AS WE CLOSE OFF ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE SEASON, it’s now time to enjoy some long warm days and weekend getaways and to take some time to reflect on our personal and professional goals.

This spring, investment professionals sharpened their knowledge of trends and issues facing the pension and private wealth sectors. Attendees at our Annual Spring Pension Conference gleaned information on thought-provoking issues facing plan sponsors, investment managers, and industry consultants. In addition to traditional learning, memory expert Chester Santos provided memory training techniques that will be helpful in both client and networking opportunities.

Participants at the Annual Wealth Conference studied private client strategies with an impressive lineup, including Dr. Kenneth Shulman, who discussed the increasingly important responsibility of the financial advisor in dealing with aging clients.

In May, we celebrated the second annual Future of Finance initiative, Putting Investors First Month, a global initiative whereby CFA Society Toronto helped increase the visibility and role that charterholders play in the various stages of their clients’ lives. Our extensive four-week advertising campaign in Toronto’s downtown PATH within the financial district provided increased exposure of the designation for up to 200,000 business-day commuters and thousands of additional tourists and residents en route to various centrally located events each day. We have included a print version of the life stages project on pages 14 and 15 of this issue of The Analyst.

As our programming slows over the summer months, our board and management office will remain hard at work, continuing an extensive evaluation of the 2014 member survey, implementing the early stages of our new three-year strategic plan, and developing our exciting fall programming calendar, including the much-anticipated Forecast Dinner.

We have some exciting surprises planned for the remainder of 2015, as we prepare to welcome our new Board of Directors this September. It’s now time to enjoy a little rest and relaxation over the summer and prepare for an interesting and busy fall ahead.