Ian K. Jones, CMA
■ Ms. Kathleen G. Jones, CMA
■ Ms. Susie Jung, CMA
■ Mr. Almunir Kamdar, CMA
■ Mr. Robert Knight, CMA
■ Mr. Stewart Laing, CMA
■ Ms. Brenda W. Lew, CMA
■ Ms. Rowena Kwan Ying Lim, CMA
■ Mr. Peter MacKay, CMA
■ Mr. Bernard Magnan, CMA, FCMA
■ Ms. Vivian Martin, CMA
■ Mr. Blair A. Matheson, CMA
■ Mr. Bruce M. McAra, CMA
■ Mr. Gary McBride, CMA
■ Mr. Gregory G. McLean, CMA
■ Mr. Barry A. McLean, CMA
■ Mr. Andrew J. McNevin, CMA
■ Mr. Scott Mehlenbacher, CMA
■ Mr. William F. Morrison, CMA
■ Ms. Jennie Polyxeni
Moushos, CMA
■ Mr. Randall S. Murie, CMA
■ Mr. Kenneth R. Norberg, CMA
■ Ms. F. Marie Nygaard, CMA
■ Ms. Jill Plasteras, CMA
■ Mr. Peteris Pupols, CMA
■ Ms. Debra D. Richardson, CMA
■ Mr. Gordon P. Rollick, CMA
■ Mr. Kulwant S. Sahota, CMA
■ Mr. Gary N. Sherlock, CMA
■ Ms. Kelly Sherlock, CMA
■ Mr. Randhir Singh Sidhu, CMA
■ Ms. Marie Helen Sinnott, CMA
■ Mr. Kenneth Walter Stuike, CMA
■ Ms. Terrie Tam, CMA
■ Ms. Lisa C. Titterington, CMA
■ Mr. Brian Torrell, CMA
■ Mrs. Manon van Tuyl, CMA
■ Ms. Elizabeth Wagner, CMA
■ Ms. Brenda L. Warner, CMA
■ Mr. Barry W. Watson, CMA
■ Ms. Leslie Whitmore, CMA
■ Ms. Karen Whyte, CMA
■ Mr. Michael Wicks, CMA
■ Mr. Richard R. Wilschek, CMA
■ Ms. Veronica W.C. Wong, CMA
■ Mr. Wilfred C K Wong, CMA
■ Mr. Andrew C.C. Wong, CMA
2013 executive Tour
Congratulations to the following 301 CMAs
s part of the CMa British Columbia
2013executiveTour,societyexecutives
and board members travelled around
the province to pay tribute to CMas
who have held their designation for
honorary milestones of 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 and
60 years. In recognition of their career and commu-
nity achievements, these members were awarded
a commemorative pin at a presentation ceremony
while their biographies were read to attendees.
a
SuMMER 2013 CMA UPDATE 17CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOuNTANTS | BRITISH COLuMBIA
executive Tour honourees in Hong Kong raise their glasses alongside CMa British Columbia President and CeO, Vinetta Peek, CMa (Hon.), CMa, Chair
Pat Kennedy, CMa, FCMa and J. Ian Burchett, Consul General of Canada for Hong Kong and Macao.
■ Hong Kong – June 7
■ East Kootenay – June 13
■ West Kootenay – June 14
■ Vancouver – June 18
■ Victoria – June 21
■ upper Island – June 22
■ Pacific Northwest – June 24
■ Central Interior – June 27
■ Okanagan – July 8
■ Kamloops – July 9
CMa BrITIsH COLUMBIa eXeCUTIVe TOUr 2013
The executive Tour makes a stop in east Kootenay.

■ Mr. Ben H. M. Yee, CMA
■ Ms. Judith R. Yee, CMA
■ Mr. Andy Zlok, CMA
Y 30 Years – 1983
■ Mr. Allan J. Achtemichuk, CMA
■ Mr. Gerald Adams, CMA
■ Mr. Howard R. Anderson, CMA
■ Mr. Kevin J. Arens, CMA
■ Mr. Douglas H. Arndt, CMA
■ Ms. Michele Babineau, CMA
■ Mrs. Mary Ballen, CMA
■ Ms. N. Louise Beaton, CMA
■ Ms. Marian E. Berry, CMA
■ Mr. John S. Beverley, CMA
■ Mr. John M. Bucy, CMA
■ Mr. Donn Burchill, CMA
■ Ms. Patricia I. Burke, CMA
■ Mr. Bruce Chadwick, CMA
■ Mr. Joel Chan, CMA
■ Ms. Jacqueline G. Chay, CMA
■ Mr. Percy Kong-Kei Chin, CMA
■ Mr. Hudson Hing-Sang
Chong, CMA
■ Mr. Kelvin M. Chow, CMA
■ Ms. Gail Cleveland, CMA
■ Mr. Daryl G. Conner, CMA
■ Ms. Sylvia A. Cross, CMA
■ Mr. Ramon S. De La Costa, CMA
■ Ms. Jan Marie Dore, CMA
■ Mr. John Dumalski, CMA
■ Mr. John Duncan, CMA
■ Mrs. Amy Mankit Edmonds, CMA
■ Mr. Douglas S. Field, CMA
■ Mr. Dominic Fiore, CMA
■ Mr. Frederick F. Fominoff, CMA
■ Mr. Allan Fox, CMA
■ Mr. Kevin H. Gaffney, CMA
■ Mr. Robert Garries, CMA
■ Mr. Gregory Gaudaur, CMA
■ Mr. Leo G. Gauthier, CMA
■ Ms. Lorna M. Gray, CMA
■ Mr. Stephen I. Gray, CMA
■ Ms. Ellen Hamer, CMA
■ Mr. John Hanbury, CMA
■ Mr. Robert Hayman, CMA
■ Ms. Maria K. Hession, CMA
■ Mr. Serge J. Hombert, CMA
■ Mr. Bradley O. Howard, CMA
■ Mr. Allen H. Huey, CMA
■ Mr. Gordon Innes, CMA
■ Mr. Harold Jantz, CMA
■ Mr. Richard Jones, CMA
■ Ms. Angela Karpa, CMA
■ Mr. Bruce Knott, CMA
■ Mr. Michael Che-Kuen Lai, CMA
■ Mr. James Laing, CMA
■ Mr. Anthony Chiu-Ho Lam, CMA
■ Mr. John W. Lebidoff, CMA
■ Ms. Carol Leong, CMA
■ Mr. Danny S. F. Leung, CMA
■ Ms. Deborah Woon Kan
Leung, CMA
■ Ms. May Wai-Yin-Chan Li, CMA
■ Mr. Sing Chung Matthias Li, CMA
■ Mr. David Libby, CMA
■ Mr. Jim Logan, CMA
■ Mr. Augustine F. Loo, CMA
■ Mr. Chee Khan Lum, CMA
■ Dr. Murray Lynn, CMA
■ Mr. Brian H. Lytle, CMA
■ Mr. Kenneth Mackie, CMA
■ Mr. Scott D. MacLean, CMA
■ Mr. Justin Mah, CMA
■ Ms. Leslie K. Marriott, CMA
■ Mr. Michael G. Maschek, CMA
■ Mrs. Darlene Masuak, CMA
■ Mr. Stephen O. Mavety, CMA
■ Ms. Joan McCance, CMA
■ Mr. Donald G. McCay, CMA
■ Mr. Peter McIvor, CMA
■ Mr. Abdulrahim Meghji, CMA
■ Mr. Ian Milne, CMA
■ Ms. Mary Moher, CMA
■ Mr. Brian M. Moist, CMA
■ Mr. James Musson, CMA
■ Mr. Philip W. Nakoneshny, CMA
■ Ms. Maria M. Pavan, CMA
■ Mr. Donald A. Pavan, CMA
■ Mr. Douglas B. Pontifex, CMA
■ Ms. Deanna Pumple, CMA
■ Mr. Michael Rassenti, CMA
■ Ms. Mary Anne V. Robertson,
CMA
■ Mr. Patrick J.C. Ryan, CMA
■ Ms. Daniela J. Salmen, CMA
■ Ms. June Junko Seto, CMA
■ Mr. Michael R. Siddons, CMA
■ Ms. Cecilia L. Sinotte, CMA
■ Mr. Robert Smith, CMA
■ Mr. Conrad Wah-sum So, CMA
■ Mr. Douglas Stadelman, CMA
■ Ms. Wanda N. Stadnicki, CMA
■ Mr. Kelly E Staudt, CMA
■ Mr. James E. Stephens, CMA
■ Mr. Shuk Ming Suen, CMA
■ Mr. Albert M.C. Tam, CMA
■ Mr. Peter Tamilin, CMA
■ Mr. Henry Y. Tanaka, CMA
■ Ms. Irene O.L. Tang, CMA
■ Ms. May K. Tong, CMA
■ Mr. Chin-Shing William Tong,
CMA
■ Mr. Yee-Shing John Tse, CMA
■ Mr. Robert Turmel, CMA
■ Mr. H. Kendall Turner, CMA
“These CMAs are among the pioneers
of the establishment of the strategic
financial management profession in British
Columbia. On behalf of the Society, I would
like to express my heartfelt thanks for their
ongoing support and dedication.”
■ ■ ■
Vinetta Peek, CMA (Hon.), CMA
President and CEO, CMA British Columbia
From top clockwise: East Kootenay recipient Bradley Howard, CMA with Chair Pat Kennedy; the Executive Tour stops by the Pacific Northwest branch;
CMA BC Chair Pat Kennedy addresses Upper Island CMAs; Upper Island CMA Gregory Gaudaur with Chair Pat Kennedy; Pat Kennedy congratulates
John Winkelmann on 45 years of certification; Jim Olsen, CMA, FCMA at the Upper Island Executive Tour event; Donna Porter, CMA takes in the Victoria
Executive Tour.

■ Ms. Eva Vorkampff, CMA
■ Mr. Donald G. Walzak, CMA
■ Mr. Terry N. Warren, CMA
■ Mr. Bernd F. Weiss, CMA
■ Mr. Gary J. Welna, CMA
■ Mr. David Kim-Shin Wong, CMA
■ Mr. Jim W.K. Wong, CMA
■ Ms. Christine Worsley, CMA
■ Ms. Sandra Zado, CMA
Y 35 Years – 1978
■ Mr. James R. Alexander, CMA
■ Mr. Kenneth Anderson, CMA
■ Ms. Katherine Barr, CMA
■ Mr. Donald Barrett, CMA
■ Ms. K. Jayne Brooks, CMA, FCMA
■ Ms. Roberta Campbell, CMA
■ Mr. John Catcher, CMA
■ Mr. J. Craig Curtis, CMA
■ Mr. Kishor V. Devani, CMA
■ Mr. Adrian J. Donders, CMA
■ Mr. Stephen S.W. Fan, CMA
■ Mr. Graham S. Fane, CMA, FCMA
■ Mr. Evan B. Farrell, CMA
■ Mr. Roger Fast, CMA
■ Mr. Ronald Gilbertson, CMA
■ Mr. David Grace, CMA
■ Mr. Anthony Griffin, CMA
■ Mr. Barry Hodge, CMA
■ Mr. John F. Huguet, CMA, FCMA
■ Mr. Ernest M. Iannacone, CMA,
FCMA
■ Ms. Patricia A. Jansen, CMA
■ Mr. Kenneth B. Karasick, CMA
■ Mr. Hanif A. Karmally, CMA
■ Mr. Clifford P. Kraft, CMA
■ Ms. Stella K. Kwong, CMA
■ Ms. Caroline Lai, CMA
■ Betty Bih Wu Lee, CMA
■ Mr. Hank Jan Leenders, CMA
■ Mr. Bernard B.L. Lum, CMA
■ Mr. Richard W. Lumby, CMA
■ Mr. Maurice K. Ma, CMA
■ Mr. Kelvin R. Mar, CMA
■ Mr. Richard B. McCallum, CMA
■ Ms. Maimu McLeod, CMA
■ Mr. Terry D. McMillan, CMA
■ Mr. John A. Moran, CMA
■ Mr. Albert C. Mori, CMA
■ Mr. Sidney G. Norman, CMA,
FCMA
■ Mr. Ronald M. Odgers, CMA
■ Mr. Cecil Primeau, CMA
■ Mr. David Richards, CMA
■ Mr. Selwyn W. Rose, CMA
■ Mr. Otto Schmid, CMA
■ Mr. Stephen Chi Fung Siu, CMA
■ Mr. Albert R. Soreng, CMA
■ Mr. John Spence, CMA
■ Mr. Robert W. Strachan, CMA
■ Mr. Gilbert T. Tulloch, CMA
■ Mr. John D. Wolff, CMA
Y 40 Years – 1973
■ Mr. Samuel H. Beale, CMA
■ Mr. Brian T. Birk, CMA
■ Mr. Charles D. Campbell, CMA
■ Mr. Reginald Davey, CMA
■ Mr. John H. Dendekker, CMA
■ Mr. Fritz W. Dressel, CMA
■ Mr. William Duckenfield, CMA
■ Mr. Hans Joachim Frie, CMA
■ Mr. G. Brian Hobson, CMA,
FCMA
■ Mr. Allen Johnson, CMA
■ Mr. Wei Chiu Jung, CMA
■ Mr. Bruce F. Maycock, CMA
■ Ms. Chloe M. Morgan, CMA
■ Mr. Gordon Moscarella, CMA
■ Mr. David Patmore, CMA
■ Mr. Terry Peterson, CMA
■ Mr. John F. Porteous, CMA
■ Mr. George R. Quo Vadis, CMA
■ Mr. Logan D. Rodgers, CMA
■ Mr. Larry Romano, CMA
■ Mr. Dale L. Schatz, CMA
■ Mr. Charles Shackerley-
Bennett, CMA
■ Mr. Brian R. Sibley, CMA
■ Mr. Allen N. Small, CMA
■ Mr. Kenneth S. Smith, CMA
■ Mr. Russel Wesley Smith, CMA
■ Mr. Kenneth S. Whittington,
CMA
■ Mr. Benjamin H.W. Yeung, CMA
Y 45 Years – 1968
■ Mr. Kenneth J. Garley, CMA
■ Mr. J. Vern Gibson, CMA
■ Mr. E. Brian Hardy, CMA
■ Mr. Michael Jacobson, CMA
■ Mr. Bjintze Jelsma, CMA
■ Mr. Stanley Kitching, CMA
■ Mr. J. Gordon Loewen, CMA
■ Mr. John G. Lozie, CMA
■ Ms. Margaret C. McPhedran,
CMA
■ Mr. Donald Milton, CMA
■ Mr. Duncan Morgan, CMA
■ Mr. Robert L. Morris, CMA
■ Mr. Olaf T. Nordstrom, CMA
■ Mr. Maxwell F. Norman, CMA
■ Mr. Stewart K. Paton, CMA
■ Mr. George Pennock, CMA
■ Mr. Gerard Sterk, CMA
■ Mr. Gerald A. Thubron, CMA
■ Mr. Bryan A. Webster, CMA
■ Mr. Ted J. Will, CMA
■ Mr. John F. Winkelmann, CMA
■ Mr. Gerald Worden, CMA
Y 50 Years – 1963
■ Mr. Gordon Alexander, CMA
■ Mr. Jerry I. Asner, CMA
■ Mr. Robert Baker, CMA
■ Mr. Elmer J. Benoit, CMA, FCMA
■ Mr. W. James Fedorak, CMA,
FCMA
■ Mr. Douglas G. Gordon, CMA
■ Mr. P. Hulnick, CMA
■ Mr. Theodore Kozub, CMA
■ Mr. D. W. Lawson, CMA
■ Mr. Melvin H. Leiding, CMA
■ Mr. Ben Van Der Woerd, CMA
■ Mr. John M. Van Koll, CMA
■ Mr. Jack Vorauer, CMA
■ Mr. William Zambik, CMA
Y 55 Years – 1958
■ Mr. Joseph F. Reisek, CMA
■ Mr. Philip T. Wood, CMA
Y 60 Years – 1953
■ Mr. Victor J. Christison, CMA
From top clockwise: Victoria Chapter Chair Jason Stevenson, CMA; Mark Bucknall, CMA and Terry Gelinas, CMA; Pat Kennedy, CMA, FCMA with Alumnir
Kamdar, CMA at the Vancouver Executive Tour; the Victoria Executive Tour presents ample opportunity for networking; Allan Achtemichuk and Carol
Achtemichuk celebrate Allan’s 30 years as a CMA; Victoria CMA Maimu McLeod, a 35-year recipient, alongside Robert Alexander, CMA, FCMA; Vancouver
Chapter Chair Laura Thomas with Brian Moist, CMA at the Vancouver Executive Tour.

’ve written a lot about motivating
people. Usually, we try to learn from
ourselves and from our peers in the
business community, but that narrow
perspective can be limiting. So recently
I’ve been interested in how other sectors
drive high performance.
In science, there are rarely any big
financial rewards. Competition is fierce,
withmoreandmorepost-graduatesseeking
limited positions and funding. In order
to even be considered for a position as a
scientific researcher, one has to be smart,
well educated and dedicated, so the bar is
set very high. The failure rate is enormous;
many Ph.D students fail to secure academic
positions and those who do often labour
for decades without much in the way of
recognition. Scientists also rarely enjoy the
lavish perks of corporate life: business-class
travel, swanky hotels, client dinners.
So how do you keep a group like that
motivated? Scientists aren’t taught how to
manage teams. They learn the hard way:
by experience. At the Weizmann Institute
of Science in Israel, investigator Uri Alon
did what you’d expect a scientist to do:
He read a lot of psychological research
about motivation. And he paid attention
to his own performance – successes and
mistakes alike. Below are some of his
conclusions.
1. Build competence gradually
We all want to hit homeruns, but it’s a
bad idea to set tasks that are simply too
daunting. Sink-or-swim might sound bold,
but it’s a very risky strategy. When Alon
asked his first graduate student to rewire
a commercial fluorimeter, instead of being
thrilled by the (difficult) challenge, the
student had no idea how to start. Instead,
Alon concluded, he’d have done better to
break the task into achievable (albeit still
challenging) steps. Achieving each one
builds confidence, which, in turn, drives
motivation.
2. Don’t help too much
Smart people cherish autonomy, so
Alon says you shouldn’t rush in to solve
problems your employees are still working
on. Simply giving them the answer might
accelerate completion of this particular
task, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right
thing to do in the long run. Alon described
one graduate student who came up with
the perfect request for assistance: “I have
a question, but before I tell you, please
promise not to solve it immediately by
yourself. I want time to think about it.” The
skills you learn yourself are internalized
and drive both confidence and expertise.
3. Be social
At his lab meetings, Alon devotes the first
half hour of the two-hour weekly meeting
to “non-science” topics. He asks about
absentstudents,whichshowshenoticesand
cares. By celebrating birthdays, discussing
movies or theatre or the news, he gives his
colleaguestimetogettoknoweachotheras
people, and not just scientists. The goal is to
create a sense of connectedness so people
want to help each other. “Our connection
to a community and a culture provides us
context and empathy during our struggles,
acknowledgementduringoursuccesses,”he
says. People are rarely loyal to companies or
organizations; they are loyal to one another.
4. Make assignments personal
A problem that is too hard can’t be solved
until or unless new research provides the
information needed to crack it. A problem
that’s too easy won’t yield valuable insights.
So how does Alon choose the projects for
his team? He asks students to identify their
talents and their passions. Then he looks
at where those overlap with the objectives
of the lab overall. Each assignment is a
rich intersection of personal capabilities
with professional needs. There’s no point
making people do work they don’t care
about, and no value in hiring passionate
people without harnessing their energy.
What’s so striking about Alon’s
conclusions is that there is no mention of
money or intimidation, threats or bonuses.
The greatest reward of science – status,
prestige – isn’t Alon’s to bestow. What
he can offer is a community dedicated to
personal and professional development. It
turns out that is a great deal, indeed.
Y ACCOUNTING
Y STRATEGY
Y MANAGEMENT
The Science of Team Building
Four lessons managers can learn from the scientific community
By MARGARET HEFFERNAN
I
MARGARETHEFFERNANisan
entrepreneur,ChiefExecutiveand
author.Hermostrecentbook
isWillfulBlindness:WhyWe
IgnoretheObviousatOurPeril
(Walker&Company).
ISTOCK

DOUGALLEY,BCOMM,CMA
(Hon.)isaPrincipalwithThe
AlleyGroup,amanagement
consultingfirmspecializingin
humanresources.Doughas
over35yearsofexperiencein
allfacetsofstrategicplanning,
employmentandlabourissues.
ongratulations – after a painstaking search,
you’ve finally recruited the perfect candidate
for that vacant position. But hang on; your
work’s not quite done yet. Did you know that
employees who quit within their first 90 days usually do
so because of the treatment they receive in the first two?
With that in mind, it’s imperative that new hires feel
comfortable and engaged from the outset. Although
truly effective orientation does take time and money,
when you factor in the high cost of turnover, it’s a sound
investment. Here are the fundamentals of an effective
onboarding program.
Putting the New Employee at Ease
Welcome your new employee and re-establish the
rapport that you built during the selection process.
Follow that with a quick tour to point out washrooms,
the kitchen and other key facilities. Once he or she
begins to relax, introduce the staff to their newest team
member and designate a “buddy” to assist your new
hire with any questions and becoming comfortable in
their new surroundings.
The Big Picture
It’s important for the new employee to understand
how they fit into the greater scheme of things at your
company. Sit down and take the time to explain how
their position relates to co-workers on their team, and
how their team relates to other departments or areas
of operation.
Goals and Expectations
In order for your worker to fit in and be productive,
they must be made aware of your company’s values
and goals, as well as the objectives of their position
and team. This usually involves a thorough discus-
sion and some preliminary training, but it could start
with a simple statement of the company’s philosophy
or creedo – something along the lines of, “We strive
to serve each customer we deal with in a professional
manner.” To help employees understand and attain their
goals, it may, once again, be appropriate to assign one
of your better workers as a mentor.
Policies, Procedures and Behaviour
Inthebeginning,yournewhirewilllikelyhavequestions
about things like hours of work, pay days, grooming and
dress code, vacation time, sick leave, breaks, training
and performance. An employee handbook will afford
them the opportunity to study the policies, procedures
and “rules” of their new workplace. In particular, take
care to emphasize points on acceptable use of company
property, appropriate treatment of other employees
and customers (i.e. no harassment or bullying), as well
as workplace safety and emergency procedures. Have
the employee sign a document acknowledging that all
this information has been explained to them.
Making an Impact
It’s essential to cover the fundamentals described
above in a timely fashion. Creating a simple “first-day”
checklist will help ensure you don’t overlook anything.
Beyond simply ticking off boxes, however, it’s impor-
tant to deliver this information in a fun and memorable
way. Some things I’ve had success with in the past:
■ An introductory video of the workplace created
by employees;
■ “Coffee With the Boss,” offering an opportunity
to hear about the business from the top; or,
■ A scavenger hunt based on finding the answers
to frequently asked questions (by speaking to
other employees and sifting through company
information).
You only have one opportunity to make a first
impression; for employers, the orientation of new
hires is that opportunity. Take the time to do it right
and you’ll be planting the seeds of a long and fruitful
working relationship. ■
The HR Cycle: Orientation
Investing the time to properly assimilate new
staff will pay dividends in the long run
By DOUG ALLEY, CMA (HON.)
C
ACCOUNTING I
MANAGEMENT I
STRATEGY I
ISTOCK

NATALIEMICHAEL,MA,CPCC,
isanExecutiveCoachand
LeadershipDevelopment
Consultant.Herfirm,The
KarmichaelGroup,specializesin
executivecoaching,leadership
assessmentsandsuccession
managementconsulting.
Y ACCOUNTING
Y STRATEGY
Y MANAGEMENT
Creating New
Assign “Acting Executives” to ﬁll in for vacationing
ones. Every executive goes on vacation for a few weeks
per year, which presents an excellent opportunity for
a subordinate to get a taste of executive life in the
organization. Recently, one Human Resources VP told
me that vacation coverage is one of her company’s
most highly valued development tools. Each time an
executive goes on vacation, they assign someone to
take over that person’s role. While the executive is
away, the “Acting Executive” attends meetings on the
incumbent’s behalf, handles inquiries, responds to
messages and makes decisions. Acting Executives are
assigned for all top roles, right up to the CEO. Even
though the time frame can be short (usually around
two weeks) the experience is invaluable. Acting
Executives get a fresh perspective on the organization,
a better appreciation for what executives deal with on
a daily basis, and exposure to new relationships within
the company. To make the most of these assignments,
it is important to debrief the Acting Executive on their
experience and, ideally, gather feedback from peers
who temporarily reported to them. This can provide
useful career development insights that can help an
up-and-coming leader refine their style and be more
methodical with executive career planning.
Strategic sabbatical programs help retain current
leaders and develop new ones. In this age of 24/7
access to the oﬃce, executives are working harder
than ever and often burning out because of it; this has
led to unprecedented executive turnover in recent
years. One way organizations can effectively retain
executives and develop successors is through strategic
sabbatical programs. A sabbatical program essentially
means that the organization offers a paid or unpaid
leave to an executive for a period of anywhere from
one to six months. During this time, the executive can
travel, organize an exchange with another company,
or simply rejuvenate by relaxing with friends and
family. Allowing your executives to take a sabbatical
every five years can be an excellent retention strategy.
Moreover, since the sabbatical requires that a high-
potential leader be placed into an Acting Executive
role, these programs are also excellent development
opportunities. Similar to the aforementioned vacation
coverage, a sabbatical can provide high-potentials with
practical experience in a leadership role and increased
exposure to the business, including the opportunity to
be a part of strategic conversations in a way that they
may not have been exposed to otherwise. Because
the tenure of the assignment is longer than vacation
coverage, the learning from sabbatical coverage is
typically richer. Also, it offers the organization a good
opportunity to test an employee’s executive potential
in a low-risk way.
Volunteer board service – a good way to begin
the succession process. One of the keys to executive
three fresh tactics for turning high-potential
employees into capable executives
By NATALIE MICHAEL
avvyorganizationsarealwayslookingforwaystodevelopthemenandwomen
who will one day take over their company’s leadership roles. Indeed, a good
succession program is essential to the health of any enterprise. Standard
tactics like leadership assessments, coaching and progressive job assign-
ments are effective and serve as key components of a succession program,
but many companies still require creative tactics to prepare the next generation of
leaders. Here are a few tips that will help your organization cultivate effective leaders
before they take on a leadership role.
S
CERtifiEd ManagEMEnt aCCoUntantS | BRitiSh ColUMBia22 CMA UPDATE SUMMER 2013

development is knowing how to effectively prepare
and transition a successor. Although important for
maintaining an executive’s legacy and organizational
health, many executives do this poorly, hanging on
too long to their responsibilities or not adequately
developing the heir apparent. In my experience one
of the best ways to teach executives the value of
developing successors without creating the feeling
that they are being pushed out of their jobs is to
request that they participate in a not-for-profit or
industry association board; as part of this process,
request that they proactively identify and develop a
successor for their board seat and report on what they
learned during the process to the executive team.
This exercise provides them with an opportunity
to learn important lessons about succession first
hand, as opposed to having a strictly theoretical
understanding of the process. Through this exposure,
they will hopefully come to realize that time passes
quickly and you need to be proactive about developing
others, and that the succession process is dynamic,
with even the best-laid plans often going awry. Most
importantly, they’ll come to know that a successful
transition requires letting go, yet still providing
support – something that many execs struggle with.
Easing an executive into the succession process with
an exercise such as this helps to mitigate any feelings
of resentment, allowing for deeper reflection and
ultimately a better understanding of the need for a
proper succession plan. ■
iSTOCK
Leaders

Numbers
Words
into
Putting Your
hough often viewed as an afterthought
in the world of finance, checking (and
rechecking) text for correct spelling,
punctuation, capitalization and word
choice is just as important as all the care
and attention Certified Management Accountants
take to make sure their numbers are rock solid.
Consider the so-called case of the comma that cost
a million dollars. In 2006, Rogers Communications and
Bell Aliant (a telecom company in Atlantic Canada)
clashed over a 14-page contract detailing the use of
local telephone poles. The culprit? A single misplaced
comma. Because of the comma’s location, the compa-
nies argued that the length of the agreement – and
when it could be cancelled – was unclear. The dispute
went all the way to Canada’s federal telecommunica-
tions regulator, the CRTC (Canadian Radio-Television
Telecommunications Commission). In the end, it
was settled by referring to the French version of the
document, which was deemed correct because its
punctuation left nothing open to interpretation.
While this is undoubtedly an extreme example,
errors in punctuation, spelling and word selection
often do make readers question the full and exact
meaning of the text.
“Of course, CMAs take great care in ensuring all
the numbers are correct,” said Mia Maki, Principal
at Quimper Consulting Inc. and Assistant Teaching
Professor at the Univesity of Victoria’s Peter B.
Gustavson School of Business. “But the numbers tell
only part of the story. Poor text can cast doubt about
the quality of the numbers in a particular report. It’s
about creating a strong relationship between the words
and numbers to enhance your bottom-line message.”
As much as a misplaced decimal can affect the
bottom line, so too can sloppy writing. A poorly
placed comma, random apostrophe or an incorrect
word choice in text explaining a financial statement
T
Y ACCOUNTING
Y STRATEGY
Y MANAGEMENT
Your accounting may be sound, but are your financial
documents being undermined by sloppy writing?
BY SAM COREA

SAMCOREA
Withmorethan25yearsof
experienceinthefieldsof
corporatecommunications,
publications,mediarelations,
broadcastjournalismandevent
operations,SamCoreaisa
Vancouver-basedcommunications
andeventconsultantwho
providesawiderangeof
writing,editingandproject
planningservices.
ISTOCK
■ Purchase the Canadian Press Stylebook or sign up for the online account (https://stylebooks.thecanadianpress.com/).
If your company has an internal style guide, be sure to reference that as well.
■ When editing, use a ruler to help you isolate and focus on each line of text.
■ Ensure the names of all external organizations mentioned are spelled correctly. Does the company have an
apostrophe? Is there a hyphen? Is the name spelled with all-caps? Refer to the press releases on each
company’s website to confirm.
■ In body text, spell out numbers one through nine. Use numerals for 10 and above.
■ Don’t edit from a computer screen. Print your document. Read it aloud and mark it up with a pen to spot the errors.
■ Read, re-read and then read backwards; the latter will keep you from skimming the text.
■ Take a break between editing sessions to rest your bleary eyes.
■ Finally, let a colleague take a look. A fresh perspective is the best way to pick up on overlooked mistakes.
Editing and Proofreading Tips for CMAs
Additional online resources:
http://www.mhwcom.com/Writing-Tips-for-Accountants.html
http://classweb.gmu.edu/WAC/somguide/accounting.htm
or balance sheet may make the reader question the
validity of the entire document. That’s why strong
writing, active text editing and meticulous proof-
reading skills are just as important as triple-checking
the numbers.
It’s all about financial story telling – using numbers
and words effectively. And it starts with knowing
your audience and being mindful of the reader. Ask
yourself: who am I writing this for? Thinking about
the reader helps you select the right words and focus
on the reaction you’re trying to achieve.
Generally speaking, try to keep your words as simple
as possible. Plain and sensible language helps make
documents easier to understand, while wordy explana-
tions can distract readers. Why say “in close proximity
to” when “near” means the same thing? “In conclusion,”
is a good substitute for “in the final analysis.” Replace “it
would thus appear” with “apparently.” Big words, jargon
and over-writing aren’t necessary to impress readers.
Aim for clarity and brevity.
Rest assured, cutting the flowery expressions doesn’t
mean that the writing has to be dull. Writing in the
active voice (so that the subject acts instead of being
acted upon) will make your sentences clearer as well
as more engaging. Here’s an example:
Passive: Your proposal was reviewed at our meeting
on May 1, and it was immediately submitted to the
developer.
Active: We reviewed your proposal on May 1 and
immediately submitted it to the developer.
Great accounting and sharp analytical skills are
cornerstones of the work CMAs do every day. However,
when preparing reports and documents, it’s important
to remember that the numbers alone don’t deliver the
message. The text that goes with the financials must
be just as strong as the numbers, with impactful, easily
understoodlanguageandcorrectspelling,capitalization
and punctuation. Failing to achieve that undermines the
accounting information you so carefully produced. ■

CMA SPOTLIGHT
CMA Grad year: 2001
Day Job: Vice President, Finance,
Pacific National Exhibition
sk someone what goes through their
mind when they think about the Pacific
National Exhibition (PNE), and you will
probably see their eyes light up as they
gush about fresh mini-donuts, doused in cinnamon
and sugar. Or they’ll relate fond memories of farm
animals in the vast agricultural exhibits, SuperDogs,
rides on the wooden rollercoaster, or dreaming
about winning the prize home. Late-summer days at
the Fair have long been a shared rite of passage for
the people of Metro Vancouver.
Although these memories can still be made at
today’s PNE, the organization has changed a lot
over the years. The rollercoaster still delights the
crowds, and vendors haven’t stopped churning out
those delicious donuts, but new ownership, a broad
mandate and a demanding business model have
changed how the PNE conducts its business.
Nobody understands this better than Roger Gil,
Vice President of Finance for the PNE. “We’re part of
the City of Vancouver but while the city subsidizes its
parks, the PNE does not get any funding from the city,”
Gil explains. “We are a separate, self-sustaining entity
and we have to manage the business accordingly.”
This means operating differently than other
not-for-profit government organizations. As Gil says,
“When you look at our business, we’re like a private
for-profit entity. We talk about how we can maximize
revenues, when to invest in capital to reduce
expenses, new techniques to become more efficient,
and possible ways to generate new revenue.”
This is a necessary approach in large part because
the PNE, once owned by the provincial government,
has a mandate that extends beyond the two weeks
at the end of the summer when the actual Fair takes
place. The organization also maintains the entire
Hastings Park site and manages the year-round
activities that take place there – from Playland’s
famous “Fright Nights” to concerts and sporting
events at the Pacific Coliseum, and even community
ice rentals at the Agrodome. Ensuring the PNE
organization can sustain these activities is key to
Roger Gil, CMA
A
www.cmabcblog.com

keeping the whole enterprise running successfully.
This imperative leads to business decisions such
as the one announced earlier this year – to cut
admission and parking prices for customers but keep
the PNE’s gates closed on two Mondays during the
Fair. “As with any business looking at becoming as
efficient as possible, the main driver of this decision
was to offer value to our customers,” Gil explains.
“We get 800,000 people over a 17-day period but
on those two Mondays we don’t get a lot of people.
We’re able to save on those costs and pass those
savings on to our customers by offering a 20 per cent
discount on admission and parking. The overall goal
is to make the Fair as successful as possible.”
Gil may be one of the leaders responsible for
big decisions like these at the PNE, but he’s also
involved in a whole lot more. Gil gained much of his
experience in large multinational corporations, but
the smaller relative size of the PNE’s business offers
him varied challenges. “In a large company, you
tend to focus on just one thing. At the PNE, I look
at everything – I’m responsible for financial analysis
and statements, but also for IT and corporate
services. I also get involved in strategy, which I
wouldn’t get a chance to do in a larger organization.
The breadth of what I’ve been involved in keeps
things very interesting and challenging.”
Gil was born and raised in East Vancouver, not
far from the Pacific National Exhibition grounds.
He achieved his CMA designation after getting
intrigued during an information session at the
British Columbia Institute of Technology. Asked
what his CMA training has enabled him to bring
to the PNE, he reveals: “Because the CMA training
teaches you to be entrepreneurial, whenever I look
at a task, I try to think of different and better ways
to do it.” He adds, “So if there is an idea to generate
revenue or create a new event, I can ask the right
questions – how do we do it, how do we organize it,
will it make money or not?”
Over his six years with the PNE, Gil has had many
opportunities to apply that entrepreneurial approach,
including during the Fair’s 100th
anniversary and the
2010 Winter Olympics – the volunteer accreditation
centre was located on the PNE grounds, and the
Pacific Coliseum hosted figure skating and short-
track speed skating. But Gil says one of the biggest
highlights for both him and for the organization
came later that year, when the PNE built and
operated Empire Field, the temporary outdoor home
of the BC Lions when BC Place was getting its new
roof. It was what he calls an “immense and complex
project” to build and operate a venue that would
only be open for a year and a half.
Empire Field was a success, and customers even
asked at the end why it couldn’t stay open for other
events after the Lions moved on. Gil says that this
kind of success was only possible because of close
coordination between all parts of his organization:
“The cohesion between the various departments
really made Empire Field effective and successful.”
With the PNE hosting its 103rd
Fair in summer
2013, Gil looks forward to what lies ahead. The PNE
will undoubtedly continue to look for new ways to
delight customers and generate revenue, but Gil says
he’ll continue to make room for the classics; mini-
donuts, SuperDogs and the wooden rollercoaster
won’t soon be crossed off his summer to-do list. ■
“In a large company, you tend to
focus on just one thing. At the
PNE, I look at everything – I’m
responsible for financial analysis
and statements, but also for IT
and corporate services. I also
get involved in strategy, which I
wouldn’t get a chance to do in a
larger organization.”

■ D. Roberts Alexander, CMA, FCMA
■ Joan Axford, CMA, FCMA
■ Shirley Baker
■ Colin Bennett, CMA, FCMA
■ Elmer Benoit, CMA, FCMA
■ Carl Bertholm, CMA
■ Morley Brown, CMA
■ Jennifer Bryant, CMA
■ Hana Carbert, CMA, FCMA
■ Roger Chan, CMA
■ Bob Cheng, CMA
■ Kam Choi, CMA
■ Meryle Corbett, CMA, FCMA
■ Roger Cradock, CMA, FCMA
■ Paul Cumberland, CMA
■ Alexander Dancs, CMA, FCMA
■ Sandeep Dayal, CMA
■ Angela Downey, CMA, FCMA
■ Elaine Eccleston, CMA, FCMA
■ Lois Etherington, CMA (Hon.)
■ Gordon Farrell, CMA, FCMA
■ James Fedorak, CMA, FCMA
■ James Ferguson, CMA, FCMA
■ Laara Gean, CMA
■ E.George Hartmann, CMA, FCMA
■ Peter Herz, CMA, FCMA
■ Don Hincks, CMA, FCMA
■ Daniel Ho, CMA
■ Frank Hunaus, CMA, FCMA
■ Ernest Iannacone, CMA, FCMA
■ Stephen Joyce, CMA
■ Patricia Kennedy, CMA, FCMA
■ Brian Kennedy, CMA, FCMA
■ Paul Kenney, CMA
■ Shendi Keshet, CMA
■ Sonya Lam, CMA
■ Dennis Lam, CMA
■ John Lebidoff, CMA
■ Lawrence Lee, AAT
■ Henry Lenaghan, CMA
■ Rick Lightheart, CMA, FCMA
■ Dong Liu, CAN
■ Donnie MacDonald, CMA, FCMA
■ Joanna Malgorzata, CMA
■ Ron Matthews, CMA, FCMA
■ Donald McCay, CMA
■ Eric McFarlane, CMA
■ Christine McKinnon, CMA
■ Aklilu Mulat, CMA, FCMA
■ Sidney Norman, CMA, FCMA
■ James Pammenter, CMA, FCMA
■ Ron Park, CMA (Hon.)
■ Vinetta Peek, CMA (Hon.), CMA
■ Rob Pellatt, CMA, FCMA
We thank the following individuals who made a donation to
the CMA Scholarship Fund from July 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013:
CMA Scholarship Awards
Y BRITISHCOLUMBIAINSTITUTEOFTECHNOLOGY
Vanessa Frydman
William B. Hards Memorial Scholarship
Financial Management Diploma
Ezra Benevoli
R. Glynn Spelliscy Award
Bachelor of Technology
Accounting Degree
Y CAPILANOUNIVERSITY
Jesse Cowell
Marian Easton Memorial Scholarship
BFIN 431 – Advanced Management
Accounting
Y KWANTLENPOLYTECHNICUNIVERSITY
Larisa Gorodetsky
ACCT 4720 – Advanced Management
Accounting
Y OKANAGANCOLLEGE
David Brodie
Dick Lucas Memorial Scholarship
BUAD 366 – Advanced Managerial
Accounting
Y SIMONFRASERUNIVERSITY
Siddharth Joshi
WC Easton Scholarship
BUS 478 – Strategic Management
Y TRINITYWESTERNUNIVERSITY
Nicholas Buhler
BUSI 324 – Management Accounting
Y UNIVERSITYOFBRITISHCOLUMBIA
Kitty Ka I Wong
Tom Kennedy Memorial Scholarship
COMM 454 – Accounting for Management
Control and Incentives
Award recipients still to be determined at the
time of publication for Camosun College,
Vancouver Island University, Thompson Rivers
University, University of British Columbia Diploma
in Accounting Program and the University of
Northern British Columbia.
MA British Columbia awarded CMA scholarships at 12 post-secondary institutions around the province to students who
have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and an interest in management accounting. These scholarships –
each worth $2,500 towards a remission of CMA fees – are designed to help emerging talent pursue a career in accounting
and strategic management.CYCMA Scholarship Awards
YCMA Scholarship Awards
Y
YY BRITISHCOLUMBIAINSTITUTEOFTECHNOLOGY
YBRITISHCOLUMBIAINSTITUTEOFTECHNOLOGYY BRITISHCOLUMBIAINSTITUTEOFTECHNOLOGYY
YY BRITISHCOLUMBIAINSTITUTEOFTECHNOLOGYY
Vanessa Frydman
YVanessa Frydman
William B. Hards Memorial Scholarship
YWilliam B. Hards Memorial Scholarship
Financial Management Diploma
YFinancial Management Diploma
Y
YY KWANTLENPOLYTECHNICUNIVERSITY
YKWANTLENPOLYTECHNICUNIVERSITYY KWANTLENPOLYTECHNICUNIVERSITYY
YY KWANTLENPOLYTECHNICUNIVERSITYY
Larisa Gorodetsky
YLarisa Gorodetsky
ACCT 4720 – Advanced Management
YACCT 4720 – Advanced Management
Accounting
YAccounting
MA British Columbia awarded CMA scholarships at 12 post-secondary institutions around the province to students who
YMA British Columbia awarded CMA scholarships at 12 post-secondary institutions around the province to students who
have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and an interest in management accounting. These scholarships –
Yhave demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and an interest in management accounting. These scholarships –
each worth $2,500 towards a remission of CMA fees – are designed to help emerging talent pursue a career in accounting
Yeach worth $2,500 towards a remission of CMA fees – are designed to help emerging talent pursue a career in accounting
and strategic management.Yand strategic management.CYCYYCongratulations to these 2013 scholarship recipients.

$500 - $1000
■ Shirley Baker
■ Emily Barcket, CMA
■ Colin Bennett, CMA, FCMA
■ Elmer Benoit, CMA, FCMA
■ David Burke, CMA
■ Roger Chan, CMA
■ Bob Cheng, CMA
■ Kam Choi, CMA
■ Roger Cradock, CMA, FCMA
■ Alexander Dancs, CMA, FCMA
■ Sandeep Dayal, CMA
■ G. Arnold Fry, CMA
■ Katie Grove, CMA
■ Donald Hincks, CMA, FCMA
■ Daniel Ho, CMA
■ G. Brian Hobson, CMA, FCMA
■ Jozef Hubburmin, CMA
■ Ernest Iannacone, CMA, FCMA
■ Barbara Keyes, CMA
■ Henry Lenaghan, CMA
■ Jim Logan, CMA
■ James Pammenter, CMA, FCMA
■ Ronald Park, CMA, FCMA
■ Grant Rolph, CMA
■ Connie Shepherd, CMA
■ Andrea Smulders, CMA
■ Kelvin Stretch, CMA, FCMA
■ Ernest Tesluck, CMA
■ Dominic Tsui, CMA
■ H. Turner, CMA
■ Alladin Versi, CMA, FCMA
■ Andrew Wilczynski, CMA
■ Benjamin Yeung, CMA
$1001 - $5000
■ Bruce Dunn, CMA
■ James Ferguson, CMA, FCMA
■ George Hartmann, CMA, FCMA
■ John Lebidoff, CMA
■ Donnie MacDonald, CMA, FCMA
■ Vincent Poon, CMA, FCMA
■ Robert Stuart, CMA, FCMA
■ Richard Thorpe, CMA, FCMA
■ Peter Wong, CMA
$10,000+
■ James Fedorak, CMA, FCMA
We’d like to extend a special thank you to the following individuals for their continued
support of the CMA Scholarship Fund. These individuals have all donated more than
$500 between January 1, 2008 and May 31, 2013.
and Donations
■ Linda Penner, CMA
■ George Pennock, CMA
■ Simon Philp, CMA, FCMA
■ M.Yvonne Pinder, CMA, FCMA
■ Vincent Poon, CMA, FCMA
■ Grant Rolph, CMA
■ Peter Rook-Green, CMA
■ Melinda Shum, AAT
■ Robert Strachan, CMA, FCMA
■ Robert Stuart, CMA, FCMA
■ Robert E. Taylor, CMA, FCMA
■ Ernest Tesluck, CMA
■ Richard Thorpe, CMA, FCMA
■ Dominic Tsui, CMA
■ H. Turner, CMA
■ Ronald Urquhart, CMA
■ Barbara VanDerLinden, CMA, FCMA
■ Kervin Vencanah, Candidate in the
CMA Program
■ Robert Venema, CMA, FCMA
■ Andrew Wilczynski, TELUS, Employer matching
■ Teddy Wong, CMA
■ Peter Wong, CMA
■ Christine Yip, CMA

MEMBER Update
DavidCrawford
CMA
MattMurray
CMA
PerryKeung
CMA
Tom Peerless
CMA
LindaLucas
CMA
GrantPoje
CMA
CarrieLyle
MBA,CMA,CIM
EarlReyes
CMA
DavidMacdonald
CMA
Members on the move
Congratulations to these CMA British Columbia members who have
recently been promoted or accepted a new career opportunity:
Haveyourecentlyjoinedaboardofdirectors,receivedapromotion,
movedtoanewcompany,orreceivedanotherhonour?Submissionsto
MembersUpdatecanbeemailedtotiana@cmabc.com.
Y David Crawford, CMA
has joined the Vancouver
Board of Trade as Vice
President. Previously, David
was Director of Finance
and Operations with Grant
Thornton LLP.
Y Perry Keung, CMA has
been promoted to Director,
Commercial Real Estate
Finance for Bank of Montreal.
He was previously a Credit
Analyst with BMO.
Y Linda Lucas, CMA is now
Chief Operating Officer for
KNV Chartered Accountants.
Linda was previously
Director of Finance at Davis
LLP.
Y Carrie Lyle, MBA, CMA,
CIM has joined ScotiaMcLeod
as Wealth Advisor, Portfolio
Manager. She was previously
President, Portfolio Manager
at ZLC Private Investment
Management Inc.
Y David Macdonald, CMA
is now Director of Finance
at bcdiabetes.ca. David
was previously Operations
Manager at REACH
Community Health Centre.
Y Matt Murray, CMA has
been promoted to Director of
Corporate Financial Planning
& Analysis at TELUS. Matt
was formerly the company’s
Controller for Corporate
Financial Planning.
Y Tom Peerless, CMA is now
Director, Audit Services at
the BC Pension Corporation.
Tom was previously Director,
Internal Audit & Enterprise
Risk at HP Advanced
Solutions.
Y Grant Poje, CMA is now
Vice President of Sales
Operations at Whitewater
West Industries. Grant was
Director of Sales at StemCell
Technologies.
Y Earl Reyes, CMA has
recently accepted a new
position as Business Analyst at
Nicola Wealth Management,
after five years at Central 1
Credit Union.

Y Rob Godding, CMA has relocated to
Vancouver from Regina. Rob is currently
a Financial Reconciliation Associate for
Raymond James.
Y Amanda Terpenkas, CMA, CIA has moved
to Vancouver from Calgary where she was
a Senior Internal Auditor at TransAlta
Corporation. She is currently a Senior Internal
Controls Analyst at Finning International.
Y Henry Tran, CMA has recently moved
to Victoria from Ottawa where he was an
Income Tax Auditor at Canada Revenue
Agency. Henry is currently a Senior Auditor at
the Ministry of Health with BC Public Service.
Y Tommy Wong, CMA has moved to Hong
Kong from Toronto. He is currently a
Lecturer at the Open University of Hong
Kong.
Y Jing Feng Yu, CMA, MBA has moved to
Shenzhen, China, from Montreal. She is now
a Financial Manager at Huawei.
Members in memoriam
We wish to extend our sympathies to the family
and friends of the following members who recently
passed away:
Edward A. Lepine, CMA – Shawnigan Lake, B.C.
Edward received his CMA in 1964 in Quebec. He retired
in 1983 after being employed with Bell Canada for almost
40 years as Supervisor, Internal Audits-EDP. Edward passed
away on March 14, 2013, at the age of 83.
William R. Meredith, CMA – Surrey, B.C.
William received his CMA in 1969. Before retiring in 2001,
he found employment in a number of industries from
forestry to health care and various small businesses, where
he worked in data processing, accounting and office
management as a manager, senior financial officer and
accountant. Active within the community, he volunteered
for over 40 years with the Knights of Columbus. Bill passed
away on March 28, 2013, at the age of 77.
Kenneth A. Simpson, CMA – Vancouver, B.C.
Kenneth received his CMA in 1962. Prior to his retirement
in 1989, he worked for Vancouver General Hospital as their
Capital Accountant. He served as the Society’s Provincial
President from 1968-69, and volunteered on the Education
Committee and the Planning and Development Committee,
as well as the 1982 and 1992 National Conference
Committees. In 1993 Ken was granted Life Membership by
the Society. He passed away on April 3, 2013.
Gordon T. Umbach, CMA – North Vancouver, B.C.
Gordon received his CMA in 1974. Before retiring in 1993,
Gordon worked for Westcoast Energy as Supervisor,
Financial Planning for 24 years as well as Emil Anderson
Construction as Field Office Manager for over 10 years.
Gordon passed away on January 31, 2013, at the age of 87.
Philip T. Wood, CMA – Vancouver, B.C.
Philip received his CMA in 1959. During his career with
Esco Ltd., he progressed from a supervisor position in the
Data Processing and Costing Department to Director of
Management Information Services, a position he held for
19 years. After retiring in 1985, Philip volunteered for CESO,
travelling to developing countries and lending his expertise
as an advisory accountant. He passed away last year at the
age of 89.
Y If you would like to send a note of condolence to
members’ family and friends, contact Rick Lightheart,
CMA, FCMA at 604-484-7004; 1-800-663-9646, ext. 7004;
or rlightheart@cmabc.com.
Awards, accolades
and appointments
Congratulations to the following members
for their recent achievements:
Y Helen Ghabel, CMA, Vice President of Finance
for YWCA Metro Vancouver and Cathy McLay,
CMA, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice
President, Finance and Corporate Services with
TransLink, were both recognized with “CFO of
the Year” awards by Business in Vancouver.
Y Colin Bennett, CMA, FCMA has been appointed
to the board of the College of Licensed Practical
Nurses of British Columbia.
Y Peter Norwood, FCA, FCMA has been awarded
the Ritchie McCloy Award for CA Volunteerism.
Peter is currently a member of the CPA
Certification Steering Committee (CSC), CPA
Prerequisite Education Program and CPA Practical
Experience working groups, playing a vital role in
creating the new CPA education program.
New FacesWelcome to new members of CMA British Columbia
from other provinces:
Helen Ghabel
Cathy McLay
Rob Godding
Henry Tran
Jing Feng Yu

Post-Merger Education
Understanding the new CPA Program
By BOB Gautama, CMA
The CPA certification program consists of:
■ Academic prerequisites including an undergrad-
uate degree and specific subject area coverage;
■ Graduate-level CPA Professional Education
Program;
■ Evaluation throughout and common final
examination; and,
■ Relevant practical work experience.
What exactly does the new program look like?
There are many similarities to our current CMA
Program; candidates are still required to complete a
number of prerequisites in accounting, finance and
strategy in their undergraduate degree or through
the new CPA Prerequisite Education Program before
entering the two-year CPA Professional Education
Program leading to the CPA designation. Consistent
with CMA standards, all students entering the CPA
Professional Education Program are required to have
s we move closer to establishing the CPA designation in B.C., our current
CMA education program is in the process of being phased out. Beginning
this September, CMA BC and the CA School of Business (CASB) are starting
to train British Columbia’s new generation of CPAs, with the first graduates
expected by Fall 2015. The CPA Program is being developed nationally, but
delivered regionally, and builds on the best of existing education programs, creating a
challenging and rigorous certification process that meets the needs of business, public
practice and government.
A
PROGRAM UPDATES

sUMMer 2013 CMA UPDATE 33Certified MAnAgeMent ACCoUntAnts | British ColUMBiA
istoCK
an undergraduate degree from a recognized post-
secondary institution.
CPa Prerequisite Education Program
Similar to the CMA Accelerated Program, the CPA
Prerequisite Education Program (CPA PREP) is
designed for those who have an educational back-
ground in a discipline other than accounting and lack
some or all of the prerequisite courses required for
admission to the CPA Professional Education Program.
CPA PREP is delivered on a part-time basis,
combining online learning, self-study and classroom
learning. A modularized program, students complete
only those modules they require. There are 12 modules
in CPA PREP, ranging in length from one to 14 weeks.
In B.C., we launched Module 5 – Intermediate and
Advanced Financial Accounting – in July and will
be opening registration for subsequent modules two
months prior to when classes for those modules begin.
As the program has been developed nationally,
students who may need to move are able to transfer
completed CPA PREP modules to another province.
This transferability is a benefit to students, as the
CMA Accelerated Program course format and length
differed between provinces and had to be completed
in its entirety in order to be recognized.
CPa Professional Education Program
The two-year CPA Professional Education Program
(CPA PEP) combines the best of the CMA, CA and
CGA programs, and incorporates technical topics
with a capstone integrative module ending with a
three-day Common Final Examination. CPA PEP
is delivered on a part-time basis and is a modular
program designed to offer CPA candidates greater
flexibility and the ability to customize their training
toward a specific area of focus. There is an evaluation
after each module, which candidates must pass before
proceeding to the next one. Using a blended learning
model, CPA PEP combines online learning, self-study
and classroom learning.
The format of CPA PEP differs from the CMA
Strategic Leadership Program in that there are two
technical core modules and two elective modules. The
elective modules are where candidates choose an area of
specialization–assurance,tax,performancemanagement
orfinance.Candidateswishingtopursueacareerinpublic
accounting must take the assurance and tax modules.
The Capstone Elective Module focuses on the
development of enabling competencies such as
leadership and the integration of core competencies
through case studies and a final report, much like
the Board Report in the CMA Strategic Leadership
Program. As the final step in their CPA studies,
candidates write a multi-day Common Final
Examination at the end of the CPA Program.
Candidates are expected to complete relevant prac-
tical work experience in accounting or finance as part
of the CPA PEP. The practical experience guidelines
will be released next year, but all candidates will be
required to complete 30 months of work experience in
an accounting and finance role. There will be two expe-
rience pathways – approved path (positions offered
by offices/organizations in training paths approved
by the profession), and experience verification (posi-
tions supervised/mentored by a CPA who may or may
not be employed by the candidate’s employer). In the
experience verification pathway, candidates will not be
required to work for specific pre-approved employers.
So,whatarethemaindifferencesbetweenthenewCPA
Program and the CMA Program? There is no National
Entrance Exam before entering the professional program
(CPA PEP) and applicants will be required to complete a
multi-dayexamattheend;moreover,thepre-professional
program, CPA PREP, is now modular versus the nine-
month format of the CMA Accelerated Program.
To learn more about the CPA Program, members
can visit bccpa.ca and cpacanada.ca. ■
CPa Prerequisite Education
Program Modules
Module 1 – introductory financial Accounting
Module 2 – introductory Management Accounting
Module 3 – economics*
Module 4 – statistics*
Module 5 – intermediate and Advanced financial
Accounting
Module 6 – Corporate finance
Module 7 – Audit and Assurance
Module 8 – tax
Module 9 – intermediate and Advanced
Management Accounting
Module 10 – strategy and governance
Module 11 – Business law*
Module 12 – information technology*
*
these modules are available as self-study modules
CPA PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM (CPA PEP)
ACADEMIC
PREREQUISITES
1
CORE
2
CORE
1
ELECTIVE
2
ELECTIVE
CAPSTONE
INTEGRATIVE
MODULE
CAPSTONE
EVALUATION
PREPARATION
FINAL
EVALUATION
CPA
BOBGAUTAMA,CMAisVice
President,Programs,atCMA
BritishColumbia.

Passing the Torch
About your new Chair and Past Chair
pdate recently interviewed Tammy Towill,
CMA, FCMA – Chair, and Pat Kennedy,
CMA, FCMA – Past Chair of the CMA
British Columbia Board of Directors on
their transition, as well as their vision for the desig-
nation and the accounting profession in B.C.
Update: Pat, it’s been quite a year for you as Chair
given the merger discussions in BC. What will you miss?
Pat: It’s been demanding, rewarding, fun and stressful
– but a highlight of my career. I’m privileged to be
involved with this important transition for our profes-
sion. The CMA BC board is a smart and successful
group, and is without doubt, one of the most highly
functioning boards I’ve encountered – they are princi-
pled, always strategic and not head down “in the weeds.”
The strategic focus of this board and their commitment
to the merger process has been nothing short of
exceptional and has made my term a real privilege.
Update: Do you have any advice for Tammy as the
incoming Chair?
Pat: Get ready to become the ultimate time
management expert. Rely on the excellent team
you’ve built and enjoy the ride. Tammy is one of the
best strategic thinkers I know, plus her great sense of
humour will come in handy!
Update: Tammy, any changes you plan to make in
the coming year? Is your role as Chair changing given
the merger?
Tammy: The Past Chairs have done an incredible job
in laying the foundation for our board – things are
working well so I don’t plan on making huge changes.
I want to provide a passionate and thoughtful voice
at the Transitional Steering Committee, which is
working on merging the three B.C. accounting bodies.
This coming year is a transition year and the
focus is how we, as a Board, can best engage our
members as we fulfill our responsibilities to the
legacy CMA organization, while also taking an active
role in creating our new designation and body – the
Chartered Professional Accountants of BC.
I start my year as Chair with a board retreat which
is bringing together the boards and executives of
CMA, CA and CGA. I feel this is the first step to
unifying our brand and organization, as we build
relationships through its most important ambassadors
– the members.
Update: What are some of your biggest challenges
in the coming year?
Tammy: The role of Chair is a big job, and I’ll need
to find balance between being Chair, my family (did I
mention I have 14-year old twin girls!) and my work
commitments. For my fellow Board members, I want
to ensure they feel adequately engaged and informed;
active communication is essential and is a priority for
me this year.
Update: Why did you choose to get involved with
the CMA British Columbia board?
Tammy: I’ve been passionate about CMA since
graduation – more than 17 years ago. All my experi-
ences with CMA, as a volunteer or moderator in the
Strategic Leadership Program, have given me inspira-
tion. I was looking for a new challenge in 2009, after
I’d completed my board roles with the American
Marketing Association of BC, when I was asked to run
for the CMABC board – I haven’t looked back since.
Pat: I am a huge cheerleader of the CMA designation.
It opened doors for me professionally and being asked
to consider running for the board was an honour and
a privilege that I couldn’t pass up. ■
U
Tammy Towill,
CMA, FCMA and Pat
Kennedy, CMA, FCMA.

Summer-2013

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