Meet Your Volunteer 2020-21 Executive Officers - Articles

How has CFMA helped you lead with clarity?

Kevin: CFMA provides the tools I need in my career. CFMA webinars, on-demand education modules, articles in CFMA Building Profits and e-newsletters, and Connection Café posts have provided a wealth of information. Networking with CFMA peers at chapter events, regional conferences, and CFMA’s Annual Conference & Exhibition have also been great sources of education and inspiration.

Pam: CFMA’s education and networking are the “lenses” that help me lead with clarity. When I have questions or concerns, CFMA is the first place I look for solutions. My CFMA Peer Group is a safe place to solicit answers to tough questions, admit uncertainty, and ask for help.

Tom: CFMA provides leaders with both the knowledge and experience to lead with clarity. Available and accessible educational programs help grow my knowledge base, and the opportunities to network with financial professionals from across the industry have been integral to my leadership development. The power of relationships and the ability to learn from my peers have proved to be the most valuable resources gained through CFMA.

Jeremy: My CFMA involvement has led to some of my highest quality relationships. I have met some amazing leaders who have shown me how to lead by example, and I have even had the opportunity to learn directly from several of them. These experiences have impacted me as a leader far more than any training course I have ever taken.

Michelle: The strongest components of CFMA that help me lead with clarity are my CFMA relationships. This includes my relationships with chapter peers over the years, those that I have developed at the national level, and, more recently, the valuable, in-depth relationships that I have formed within my CFMA Peer Group. I know my fellow CFMA members are readily available to help me lead with clarity.

How has your leadership experience helped you adapt to our changing times?

Kevin: Wow, this is a loaded question! None of us have ever experienced the kind of change we have seen this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost overnight, working from home and social distancing became the new norm. I have always led with trust, humility, and compassion, and these leadership traits are more important now than ever.

Pam: By working with great CFMA mentors and role models, here are just a few things I’ve learned: communicate quickly, honestly, and clearly during challenging times; listen for different points of view in order to understand each issue from new perspectives and develop informed strategies; recognize the strengths of others on the team and call on them for help; and share what worked and what didn’t with others so we can all get better.

Tom: My CFMA experiences have prepared me to adapt to our ever-changing environment in both my personal and professional life. Serving as a chapter leader and participating in national committees with peers from all over the country have provided me with many different perspectives on how to accomplish goals. Understanding different perspectives from highly experienced leaders has provided me with the knowledge and ability to adjust to our changing times.

Jeremy: Patience. While quick decisions will always be available (and are sometimes necessary), my past experiences have taught me to simply slow down and absorb the situation. Get the facts to the best that I can, and ask follow-up questions. Most important, be willing to change directions.

Michelle: Over the years, my leadership experience with many different situations and personalities has been key in helping me adapt. Each of my prior leadership experiences has allowed me to grow as a leader as I learn from my successes and look for opportunities to improve.

What is one thing you do every day to help you lead with clarity?

Kevin: I start each day by spending 15 minutes on “planning and solitude.” I review my calendar and task list for the day and make a mental note of how the day will flow. Then I review my calendar for the next seven days and look for any potential schedule conflicts so I can adjust as necessary.

Pam: I start my day by reading the daily update from the Connection Café. There is almost always a nugget of information or new way of looking at something to get my day started. It feels good when I have an answer to share, too.

Tom: Every day I try to find the time to exercise (even if it’s just for 30 minutes) and listen to music to clear my mind, which gives me the ability to tackle each day and lead with a full tank of energy.

Jeremy: I find that journaling about my personal and professional goals helps me stay focused on the bigger picture and not fall into a trap of decision-making without supporting data.

Michelle: I try to be conscious of the decisions I face as a leader and whether these decisions would be better served by seeking input from coworkers, peers, and/or friends. I believe that leading with clarity requires being open to outside comments and suggestions so our leadership efforts can ultimately secure the results we are seeking.

What are your top industry concerns for the upcoming year?

Kevin: The lack of skilled labor has been an industry concern for many years, but COVID-19 presents a new workforce challenge. How do we protect our workforce and maintain safer jobsites? Maintaining social distancing and the sanitation of shared tools and equipment will strain budgets and compress job schedules.

Pam: I’m concerned about the long-term economic and social impact of the pandemic. In many areas, our workforce was deemed essential, and I have concerns that we could face more pronounced labor shortages as people look to other professions where they can work from home. I think we will all be learning to cope with new norms, HR and safety requirements, and site conditions in the months and years ahead.

Tom: With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, a top industry concern will be how quickly and efficiently we can recover. While the construction industry has been fortunate enough to continue work and be deemed essential in many areas of the country, there have already been signs of hesitation in development and construction opportunities. As financial leaders, we must be prepared and have a proactive plan in place that allows for maximum efficiency in the case of a downturn.

Jeremy: I’m concerned with how the overall industry will handle any economic developments that we will face, especially over the next 12 months. Several national economists have warned that the industry’s growth rate could not be sustained forever. Now it’s time to see if the current economic responses to COVID-19 will have a long-term impact and, if so, how we will respond.

Michelle: The impacts of COVID-19 are currently my top industry concern; however, I know that our industry will rise to the challenges ahead, as we have in the past, and that long-term positive impacts will come from this challenge. Performing work safely and maintaining our employees’ health has always been a top industry focus, and I believe we are very ready to lead with clarity through this challenge.

What made you pursue your CFMA leadership path?

Kevin: I began pursuing my CFMA leadership path after a gentle nudge from a longtime CFMA friend and the realization that CFMA had helped me achieve more in my career than I had ever imagined. After being a member for 20 years, I felt it was time for me to give back to the Association and begin helping other members in the same way that I was helped.

Pam: CFMA friends at the local level encouraged me to get more out of my membership by volunteering, which helped me develop a strong local network. It was such a positive experience that it was easy to accept an invitation to volunteer on a national committee. Working alongside other passionate CFMA members is fun and enables me to give something back to the organization that has contributed so much to my success.

Tom: Early on in my career, my managers and our organization supported my involvement. I honed my leadership skills in a local role, led our chapter, attended CFMA at Spring Creek, expanded my CFMA knowledge, and developed new relationships with other leaders from across the country. The opportunity to be a part of a team of professionals who work together for the greater good of CFMA and its members is inspiring. The support I’ve had from our team in Florida, the lifelong relationships that I’ve been able to develop with CFMA leaders, and the opportunity to give back to an industry and organization that has given me so much are the reasons I’ve pursued this path. I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve.

Jeremy: The Association itself. I believe in the path that has been laid by the leadership before me (set by both staff and volunteers). CFMA is about relationships and being the best as a team; that is attractive.

Michelle: A fellow CFMA member who saw great potential in me pushed me to pursue my CFMA leadership path. After that, you might say that I “caught the bug.” I love CFMA and our members, so continuing to pursue my leadership path just came naturally. I hope you will also feel encouraged to see where your path may take you.