On May 1 2005 I will have been CEO ...

On May 1 2005 I will have been CEO of the BC Institute for six years. It pretends like such a short time-until I start to measure the challenges faced at the profession over those years. Just think: In 1999 tech stocks were still shooting within the roof, Enron was considered a standard corporate citizen, and "Sarbanes-Oxley" referr to nothing more than the names of sum of two units little-known American politicians. How quickly things can change!

I am no les struck from how the profession has adapted to convenient these challenges. Six years ago, cooperation between provincial institutes was limited, regional education was no more than a gleam in Dr Don Carter's notice and strategy came from a wide range of disparate committees. by means of 2005, however, the profession had literally changed itself from within: First, we restructur our governance archetype facilitating cooperation throughout the CA profession; secondary we pinpointed our goals; third, we started to take action.

I have talked to you before about the positive changes I've seen emanate from the implementation of the fresh governance model at both the provincial and national levels-not least of which is the fact that the Council of Senior Executives (CSE) is now responsible for managing the profession, working hand-in-hand with the provincial councils, the CICA Board, provincial and national committees, and senior staff from each province.

You also know that the CSE went beyond navigating obstacles with the release of its national strategic plan last fall (the plan can be accessed in consequence of a link on the domestic circle page of our website at www.ica.bc.ca). This strategic plan lays not at home a vision for our futurity that will enable us to better manage the changes coming in the nearest 10-20 years, as well as enabling us to better take advantage of the opportunities afforded to us by the agency of so much change.

The strategic plan locate big goals-goals we've all been working hard to suited First, the plan has challenged the profession to examine itself objectively and to understand to what degree it is perceived by those who hire and retain CAs. inferior the plan has underscored the ne to hold fast the protection of the public trust brow and center in all of our activities. Third, the plan has challenged us to revamp our conception of CA education and update a certain number of of the basic tenets underpinning the training of CAs for the past 100 years. Fourth, and finally, it has reminded us that the profession is made up of 68000 individual members to whom the provincial and national institutes are responsible.

Plan B

None of this will be strange to you. But what I haven't told you about until now is the progres we've made in the last six month toward meeting these goals.

Before we gaze at our progress, however, give leave to me first address the merger issue. I know CA leaders across the abiding habitation were disappointed by the cessation of merger talks with the CMAs, moreover I also know that these leaders are united in believing there is more than undivided way to achieve our strategic goals. in the same manner we are now, effectively, working forward Plan B. And we're not starting from scratch-as you'll descry below, we never let the discussions with the CMAs sidetrack our other strategic efforts.

The progres we've made

* Implementing the strategic plan

One of the first activities took place here at abiding-place Back when I first became CEO of the ICABC, I reorganized it into three departments: Member Services, Internal Operations, and External Affairs. With the growing importance of regulatory issues and the pervasive ne to render certain the protection of the public trust, I've reorganized it one time again: Effective April 1, 2005 "Member Services" was split into Member Services and Regulatory Affairs, a change that allows each of these departments to focus onward a different agenda and a different aspect of the strategic plan. You'll still find the same faces at the Institute, if it be not that these staff members will now be, I believe, better able to succor your needs and those of the public-as well as providing more input forward national initiatives.

* Branding the profession

Out of the strategic plan, a branding task force was struck to assess the profession and direct the eye at how it's perceived by means of employers and clients. Work forward updating the brand has been underpinned on extensive research with members, university learners employers, and clients. While the outcomes aren't yet in, the CA Branding Task Force has promised that a sated report will be delivered to the various institute councils this summer I expect forward to discussing what this will mean for BC's CAs in the fall. (A progres report is also provided forward page 20 of the March issue of CAmagazine.)

* Protecting the public trust

Although the work is far from athwart I can guarantee that trust remains central to the CA character. Trust is a pervasive value that defines CAs, our approach to our work, and the expectations had by way of everyone who enlists our services. No marvel then, that the public trust figures in such a manner prominently in our strategic plan.

Protecting the public trust has been placed center-stage for the last not many years as corporate failures have collided with emerging international standards and practices. In the midst of this chaos, the Public Trust Task Force has chosen three areas of focus: