| This newsletter is sponsored by: |
 |
FEI Canada News
FEIC Members,
I was very pleased to be able to attend the CFO of the Year award dinner in Toronto on April 18th. The event was outstanding – as are the accomplishments of the winner, Marvin Romanow, Executive Vic-President and Chief Financial Officer of Nexen Inc. and a member of our Calgary Chapter. Congratulations Marvin.
The evening truly highlights the accomplishments and value that CFO's bring to their companies, their community and their profession. The relevance of strong senior financial executives is very evident in today’s increasingly complex business world.
FEI Canada's growth and expanding services & programs over the past few years have added to our relevance. Yet to stay relevant, we need to take a fresh look at where we are today and where we would like to be in the future. There are changes in the wind: the completion of our next three year strategic plan, the search for a new President and CEO and next year's Board of Directors soon to take office. As it states in the FEI Canada Conference program, "Today's business world is much like turbulent waters. To navigate successfully, you need to chart a new course as the sea changes". As part of your own professional journey, I encourage you to take an active part in FEI Canada as we move forward and I hope to see you at the conference in Halifax.
Kathy Stevenson
Chair, FEIC
Canada's CFO of the Year™ Award, 2007 |
 |
Nexen Inc.'s Marvin Romanow
Named Canada's CFO of the Year for 2007
On April 18th, Canada's business elite gathered at The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto to honour Marvin Romanow, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of Nexen Inc. as Canada's CFO of the Year™ for 2007. With close to 600 guests in attendance, the CFOY gala has become the must attend business event for CFO's and the business community. We were pleased to also have in attendance this year, two past award winners. Since its inception in 2003, this award has gained tremendous momentum and recognition.
Canada's CFO of the Year Award is presented annually by Financial Executives International Canada (FEI Canada), PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and The Caldwell Partners International, to honour and recognize the quality, insight, direction and leadership of Canada's senior financial leaders.
"The award holds an important place in corporate Canada," says Chris Clark, FCA, CEO and Canadian Senior Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers. "It honours the accomplishments of an individual who has demonstrated excellence in financial leadership and it also acknowledges all financial executives whose dedication and knowledge contribute daily to the health of our capital markets."
Mr. Romanow was named Canada's CFO of the Year by an independent committee composed of some of Canada's most prominent business leaders. The criteria by which nominees were judged centred around five key attributes: Vision and Leadership; Corporate Reporting and Performance; Social Responsibility; Innovation and, Business Complexity. Candidates for the award were nominated in all business sectors by CEOs, members of boards of directors, financial analysts and other senior executives.
"The CFO of Year Award was created to recognize the contributions financial executives make to the companies they represent, their profession, and to society" says Kathy Stevenson, Chair of the Board of Directors of FEI Canada. "It is truly encouraging to see the momentum and prestige this award has gained in just five years. We believe that the contributions of CFOs are well worth celebrating and, as we join another capacity crowd for dinner tonight, we realize this sentiment is shared by business leaders across the country."
Previous recipients of Canada's CFO of the Year Award include:
- 2006: Karen Maidment, Chief Financial and Administrative Office of BMO Financial Group
- 2005: Claude Mongeau, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of CN
- 2004: Peter Rubenovitch, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Manulife Financial Group
- 2003: Peter W. Currie, former Vice-Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of RBC Financial Group
- and Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer Nortel Networks Corporation.
Canada's CFO of the Year Award is supported through the generous support of American Express, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA), Marsh Canada Limited, Fasken Martineau Dumoulin LLP and The Fairmont Royal York. The media sponsor is The Globe and Mail.
FEI Canada Reaches 2000 Members! - The Network is the Thing
Time to celebrate! Yesterday, for the first time in its history, FEI Canada passed the 2000 member mark, truly, Canada's premiere network of financial leaders. Congratulations go out to our Chapter volunteers for their efforts in expanding the reach of this organization over the last few years. Additional kudos go to our "recruiter" members, those of you that extend the invitation to your peers to join FEI Canada.
To help you help us expand your network, we included in a recent mailing 5 FEI Canada Recruitment Cards. Please use these to invite fellow financial leaders in your network to join FEI Canada and join you in Halifax for this year's conference at no cost. By using the code found on the back of the card, your invitee will be eligible for a 10% discount on their first year membership (this offer expires June 30, 2007). Encourage them to log on and join or call me with any questions they might have at 416-366-3007 ext 5103.
I urge you to consider attending our Annual Conference and to spread the word about FEI Canada to your peers, I'm sure you'll find both endeavors very much worth your while.
Christopher Sheedy
Director, Membership & Chapter Relations
csheedy@feicanada.org
Canadian Financial Executives Research Foundation (CFERF) |
 |
Pensions and Benefits
CFERF is pleased to announce that work has begun on a co-sponsored survey and research paper on Canadian pensions and benefits. Pension plans are an important component of our economy with investments of billions of dollars each year to provide their beneficiaries with secure retirement incomes. Ensuring the security of our pension plans, being able to identify trends, issues and concerns are of interest not only to financial executives, but are also of interest to the greater public. CFERF is a charitable research organization mobilized for a greater good by providing valuable benefits to the business community and in turn providing a greater Canadian public benefit.
CFERF, Aon Consulting and Benefits Canada have come together to develop a comprehensive diagnostic tool for CFOs charged with making strategic decisions on pensions and benefits. In the next few weeks FEIC member CFOs and others responsible for pensions and benefits will be invited to participate in a survey which will serve as the basis for the bilingual research report. The survey will collect, among other data: pension industry concerns; priorities and trends; defined benefit, defined contribution and hybrid pension plans; as well as trends in relation to executive pension plans and post-retirement health benefits. The on-line survey will also ask participants questions on design, governance, financing and communication with respect to pension plans. Data will be collected from June 1 through June 29, 2007. Those who complete the survey will receive a complimentary copy of the full report which will be released in October 2007.
This project is being guided by a joint task group with representatives from each of the sponsoring organizations. CFERF is being represented by Darla Sycamore, Sycamore Management Consultants and Nigel Byars, Executive Vice-President, CICA. Darla was most recently Treasurer and Director of Finance at the Ontario Pension Board. She is also a member of the CFERF Board of Trustees. Nigel has responsibilities in his position for administration of the CICA pension fund. Both individuals are members of the Pensions Committee Task Force of the Issues and Policy Advisory Committee (IPAC) for FEIC.
For further information on this undertaking, please contact Heather Bell, Executive Director, CFERF
Upcoming Events
Sponsored by 
The Impact of Changing Workforce Demographics on the Post-Reform Accounting Landscape
REGISTER NOW 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.
| Montreal | – | May 23 |
| Quebec City | – | May 24 |
| Vancouver | – | May 29 |
| Winnipeg | – | May 29 |
| Calgary | – | May 30 |
| Edmonton | – | May 31 |
| Toronto | – | May 31 |
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.
Halifax 2007 - FEI Canada Conference
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.
Sponsored by 
Coming in June: registration details to follow
Risk Management in Canada: What CFOs Need to Know
As the risk marketplace changes and expands, organizations are more and more concerned about managing their risk and using it as develop their business strategy. Investors are also placing greater importance on governance, reputation and the reliability of a business as they make decisions, and senior executives and boards are increasingly being held accountable. These high expectations affect CFOs in particular, who have no choice but to be more balanced on understanding and mitigating risk, as well as looking at performance in order to protect and reward all stakeholders.
In a series of surveys conducted by Ernst & Young, attitudes towards risk management were explored from the perspective of investors, senior executives, audit committees, and boards of directors. This presentation will explore some of the practical results, and help CFOs understand how to move beyond simply assessing risk, to the point where they can implement--and sustain--an effective risk management program.
Who has the ultimate responsibility for risk, and how do you embed a risk framework into the organization?
- What roles do boards expect CFOs and CEOs to play in risk management?
- How can CFOs better understand and mitigate the risks related to financial reporting? Financial close? Revenue recognition?
- What effect will transactions have on financial planning?
- How will good risk planning improve a company's valuation?
CFO TV – programming schedule
- Revised National Instrument 52-109: Summarizing the Internal Control Rules and What They Mean to You
- The Agile CFO: Supporting the CEO's Innovation Agenda
- 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.
Membership Services
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
May's Featured Affinity Partner
FEI Canada Corporate Discount Program
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.
The best rates! Guaranteed! Save 8% on rooms at leading hotels from one of the world's largest hotel and leisure companies. Starwood's brands include Westin®, Sheraton®, St. Regis®, Four Points® by Sheraton, The Luxury Collection® and W® Hotels. Hotels are located in most major markets around the world.
Starwood's great website, www.starwoodhotels.com , lets you choose a hotel by location, brand or interest.
Be sure to enter your special FEI Member Number: 299823 when you reserve your room.
New Member Welcome
A warm welcome to 49 new members who joined in April 2007! Our thanks to all the members who have recommended their colleagues and friends.
Ms. Lyne Ayoub,
Vice President of Account Development, Eastern Region, American Express Canada Inc.,
Québec Chapter
Mr. Jaswant K. Bangaru,
Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer, AIM PowerGen Corporation,
Toronto Chapter
Ms. Carol Bellringer,
Auditor General, Office of the Auditor General, Manitoba,
Winnipeg Chapter
Mr. Hugues Boisvert,
Professor, HEC Montreal,
Québec Chapter
Mr. Jonathan M. Brindley,
Senior Director, Finance, Rogers AT&T Wireless Communications Inc.,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Richard Burnett,
Chief Financial Officer, Forzani Group Ltd.,
Calgary Chapter
Mr. Claude D. Carter,
Deputy Auditor General, Office of the Auditor General of Nova Scotia,
Atlantic Chapter
Mr. Dennis Castellan,
Vice President, Finance, Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital,
Hamilton Chapter
Ms. Laurent Charron,
Corporate Controller, Workers Compensation Board of Alberta,
Edmonton Chapter
Mr. David Cortens,
Chief Financial Officer, Philom Bios Inc.,
Regina Chapter
Mrs. Chantale Cousineau-Mahoney,
Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority,
Ottawa Chapter
Mr. Mauro Ferrara,
Controller, Rogers Sugar Income Fund,
Québec Chapter
Mr. Azam N. Foda,
Chief Financial Officer, Par-Pak Ltd.,
Hamilton Chapter
Ms. Alka Gautam,
Vice President, Client Services & Chief Financial Officer, RGA Life Reinsurance Company of Canada,
Québec Chapter
Mr. Colin Gillis,
Senior Director, Corporate Finance, IMP Group International Inc.,
Atlantic Chapter
Ms. Leah Halpenny,
Vice President, Finance & Administration, Executive Risk Group Limited,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Ross Hamilton,
Finance Executive, Plans & Consolidations, IBM Canada Ltd.,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Matthew D. Keogh,
Vice President, Corporate Control & Reporting, Securit,
Toronto Chapter
Ms. Catherine J. Kloepfer,
Senior Vice President, Administration & Chief Financial Officer, Winnipeg Airports Authority Inc.,
Winnipeg Chapter
Mr. Mark W. Kohler,
Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Secretary & Director, AirIQ Inc.,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Guy Lafrenière,
Vice President, Finance & Administration, Héma-Québec,
Québec Chapter
Ms. Patricia Lenson,
Financial Controller, KCI Medical Canada, Inc.,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Stuart K. Levings,
Chief Financial Officer, Genworth Financial Mortgage Insurance Company,
Hamilton Chapter
Ms. Line F. Levy-Rubinstein,
Director, Financial Controls, Bell Canada, Toronto Chapter
Mr. Stefano Lucarelli,
Vice President, Finance, Business Development Bank of Canada,
Québec Chapter
Ms. Jacqueline Marchand,
Director, Internal Control, Alcan Inc.,
Québec Chapter
Ms. Joyce McDonald,
Director, Financial Services, Nova Scotia Provincial Government,
Atlantic Chapter
Mr. Andy McNevin,
Chief Financial Officer, LUSH Cosmetics Inc.,
Vancouver Chapter
Mr. Kerry Merriman,
Vice President, Corporate Accounting & Financial Reporting, Telus Corporation,
Calgary Chapter
Mr. John W. Mockler,
Corporate Controller, London Health Sciences Centre, London Chapter
Ms. Susan M. Neale,
Chief Financial Officer, Quest Capital Corp.,
Vancouver Chapter
Mr. Martin Noël,
Sr. Vice President Finance & Chief Financial Officer, Premier Tech Ltée,
Québec Chapter
Ms. Trish Pekeles,
Director, Strategic Partnerships & Procurement, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority,
Vancouver Chapter
Ms. Dominique Poirier,
Corporate Controller, CCH Canadian Limited,
Toronto Chapter
Ms. Monique Porlier,
Chief Financial Officer, Canadian Cancer Society,
Toronto Chapter
Ms. Judith J. Purves,
Chief Accountant, IBM Canada Ltd.,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. John C. Rawding,
Chief Financial Officer, Acadian Gold Corporation,
Atlantic Chapter
Mr. Hashu Remtulla,
Vice President & Corporate Controller, Critical Control Solutions Corporation,
Calgary Chapter
Mr. Gerald Rockwood,
Chief Financial Officer, Acro Helipro Global Services,
Vancouver Chapter
Ms. Catherine A. Rogers,
Executive Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer, Western Financial Group Inc.,
Calgary Chapter
Mr. Steve Ruddy,
Senior Vice President, Alternative Risk Solutions, Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc.,
Calgary Chapter
Mr. Corry J. Silbernagel,
Director, Bond Capital,
Vancouver Chapter
Mr. Terry Solomon,
Vice President, Finance, H&R Block (Canada) Ltd.,
Calgary Chapter
Mr. Ryan Somerville,
Chief Financial Officer, Brookdale Treeland Nurseries Ltd.,
Toronto Chapter
Ms. Debbie Stein,
Vice President, Finance, AltaGas Ltd.,
Calgary Chapter
Mr. Stephen Stewart,
Chief Financial Officer, ING Bank of Canada,
Toronto Chapter
Mr. John K. Sullivan,
Director of Finance and Corporate Secretary, AMIRIX Systems Inc.,
Atlantic Chapter
Mr. Max von Trebra,
Associate Vice President Finance, Canada, Ipsos North America,
Vancouver Chapter
Mr. Scott G. M. Weatherby,
Chief Financial Officer, Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited,
Atlantic Chapter
Members in the News
Alan L. Wong
is the Account Executive of Robert Half Management Resources.
Vancouver Chapter
Frances Stafford
formerly the Chief Internal Auditor of Vasogen Inc. is now the Head of Internal Audit at TDL Group Ltd.
Toronto Chapter
Belinda C. Tang
is now the Vice President, HR and Capacity Management of IBM Global Business Services.
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Edward R. Irwin
formerly of Marsulex Inc. is now the Chief Financial Officer at IPICO Inc.
Toronto Chapter
Mr. Raymond Castonguay
is the Chief Financial Officer of EnGlobe Corporation.
Toronto 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!
Copyright Notice
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).