Connector Newsletter August 2021Message from the Chair/CEO, Julia Demkowski CMC®
 IMC USA Needs You! We need more volunteers to support our mission of providing community, education, and certification. Volunteering in a professional association can have huge benefits, not just for you but for everyone. Whether you are in a startup, want to scale up or enhance an already successful management consulting practice, volunteering will add to the value you bring to your clients. We believe the prospect of the latter is even more viable now than in the past as IMC USA is placing great effort in building on its mission through community forums, educational programs, and certification.
So, how you might you go about volunteering? Some may have limited time. You might consider volunteering on an Ad Hoc committee or a sprint team. No doubt we have all worked on consulting projects with the purpose of addressing a specific issue or issues, which theoretically is disbanded once its purpose is complete. Some of you may prefer to be on standing committees. We are currently looking for a national marketing chair to work with 2 board liaisons, Oliver Matar and Roberta Guise. For your reference our current National Committees are listed below and on our website at: https://www.imcusa.org/committees. Your 2021 National Board of Directors ask you to consider sharing your skills with IMC USA. We have been working to create an environment to attract more volunteers for local and national participation. We welcome hearing from you. Our Current National Committees are: Membership: Actively recruits, retains, engages and welcomes new members to the association. Certification: Establishes standards and issues the Certified Management Consultant® (CMC®) designation. Professional Learning & Development: Develops and delivers educational programming. Chapter Presidents Council: Provides a forum for chapter presidents to collaborate and share ideas to engage members on a local level. Conference: Plans the annual conference and related programming, speakers, activities and venue. Recognition & Awards: Identifies members and volunteers to be recognized during the annual awards celebration for service excellence within the institute and profession. Marketing: Provides strategic support for all marketing and communications efforts. Ethics: Oversees all ethics related matters, including standards, issues and resolutions. Nominating: Responsible for recruiting and vetting board candidates and the election process.  Welcome June - July New Members!
Member Stories: What IMC USA Means To Me
A series of stories by our members. Add your story here: https://imcusa.org/testimonial-form "As management consultants, each of us is challenged to stay on top of our game. I have found that there is no better opportunity to learn from the profession's greatest thought leaders than that provided by IMC USA. Add to that the chance to connect and network with the best management consultants in the world and joining IMC USA is a no-brainer. I am eternally grateful to everyone I have met through IMC USA and treasure the contributions they have made to my success. IMC USA provides so many opportunities for growth, service, and learning that it makes it easy to sharpen our skills and excel at our chosen profession. Thank you, IMC USA!"  Membership
Membership REALLY Matters! ALL members are encouraged to register for our Membership Town Hall gathering, August 4th at 2:00 pm EDT. Meet (and consider joining!) our expanded membership committee. Learn about and share input on our ambitious year’s priorities. Get a quick walk through the new IMC USA website. And learn about our latest, exciting members-only perk: great discounts on quality publishing resources. Consult-Con Virtual Conference   This year's virtual Consult-Con 2021 happens November 5-6 and will be keynoted by Dr. Philip Kotler, known worldwide as the "father of modern marketing.'' Author of 80 books (yes, that's 8-0, not a typo!), Dr. Kotler is beloved in numerous countries for introducing and developing marketing concepts we take for granted today. He will also receive IMC USA's prestigious Lifetime Contribution Award which last year went to Malcom Gladwell and Steve Pemberton. Click here for info on other speakers and conference events as well as early bird registration pricing bargains! Certified Management Consultant (CMC®)
 The Certified Management Consultant® (CMC®) mark is awarded by IMC USA to consultants who have achieved a level of performance that includes professional standards in technical competency and ethics, and global standards in consulting competencies, professional behavior, client and project management, and personal conduct. Learn more today! IMC USA Foundation
Did you know IMC USA has a separate Foundation? And, that it works to enhance the education and ethics associated with your chosen profession? Your 501(c)(3) Foundation is pleased to announce further support of IMC USA’s National Conference (www.imcusaconference.org). The Foundation is offering scholarships to Young Professional members of IMC to assist their attendance and to be part of the collaborative approach taken by members. As each member grows, so does all members. Bringing youth into our folds only broadens our appeal and your Foundation is putting scholarships behind the Young Professional member. Indeed, in a similar manner, your Foundation needs your support. Other than nominal banking fees, your tax-deductible donation to the Foundation goes to supporting education and ethics. Donate now (https://www.imcusa.org/foundation) and be an important part of extending the purpose of IMC USA. IMC USA is pleased to support Young Professionals like Ahmet with scholarship opportunities to assist their attendance to Consult-Con and contribute to their growth in the profession.  Ahmet Akdag is a Young Professional member at-large, primarily operating as a business management and strategy consultant, and also specializing in consulting for eCommerce B2B/B2C businesses. Learn more about IMC USA membership and about benefits available to Young Professionals here: https://www.imcusa.org/categories Recurring Events
These events occur on the same date/time of each month. Please add to your calendar as a recurring event.
The IMC USA Women Consultants Group is an online discussion group where women consultants can learn, connect and grow their consulting practices. The purpose of the group is to highlight IMC USA women consultants and facilitate a community that supports the success of all. For more information or to attend the event, contact Jennifer Beever CMC®, MBA by email ([email protected]) or phone at 818-347-4248.
C2M Live! Webinars Are Facilitated Discussions Where Consultants Learn, Connect, and Grow Their Consulting Practice. This Month’s Topic: To be determined and will be communicated on the website and by email announcement soon. Upcoming Chapter Events
* COVID-19 NOTICE: Some chapter meetings are virtual and some are in-person or hybrid. Please check with each chapter accordingly. Thank you. Tuesday, August 3, 2021 Friday, August 6, 2021 Friday, August 6, 2021 Friday, August 13, 2021 Friday, August 13, 2021 Friday, August 20, 2021 There are 10 chapters throughout the United States that serve members on a local basis – including programming and networking. Please click here to determine the closest chapter to your vicinity. Nonprofit Consultants Networking
While we will temporarily be going dark for the month August for a summer break, we will be back in action in September and the coming months ahead. Please mark your calendar for the upcoming Nonprofit Consultant Network events:
Tuesday, September 28, 2021 2:00 – 3:00 pm PT, 3:00 – 4:00 pm MT, 4:00 – 5:00 pm CT; 5:00 – 6:00 pm ET Nonprofit Consultants Virtual NETWORKING Happy Hour Do you consult with nonprofit organizations – or want to learn more about it? This is the place for you! Building relationships with other nonprofit consultants within IMC is what many of us said we were looking for. These are informal opportunities to meet other consultants and chat about topics of interest, build relationships, and explore ways to collaborate. Watch the IMC USA Events page for the link to register. Thursday, October 21, 2021 11:00 am: 8:00 – 9:30 PT, 9:00 – 10:30 MT, 10:00 am – 11:30 am CT, and 11:00 – 12:30 ET Leadership for Nonprofit Organization Sustainability Save the Date – the registration link will be published in the next newsletter What is nonprofit sustainability, and how can it be achieved? Bill Taylor, CMC, will discuss his experience helping leaders from over 40 nonprofit organizations create more sustainable futures in Southeast Asia. We’ll learn about the three pillars of sustainability (Financial, Leadership, and Talent) and how to integrate them into a strategic planning process. We’ll also explore the implications of scale on sustainability and how to build internal and external support for the organization’s mission. Finally, Bill will discuss how pro-bono consulting with nonprofits can enhance career opportunities and personal fulfillment. Watch the IMC USA Events page for the link to register. Ed Potter, CAE Chair IMC USA Nonprofit Consultants Network Recognition and Awards
Nominate Someone Deserving for the IMC USA’s Top Awards Our IMC USA recognizes the achievements of its members with two top awards: the FIMC (Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants) Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award. To qualify for consideration for the FIMC, a member must have contributed to IMC USA over time through their exceptional service (on the national and chapter levels), and enjoyed a consulting career that demonstrates the goals, values, ethics, and aspirations of the Institute. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a member who, over the course of his/her career, has made an exceptional contribution to the management consulting profession and/or to IMC USA. Fewer than 10 people have ever received this prestigious award! In addition to these top two awards, the Institute offers the National Distinguished Service Award and the National Recognition of Achievement. These awards provide opportunities to recognize fellow members for long-term or near-term service that has contributed significantly to the IMC USA on a national level. Information about all of the awards that IMC USA offers may be found here. Finally, IMC USA participates in the International Constantinus Award, a recognition program for outstanding international consulting projects. For more information, contact Joyce Gioia at [email protected]. We are past the deadline for 2021 participation however, we can support your application for 2022. Joyce Gioia, CMC, CSP, FIMC is the Chair of IMC USA’s Recognition and Awards Committee. ICMCI: Your Window to International Opportunities ICMCI held its Euro Hub Meeting on June 14th, including a guest speaker presentation for the EU Recovery Plan (IMC USA participated as an Observer, represented by its Delegate). Additionally, ICMCI held its inaugural African Hub Meeting on July 16th (upcoming recording will be shared when received). Finally, two monthly ICMCI Chair Update sessions were held (IMC USA was represented by its Executive Director) – see recordings for Session 1 and Session 2. For the latest published ICMCI Newsletter (June 2021) see CMC-Today. For weekly ICMCI webinars held and previous events – see relevant recordings at ICMCI’s YouTube Channel. Join your CMC colleagues from around the world on the CMC-Global Directory (subscription basis).
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