WELCOME TO THE 2015/2016 CFA SOCIETY TORONTO FISCAL YEAR. Before discussing our upcoming priorities, I want to take a look back at the past year.

In 2014/15, we completed a membership survey. At the end of 2014, we surveyed our members with respect to what they liked and areas for improvement. Our members’ views came in loud and clear–they wanted a renewed focus on member services. In other words, how can we better serve members through changes and enhancements to our events, affiliate programs, and career development opportunities? In essence, they wanted renewed focus on CFA Society Toronto’s entire member offering.

This past year, we also updated our three-year strategic plan. Member services is at the centre of that plan. In addition, the plan includes initiatives to increase the brand value of CFA charterholders, another area that was prominently mentioned in the membership survey.

In 2015/16, the Board of CFA Society Toronto will be focusing on these two key member priorities: improving our services offering and enhancing CFA brand awareness.

But before we look forward to the new fiscal year, we bid adieu to our retiring board members at the end of this year: Josephine Marks, Past President; Ron Schwarz, Member Communications; Andrew Turnbull, Member at Large; Sara Alvarado, Programming; and Markus Tyler, Secretary/Treasurer. I want to thank each and every one of them for their dedicated service to the Society.

I also want to welcome our new board members: Alain Bergeron, Member at Large; Vadim Gracie, Member Services; Marcus Turner, Programming; and Pamela Steer, Secretary/Treasurer. They will begin their terms this month.

I look forward to a successful 2015/16!