5/18/2009
Welcome to Spotlight, a monthly newsletter for chapter and area leaders of FEI. Please feel free to use this copy in your chapter newsletters and share with your Chapter Board.
ATTENTION ALL CHAPTERS! Membership Application Fee Spring Break!
Through June 30, 2009 Chapters can provide prospective members with a complete application fee waiver of $250, bringing the fee of a year’s membership to $495. This limited time offer is set to boost membership by year-end. Steer prospects to the special URL ../../fly/break09 to download a special application or apply online.
Applications customized for each chapter are also available in the Chapter Toolkit. If you would like to add your chapter dues to the application, please contact Nancy Ehlers, 973.765.1099.
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CAREER SERVICES UPDATE
CHAPTER LEADERS: YOU ASKED, WE LISTENED
FEI’s Online Career Center is offering free job postings to recruiters and nonmember companies … indefinitely. Your chapters can take advantage of the tools in the National Career Center to advertise positions obtained from your local recruiters. No fees, easy posting procedures and recruiters can do it all online through the FEI National Online Career Center.
Get the word out to your local recruiters! Visit the online Career Center for more information.
Look for the e-mail flyer from National Career Services explaining the benefits of the free postings, chapter exclusivity and posting assistance.
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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2009 CHAPTER AWARD WINNERS!
At the FEI Summit on May 4th in Dallas, the 2009 Chapter Awards were presented. Chapter winners were recognized based on chapter size, in the categories of Outstanding Chapter Achievement, which recognizes overall achievement in all chapter operations, and Outstanding Achievement in Membership Development. It is the dedication of the volunteer leaders of FEI, their hard work and tireless efforts, that makes these chapter awards all the more special. Congratulations to all!
OUTSTANDING CHAPTER ACHEIVEMENT AWARD
SMALL CHAPTER WINNERS:
1st Place – Inland Empire
2nd Place – Fort Wayne
3rd Place – Madison
MEDIUM CHAPTER WINNERS:
1st Place – Nashville Chapter
2nd Place – San Diego Chapter
3rd Place – Central Florida Chapter
LARGE CHAPTER WINNERS:
1st Place – New Jersey
2nd Place – Washington State
3rd Place – Twin Cities
OUTSTANDING MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AWARD
SMALL CHAPTER WINNER:
Chattanooga Chapter
MEDIUM CHAPTER WINNERS:
Northeastern Wisconsin Chapter & Rochester (TIE)
LARGE CHAPTER WINNER:
Dallas Chapter
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CHAPTER MEETING HOUSEKEEPING NOTES
We have developed monthly “housekeeping” notes and accompanying power point slides that you can share at all chapter events. The May edition is posted and can be found in the Chapter Toolkit. Housekeeping Notes will be updated monthly to ensure that all information is current and up-to-date. Please take a moment to mention these featured items at your next Chapter meeting. If you have any questions, please contact Nancy Ehlers at 973.765.1099.
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NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION WEBCASTS –Renamed
Member Benefits 101: Getting To Know Your FEI
The presentation is a tour of our website along with updates from National staff on areas of interest such as Advocacy efforts, Career Services, conference highlights, sneak preview of upcoming FE magazine issue and FERF’s latest research projects. We invite all members and chapter leaders to this informative webcast and ask you to register online here.
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INCOMING CHAPTER LEADERS
Please take a moment to complete this form for you incoming slate of officers, directors and committee chairs. Please return to Nancy Ehlers by email or fax to 973.765.1018. We automatically update your Chapter’s website leader roster with the information provided and to make sure all are receiving appropriate membership reports. This form will also identify your board members for D & O insurance purposes.
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MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE WEBCAST – June 3rd at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Please join us for a one hour webcast to review the tools available to you in the Chapter Toolkit and to discuss recruiting ideas in a tough economy. FEI Staff will walk you through the Toolkit and offer suggestions on how to use the tools available to you. We will review what works and ask for input on your recruiting successes. This will be an interactive call and all involved in membership recruiting and retention are invited to attend. Click here to register.
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CHAPTERS – DO YOU HAVE UPDATES ON CHAPTER DUES OR SPONSORS?
Please let us know if we need to update your chapter dues packages for the upcoming year. If you have new partners/sponsors joining your chapters, we can provide training to update their logos as well as uploading leaders pictures to your website. Please contact Nancy Ehlers by email or call 973-976-1099 for dues schedule updates and Krista Sackman 973-765-1038 to schedule iweb training.
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PUBLIC RELATIONS
Chapter participation in public relations is a valuable tool to gain recognition for FEI at the local and National levels. Public relations and communications through third-party editorial outlets can be an important platform for promoting our organization and for creating interest in your chapter.
In an effort to arm you with as much information as possible, National has recently updated the online Chapter Toolkit to include sample FEI Press Releases, a glossary of common phrases and terms used by the media, interview tips for spokespeople and more -- all working towards the bottom line – getting the word “out” about FEI and your local chapter. If you have any questions or need additional help, please contact the Marketing & Communications Department.
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TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS IN YOUR AREA
At the Winter ALB Meetings in February, it was requested that National put a spreadsheet together of all Technical Committee members and their local chapter affiliations. The spreadsheet is broken out by chapter, and can be accessed here. This valuable tool will be housed in the Chapter Toolkit.
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FEI TECHNICAL COMMITTEES UPDATE
Keep your membership informed by using the information contained in the FEI Technical Activities Update for chapter newsletters and as part of opening remarks at chapter meetings.
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SOCIAL NETWORKING
Are You LinkedIn? Join Today!
Joining the FEI LinkedIn Group will allow you to find and contact other FEI members on LinkedIn, as well as more than 25 million other experiences professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries.
XING - Get connected!
XING makes networking and professional contact management simple, with made-to-measure networking functions and services. Even more, XING allows you to see how people are connected, which is an excellent tool in generating new contacts of your own.
Want Up-to-the-Minute Regulatory News?
For the latest information on regulatory developments, visit FEI’s Web site or sign up to receive email updates from the FEI Financial Reporting Blog by emailing blogs@financialexecutives.org.
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YOUR VIEWS INVITED ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY, SOCIAL MEDIA
How does your chapter contribute to the economic recovery (for individual members, or more broadly)? Does your chapter (or your own business) use social media (e.g. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, SecondLife)? What benefits have you derived? Has social media played a role in helping individuals or the economy as a whole recover from the economic downturn?
FEI staff is gathering information on the above subjects for the purpose of potential articles and presentations.
Please email your responses to Edith Orenstein by May 31.
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FINANCIAL EXECUTIVE MAGAZINE
Get Published in Financial Executive - Highlight Your Chapter’s Accomplishments
We invite all chapters to submit photos and information about recent events, awards, dinners, etc. for publication in the “FEI News” section of Financial Executive.
Have more to say? “Chapter Focus” is a great way to get your chapter’s accomplishments publicized. Once published, your Chapter Focus is also a great tool to use for recruitment and local publicity. For more information, please email Managing Editor Marian Raab or call 973.765.1016.
Tell Us Your Success Stories
Finance executives are getting a lot of bad press for the economic mess. Though there may be some bad apples, we at FEI know that the vast majority of financial executives diligently perform their roles for the benefit of their organizations, their customers, employees and other stakeholders.
Financial Executive magazine wants to focus on what financial executives are doing RIGHT. We want to tell your story of what steps you're taking to weather this recession -- both small and large. Future issues of the magazine and FEI’s Web site will highlight what's working when it comes to fixing corporate America. Please email Editor-in-Chief Ellen Heffes or Managing Editor Marian Raab with your story.
Speak Out in FEI’s Award Winning Magazine
A new column, “Members Speak Out,” is starting in the March issue of Financial Executive. It aims is provide a forum for members to voice their opinions and experiences on subjects related to their job that peers can benefit from reading. Did you find a new or more efficient way to do something? Solve a problem you’ve been toiling with? Want to disagree with a new regulation or FASB standard? For example, in the March column, Arizona Chapter member Greg Nelson spoke out on health-care costs and his revelation of what the U.S. can do to rein in the escalating costs.
Columns should be about 800 words and must be written in a way that meets the magazine editorial criteria (publication is at the discretion of the editors) and articles cannot be a means of advertising your products or services. Please send your article and/or queries to Editor-in-Chief Ellen Heffes or Managing Editor Marian Raab.
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FERF UPDATE
FERF: YOUR partner in ACADEMIC AWARDS PROGRAM
In fulfillment of FERF’s mission to provide research and education, we offer your student academic award recipients, one-year free electronic subscription to FERF’s publications and research and provide award certificates signed by FEI and FERF President and CEO, Marie N. Hollein. Just send us the names and e-mail addresses of your annual academic award recipients, and we will send them their award certificates and one-year free electronic subscription.
100% Chapter Challenge Update: Thank You FEI Chapters!
Thanks to the commitment of FEI Chapters, we are able to continue providing free research to all U.S. FEI members! Glad to see many of you who used the FEI Summit registration benefit as part of your leadership support.
Come Join the Three Areas That Have Reached 100% FERF Chapter Participation!
Our special thanks and appreciation to the following Areas – North Atlantic, North Central and Southwestern – for showing full support of FERF research. For the full roster of our generous chapter donors, click here. It’s not too late to be acknowledged in FERF’s 2009 Annual Report! For details about our many chapter programs or to register your chapter’s pledge by June 30, contact Lorna Raagas.
CPE Pilot Tester Program
Are you a licensed CPA that needs CPE credits? Want to be the first to earn credits for newly released programs? Become a CPE Pilot Tester and earn your credits before everyone else. The program is simple:
· Read the report (before it’s available to the public)
· Complete the Review Examination
· Complete the Final Examination (with a 70% score or better)
· Document the time it took to read the report and take both exams
To become a CPE Pilot Tester, or if you have any questions, please contact Tom Thompson, FERF Research Associate.
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FEI CONFERENCES
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
28th Annual Current Financial Reporting Issues (CFRI) Conference
November 16-17 | New York Marriott Marquis Times Square | New York City, NY
4th Annual Hall of Fame Gala
Proceeds to Benefit FERF
November 16 | New York City, NY
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FEI WEBCASTS
Setting Up a Company in Switzerland: Commercial, Legal and Tax Considerations
Presented by Switzerland Trade and Investment
June 4 | 2:00 pm Eastern | 1 Hour | 1 CPE Credit
Free for FEI Members and Nonmembers
Register here.
This webcast will discuss Switzerland in the context of Europe and how multinational companies can optimize their European market strategies via a presence in Switzerland. Specialists will discuss effective business process planning for Europe; formation, incorporation and maintenance of companies in Switzerland; taxation and tax benefits in Switzerland; Switzerland’s well established international treaty network; the U.S. Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum; the Joint Economic Commission and other specialized bilateral agreements and Switzerland's role as a visa waiver nation.
7 Hidden Business Opportunities in a Challenging Economy
June 9 | 2:00 pm Eastern | 1 Hour | 1 CPE Credit
Free for FEI Members and Nonmembers
Register here.
This webcast highlights seven key business opportunities resulting from current market conditions and provides advice to help you maximize them. Through real-life examples, you’ll learn how creative organizations are positioning themselves for growth in the short and long term and how your business can do the same.
Join Mark F. Viego, Vice President, Robert Half Management Resources as he offers ways that smart businesses can take advantage of opportunities that exist now, to better address their needs and those of their customers.
What’s New with FASB?
June 9 | 12 pm Eastern | 1.5 Hours | 1.5 CPE Credits
Free for FEI Members and $50.00 for Nonmembers
Register here.
Are you ready for new FASB guidance coming soon, including Going Concern and Subsequent Events, FASB’s new guidance on fair value effective June 30, and FASB’s Codification set to become effective July 1? Financial executives, audit committee members, investors, auditors and others won't want to miss this timely webcast featuring FASB Technical Director Russell Golden, Carlo Pippolo, Director, Standard Setting, Ernst & Young LLP and Bob Uhl, Partner, and National Director of Accounting Standards and Communications, Deloitte & Touche LLP. Moderated by Steve Burkholder, Staff Correspondent, Bureau of National Affairs (BNA).
Leveraging the Stimulus Financial Incentives
Presented by Science Applications International Corporation
June 10 | 2:00 pm Eastern | 1 Hour | 1 CPE Credit
Free for FEI Members and Nonmembers
Register here.
Financial executives are well positioned to contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of their organization by understanding, advocating for and leveraging sound energy management principles and practices. This webcast will leverage federal legislation, funding and tax benefits to encourage energy efficiency and clean energy use in government, industry and private sectors, know that your energy investments and initiatives are cost-efficient and environmentally friendly – thereby, elevating your competitive advantage, bottom line and social responsibility, and evaluate the impact energy has on your company’s overall performance by understanding key energy efficiency and energy management concepts, efficiency validation methods, terminology, performance assurance techniques, and tax and carbon implications derived from improvements in energy condition.
Taking Stock: An Update on the Evolving Federal Consolidated Tax Return Rules Presented by Thompson Reuters
June 25 | 2:00 pm Eastern | 2 Hours | 2 CPE Credits
Free for FEI Members and Nonmembers
Register here.
This two hour webinar will provide participants with essential information about changes in the tax law and regulations related to consolidated tax returns including issues related to insolvency (including worthless stock deductions), intercompany obligations, the unified loss rules, and excluded gains in stock elimination transactions.
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RESOURCES AT WWW.FINANCIALEXECUTIVES.ORG
Career Center/Jobs/Resume Bank
Chapter Toolkit
Upcoming Events
Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF)
CPE Center
Financial Executive Magazine
Technical Committees
FEI Chapters Meetings
Career Bookstore
We want your feedback! If you have any questions or comments regarding chapter relations, membership or any other services provided, please contact Diane Albergo or Nancy Ehlers.
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