| This newsletter is sponsored by: |
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Dear Members:
I've had a busy month, visiting two chapters and attending three of the IBM Breakfast Seminars: "The Agile CFO: Supporting the CEO's Innovation Agenda." I had the pleasure of visiting both Winnipeg and Montreal, and speaking to many of the members. I always enjoy hearing what the chapters have to say, and being able to visit the chapters is the most effective way of getting your input.
We continue to receive great feedback on our seminars, and we continue to see great turnout at these events. The Chapters have been an important part of the success of this program. Thank you to all the chapters for continuing to support FEI Canada's Breakfast Seminars.
Finally, I would like to congratulate the Québec Chapter on reaching 200 members.
Sincerely,
Isabel Meharry
President and Chief Executive Officer
Financial Executives International, Canada
FEI Canada News
| Canadian Financial Research Foundation (CFERF) New CFERF Research Grants |
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This month the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Financial Research Foundation (CFERF) released its "First Annual Request for Proposals for Research Papers" for 20007/2008. Two grants of up to $10,000 each will be awarded to successful applicants. This Grant Program will recognize two Canadian Academic Research Projects exploring issues of importance to the FEI Canada members and the business finance community. This is the second call for proposals for research papers this fiscal year.
This is an exciting opportunity for researchers to showcase their papers to the FEI Canada and greater business community. At the bottom of this article, please find links to: the entire RFP document in PDF format as well as an Executive Summary of the RFP.
The Canadian Financial Research Foundation (CFERF) is a non-profit, tax exempt organization, founded in 2006. We are the research arm of the Financial Executives International (FEIC) www.feicanada.org. CFERF's mission is to advance the profession and the practices of Canadian financial management through research by supporting the Canadian academic community and others through directed and unsolicited RFPs.
For further information, please contact Heather Bell at hbell@feicanada.org. We look forward to your proposals.
The Economics of Affinity
The Member Value Program (MVP) is reborn as "The Affinity Centre".
Access to discounts on products and services available to members can be decisive in the member's decision to join FEI Canada or renew their membership. It is the economic side of your membership.
With opportunities to save money on things like special rates from thePersonal on home & auto insurance, discounted Blue Jays tickets and special offers from the Ottawa Senators, your membership brings value on a personal level. We have also highlighted those programs available through FEI US including Hertz, AVIS and Starwood Hotels.
As we add partners in the coming months, some will benefit you and some will benefit your company, like the discounted price on Toronto Board of Trade memberships. This will become a strong argument in favour of a company paying your professional dues.
Watch for a member survey in the coming months as we endeavor to meet the needs of our members in this area.
For more information on these programs or if you want to become an Affinity Provider with FEIC, contact: Christopher Sheedy, Director, Membership & Chapter Relations
csheedy@feicanada.org or at 416-366-3007 x5103
Upcoming Events
Sponsored by 
The Impact of Changing Workforce Demographics on the Post-Reform Accounting Landscape
Mark your calendar for our next National Breakfast Seminars series in May. This decade's corporate governance and accounting reforms have raised the stakes for organizations of all sizes. The manner in which companies conduct and report business activities is under unprecedented scrutiny, and their credibility with stakeholders is determined to a greater degree than ever before by the quality and expertise of their financial professionals. At the same time that organizations have a growing need for the services of these individuals, demographic and economic trends are reshaping the accounting, finance and audit workforce in fundamental ways. This presentation will include a high-level discussion on the impact of changing workforce demographics on the post-reform accounting landscape, including the state of the accounting, finance and audit professions, preparing tomorrow's workforce, and recruiting and retention.
Watch for registration details soon.
| Montreal | – | May 23 |
| Quebec City | – | May 24 |
| Vancouver | – | May 29 |
| Winnipeg | – | May 29 |
| Calgary | – | May 30 |
| Edmonton | – | May 31 |
| Toronto | – | May 31 |
Halifax 2007 - FEI Canada Conference
Register now to take advantage of our early bird rates. All participants registering by April 30, 2007 also qualify for the early bird draw of a Hewlett Packard laptop.
Today's business world is much like turbulent waters. To navigate successfully, you need to chart a new course as the sea changes. That's why so many senior financial executives look to FEI Canada to help them navigate the many complex issues we face everyday. FEI Canada's 2007 Conference is a must-attend event for senior financial executives.
Featuring over 40 speakers on a wide range of finance topics, the conference will provide a comprehensive update on the issues and developments facing CFOs. (Conference sessions are eligible for up to 11 hours of continuing education credits.) In addition to outstanding educational content, you can look forward to a multitude of networking and recreational activities. Featured speakers include:
- Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair, TD Bank Financial Group
- Karen Maidment, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer, BMO Financial Group, Canada's CFO of the Year™ for 2006
- Annette Verschuren, President, The Home Depot Canada and Asia
- Dan Fortin, President, IBM Canada Ltd.
- John Risley, President & CEO, Clearwater Fine Foods Inc., Chairman, Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership
For further details on the conference, please click here.
| Canada's CFO of the Year™ Award, 2007 |  |
Reserve your tickets now for Canada's CFO of the Year™ Gala
April 18th (Fairmont Royal York, Toronto)
Financial Executives International Canada, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and The Caldwell Partners invite you to join them on April 18th for a gala dinner to honour Canada's CFO of the Year™ for 2007.
Canada's CFO of the Year™ Award honours a senior financial leader who has made a significant contribution to business in Canada with quality, insight and direction. Founded in 2003, the program is a celebration of individual achievement and collective contribution. It aims to further public understanding of the important role CFOs play in the stewardship of a business and in reinforcing public trust. Additional information on this award can be found on www.cfoy.ca .
The Gala Dinner has been a sold out event every year since we began in 2003, and is attended by senior business executives from many of Canada's leading organizations. The 2007 dinner promises to be an exceptional evening, offering first-rate business development and networking opportunities.
In 2006, members of FEI Canada were joined by more than 650 guests as we honoured Karen Maidment, Chief Financial & Administrative Officer, BMO Financial Group, as Canada's CFO of the Year™ for 2006.
We expect a sell out crowd once again at this year's dinner so don't delay! Please contact Sharon Gareau at 416-366-3007 ext. 5116 or sgareau@feicanada.org.
FEI's Summit 2007
May 20-22, Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA
The Summit will address emerging issues and best practices, focusing on topics of critical concern such as technology, leadership, corporate governance, financial reporting and corporate espionage.
Keynote speakers include:
- Frank Abagnale, Con Man Turned FBI Instructor
- Sharon L. Allen, Chairman of the Board, Deloitte & Touche, USA
- Doris Kearns Goodwin, Presidential Historian
For more information, go here.
Business Roundtable with the Government of Canada
Reshaping the business landscape
March 22nd 2007
Fairmont Château Laurier
Ottawa, Canada
You are invited to Economist Conferences' first Business Roundtable with the Government of Canada. This unique, high-level business conference provides local and global executives access to top government officials as they address key business and economic issues that are shaping current and future Canadian policy.
Moderated by experts from The Economist Group, this interactive meeting will bring together key economic ministers, the central-bank governor and senior corporate speakers. Featured speakers from the Canadian government include The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance; The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry; Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources; and Paul Jenkins, Senior Deputy Governor, Bank of Canada. To view the programme and full speaker faculty, click here.
To register, please contact Elizabeth Bowen at (1.212) 554-0605 or email americas_customerservice@economist.com. You can also register by clicking here.
Driving Global Growth: The New CFO Imperative--Special Invitation from the Economist.
The Economist is pleased to invite Canadian CFOs and other senior finance executives at billion dollar companies to attend a special conference on the changing role of the Global CFO. It will be an intimate gathering where executives will be able to play golf and enjoy interactive panel discussions in sunny Florida.
Driving Global Growth: The New CFO Imperative will take place March 18th-19th 2007 at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, Orlando, Florida.
Registration is complimentary as are your room nights on the 18th and 19th.
Speakers include Bruce Nolop, Executive Vice-president and CFO for Pitney Bowes; George Reyes, SVP & CFO, Google; Robert Deleo, EVP & CFO, The Thompson Corporation; noted author Ram Charan and others.
To see the complete agenda and view registration information, please go to http://www.economistconferences.com and click on the Driving Global Growth programme.
If you are a CFO or senior finance professional at a large, Canadian company and would like to attend, please reply to alexengel@eiu.com or register online. Please note that space is limited and that registration is subject to approval by the Economist.
| CICA Conference on International Financial Reporting Standards |  |
June 11-12, 2007
Holiday Inn on King
Toronto, ON
This conference is a must for Chief Financial Officers, Audit Committee members, Public Accountants and Auditors, Vice Presidents of Finance, Controllers or Assistant Controllers, Regulatory Compliance Officers, Securities Industry Regulators, Financial Analysts, Directors of Finance and Corporate Accounting, and Corporate Managers of Financial Reporting and Accounting.
The target has been set…IFRS by 2011! How you get there is, to a large extent, up to you. Finding the right path that ensures your organization is prepared may be one of the biggest financial reporting challenges you will face in the coming years. Many have begun reviewing the process and are realizing that to meet the deadline, and ensure that the abundance of details are adequately addressed, means getting underway now. The conference will include technical sessions and insight from jurisdictions that have made the shift to IFRS, to help you prepare for, and define, your path to convergence.
For more information, please click here.
CFO TV – programming schedule
- Being the Best: Insights from Leading Finance Functions
- Say Goodbye to Canadian GAAP: Update on the Adoption of IFRS in Canada
- Pension Risk: The Link Between HR and Finance
- The First Value Added Tax Rate Change
- Workforce Effectiveness - The Role of the Finance Function
- The Changing Canadian M&A Market
- Income Trusts in Canada - A Corporate Finance Perspective
- FEI Canada Toronto Chapter - CEO Night
- The CFO's Accountability for Risk
- IT Fraud and the Finance Function
- Succeeding at C Level
- Future of Corporate Taxation in Canada
- North American Rendezvous Conference 2005 Session Videos
- North American Rendezvous Conference 2005 Expert Interviews
- Understanding 52-111
- Managing Pension Risk
- 2005 CFOY™ Award Gala Interviews
Please note that attendance at FEI Breakfast Seminars and our Annual Conference qualifies for Continuing Professional Development credits.
New Member Welcome
A warm welcome to 32 new members who joined in February 2007! Our thanks to all the members who have recommended their colleagues and friends.
Mr. Pierre Alary,
Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Bombardier Inc.,
Québec Chapter
Mr. Mario Arella,
Vice President, Finance, Ulogistics,
Québec Chapter
Mr. Hugh Blakely,
Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Ivaco Inc.,
Québec Chapter
Mr. Francois R. Bouchy-Picon,
Head, Eastern Canada, RBC Dexia Investor Services Trust,
Québec Chapter
Mr. Joachim J. Braun,
Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, ABB Inc.,
Québec Chapter
Mr. Peter A. Buck,
Vice President, Finance, Cooke Aquaculture Inc.,
Atlantic Chapter
Mr. Paul Buron,
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Business Development Bank of Canada,
Québec Chapter
Mr. Donald E. Connor,
Executive Director, CGA-Nova Scotia,
Atlantic Chapter
Mr. David M. Gandossi,
Executive Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer, Mercer International Inc.,
Vancouver Chapter
Mr. Alain Giasson,
Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Richelieu Hardware Ltd.,
Québec Chapter
Mr. Thomas J. Graham,
Director, Corporate Finance, Alberta Securities Commission,
Calgary Chapter
Mr. Harold Goss,
Assistant Vice President, Group Benefits Finance and Controls, Sun Life Financial Inc.,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Trevor W. Jahnig,
Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer, Tolko Industries Ltd.,
Vancouver Chapter
Mr. Lew G. Knechtel,
Corporate Controller, Biomira Inc.,
Edmonton Chapter
Mr. Rick Little,
Senior Financial Manager, Johnson Controls LP,
Toronto Chapter
Ms. Sharon M. Ludlow,
Senior Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer, Swiss Reinsurance Company Canada,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Brian Mascarenhas,
Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer, Andlauer Transportation Services Inc.,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Corey Miller,
General Manager, Vice-President, Finance, Miller Tire,
Atlantic Chapter
Mr. Alan W. Mitchell,
Chief Financial Officer, Office Interiors Inc.,
Atlantic Chapter
Ms. Leslie A. Murphy,
Controller, Buck Consultants Limited,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Dikran Ohannessian,
Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, Sun Life Financial Inc.,
Hamilton Chapter
Mr. Gary A. Pearson,
Chief Financial Officer, Sun-Rype Products Ltd.,
Vancouver Chapter
Mr. Linda Pellizzari,
Controller, Allon Therapeutics Inc.,
Vancouver Chapter
Mr. Ian H. Penny,
Vice President, Commercial Banking, CIBC Commercial Banking,
Atlantic Chapter
Mr. Jean-Francois Pirot,
Chief Financial Officer, Nexans Canada Inc.,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Chris R. Podolsky,
Corporate Controller, Parkland Income Fund,
Calgary Chapter
Mr. John Poos,
Treasury, Nortel Networks Corporation,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Bob Reid,
Finance Manager, Sherritt International Corporation,
Toronto Chapter
Mrs. Christine Short,
Controller, Farm Credit Canada,
Regina Chapter
Mr. Robert Simlett,
Controller, Secunda Marine Services Ltd.,
Atlantic Chapter
Mr. Christopher H. Smith,
Vice President, Finance & Business Services, Heritage Gas Limited,
Atlantic Chapter
Mr. Mark G. Swalwell,
Corporate Controller, Timminco Limited,
Toronto Chapter
Members in the News
The following members have earned the professional designation of Chartered Director from The Directors College:
Peter G. M. Cox (Winnipeg Chapter)
Michael Ptasznik (Toronto Chapter)
Steve Vieweg (Toronto Chapter)
Amanda Whitewood (Atlantic Chapter)
FEI Canada President & CEO Isabel Meharry completed The Director's College Audit Committee Program (A.C.C)
The following members graduated from the Directors Education Program of the Institute of Corporate Directors:
Gordon Case (Calgary Chapter)
Patricia Newson (Calgary Chapter)
Donald Wilson (Edmonton Chapter)
Résumé Bank
POST YOUR RÉSUMÉ: For FEI members only Make sure Canadian recruiters know who you are! Just 15 minutes is all it takes to complete your Professional Profile and upload your resume. Why not do it today?
FEI MEMBERS: Register for National Career Services by completing your Professional Profile in the Resume Bank. Once we receive your information, a career services representative will confirm your registration and provide additional information about the benefits of the National Career Services program.
SEARCH RÉSUMÉS: For FEI members, retained recruiters and qualified prospective employers Looking for the best senior-level financial talent online? You just found it. Available to retained search firms and qualified employers, the FEI Resume Bank features top-line talent at competitive subscription rates. Check out the details. Then register today!
FEI Canada Member Value Program
We are pleased to offer discounts to FEI members on the following services:
The Personal Insurance Company offers FEI Canada members great rates on home and auto insurance. If you're shopping for insurance, these group rates could offer you significant savings.
SAVING YOU MONEY ON HOME & AUTO INSURANCE
The Personal is a direct insurance company - which means no broker sales commissions. That translates to excellent rates on home and auto insurance because those savings go right back to you. It also means fast, easy and convenient service with no high-pressure sales tactics.
THE PERSONAL MAKES IT EASY
As a FEI Canada member you can enjoy significant group savings when you switch your auto and property insurance to The Personal.
- Call 1 888 476-8737 weekdays 8 to 8 and Saturdays 8 to 4.
- Get an online quote, make changes to your policy or even report a claim online at www.thepersonal.com/fei
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Copyright © 2006 by Financial Executives International Canada (FEIC).
All rights reserved. This content is owned by FEIC. This information may be downloaded once but may not be further reproduced, publicly distributed, publicly displayed or otherwise used by any person or entity without approval from Financial Executives International Canada (www.feicanada.org).