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Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA®) is sending you this complimentary e-newsletter in appreciation of your support and interest in IMCA’s investment consulting and wealth management credentialing programs. Education & Training Leader is a compendium of industry-related news and information that addresses the field of financial services credentialing and presents additional information about IMCA’s knowledge offerings. If you would like to learn more, please e-mail Lara Davies or call 303.850.3081.

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Brighter Advisors Belong to IMCA: Seminars & Webinars

Investment Management

Wealth Management

Features and News

IMCA Resources

IMCA Hosts Free Education Seminar on June 29 for your Chicago Advisors
(Note: This event is for non IMCA members only.)
If you have advisors in the Chicago area, let them know they can learn more about IMCA, CIMA certification, and CPWA certification—and also sample IMCA’s world-class educational content—by attending a free seminar on June 29. Presented by John Nersesian, Vice President of IMCA and Managing Director of Wealth Management Services at Nuveen Investments, this free seminar will discuss essential performance metrics—including measures of return and risk, dispersion, deviation, tracking error, information and capture ratios, and fixed incomes—and then evaluate a case study of three large cap value portfolios. This presentation has been submitted for for two hours of CFP CE credit (pending approval). It will be held at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers on June 29 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Registration is free, but space is limited! Please share this information with your advisors, and tell them to visit http://imcaadvantage.org/seminar/ to sign up. You will also receive an e-mail invitation later this week that you can forward to your advisors.

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New in 2010—Brighter Advisors Belong to IMCA: Webinars and Seminars
New this year, IMCA is hosting webinars and regional seminars for individuals who are interested in the CIMA and CPWA certifications as well as membership in IMCA. If your advisors were unable to listen in to our webinar in April, let them know they can view the archived presentation about IMCA’s valuable member resources and premier certification programs by clicking here. To view a full calendar of upcoming webinars and seminars, click here.

Q&A with Alicia Nisberg: Taking Your Career to New Heights with CIMA®
Alicia Nisberg is a senior investment research analyst at Commonwealth Financial Network®, member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment adviser, in Waltham, Massachusetts. In a recent article, “Taking Your Career to New Heights with CIMA®,” she relates her experience with the CIMA program and articulates the value of certification. Below, she answers our questions about the many potential benefits CIMA certification offers your company and how this dynamic and intensive program can help advisors become leaders among their peers.

E&T: How does obtaining CIMA certification impact an advisor’s practice?
Alicia Nisberg: Research shows that there’s a real correlation between professional designations like the CIMA certification and the ability to attract new clients. The deep knowledge gained through the CIMA certification program can help position advisors at the forefront of the field, equipping them with the skills to provide clients with the most appropriate solutions for complex financial matters. The education program allows advisors to deepen their asset allocation and portfolio management knowledge and hone their investment techniques. Focusing on topics that directly impact the investment and advisory business, the CIMA certification curriculum encompasses a complex body of advanced investment knowledge, preparing participants to provide expert advice and guidance, both to individuals and institutions.

E&T: What does a CIMA certification mean to clients?
Alicia Nisberg: More than just a bunch of letters after your name, the CIMA certification makes a difference professionally, identifying you as an advisor at the top of your game and offering reliability to your clients. When you earn the CIMA certification, you’re joining impressive ranks. As of 2009, the average CIMA professional manages more than $292 million in assets, retains 98.7 percent of clients during a recession, and has more than 10 years of experience in investment management and consulting. Armed with the quantitative expertise the program provides, you’ll set yourself apart from the competition as you help your clients pursue their investment goals within the ethical framework of our industry. To polish the program’s image even further, IMCA is working to obtain third-party accreditation for the CIMA certification program by next year. The accreditation process requires the certification program to meet rigorous standards and will ensure the validity of the designation for you and your clients.

Alicia can be reached at anisberg@commonwealth.com.

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Do Your Advisors Need Study Materials for the CIMA Qualification Exam? Check out IMCA’s CIMA Qualification Exam Prep Tools

  • Certified Investment Management AnalystSM Qualification Examination Review: This online tool is best for candidates who are familiar with the material that will be covered on the exam but would like to get more comfortable with the exam set-up and practice exam drills. Three-month access to this resource is available to IMCA members for $395 and to nonmembers for $595.
  • Introduction to CIMA Certification Program Self-Study Texts: This four-book binder is best for candidates who have some knowledge of investment consulting but would like to learn the concepts essential to the CIMA certification in a text format. Members can purchase the set for $95, nonmembers for $145.
  • Study Groups: IMCA members can take advantage of the special LinkedIn group to prepare, study, and collaborate with others for the Qualification Exam. Candidates who hold IMCA membership can click here to get LinkedIn to IMCA!

Essentials of Investment Consulting Certificate Program: This online learning program is best for candidates who have not had much experience with investment consulting and would like a more in-depth educational overview of the materials. It is offered to IMCA members for $795 and to nonmembers for $995. Click here to learn more and view a demonstration.

Visit IMCA’s Web site to learn more about all of the educational resources offered by IMCA.

CPWA Designation Program Enrollment Now Open
Enrollment Deadline is August 6, 2010!
The Certified Private Wealth AdvisorSM (CPWA®) designation program is an advanced credential created specifically for wealth managers and advisors who work with high-net-worth clients on the life cycle of wealth: accumulation, preservation, and distribution. Candidates who earn this designation learn to identify and analyze challenges facing high-net-worth clients and learn to develop specific strategies to minimize taxes, monetize and protect assets, maximize growth, and transfer wealth. Pre-study commences in September 2010 and the in-class program will be held March 14–18, 2011, at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Read what attendees have said about the program; click here to view the core topic list or to download the application. Applications for the March-September CPWA cohort increased by more than 50 percent from previous classes, so be sure your advisors enroll soon!

Largest IMCA Conference to Date Marks Organization’s 25th Anniversary
It’s a big year for IMCA! Not only does 2010 mark the organization’s twenty-fifth anniversary, but this is also the first year IMCA consolidated its two Professional Development conferences into one exceptional educational annual conference. More than 1,600 investment and wealth management professionals attended the IMCA 2010 Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla., May 17–19, 2010. IMCA president John C. Granzow, CIMA, welcomed attendees to the conference during the annual business meeting and announced the celebration of IMCA’s twenty-fifth anniversary.

Attendees customized their learning experience with concurrent educational tracks focusing on advanced wealth management, alternative investments, “hot topics", institutional consulting, investments, and leadership and top-performing businesses. Super sessions and workshops allowed attendees to further explore issues like equity and fixed income markets, regulatory changes, strategic planning, inflation, retirement planning, and estate planning. Conference highlights included presentations by Joseph Stiglitz, PhD Nobel Prize-winning economist and Columbia University professor; Michael Lewis, author of Liar’s Poker; and Richard Marston, PhD, the James R. F. Guy Professor of Finance and long-time CIMA certification program faculty at The Wharton School.

Click here to order recorded sessions.

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IMCA Honors William Fouse and Peter Bernstein at Annual Conference
IMCA presented four prestigious industry awards at its 2010 annual conference in Orlando on May 18.

  • William L. Fouse and Peter L. Bernstein (1919–2009), each received the 2010 Matthew R. McArthur Award for their outstanding contributions to the profession of investment management consulting.
  • John C. Bogle received the 2010 Richard J. Davis Ethics Award for his article, “The Fiduciary Principle: No Man Can Serve Two Masters” (Journal of Portfolio Management 36, no. 1, fall 2009: 15–25).
  • Richard K. Fullmer, CFA®, received the 2010 Edward D. Baker III Journal Award for his article, “A Framework for Portfolio Decumulation” (Journal of Investment Consulting 10, no. 1, summer 2009: 63–71).
  • Rex P. Macey, CIMA®, CFA®, received the 2010 Stephen L. Kessler Writing Award for his article, “Of Tulips and Trumpets: Is Time Diversification a Myth or Reality? Does Time Horizon Affect the Tolerance for Risk?” (Investments & Wealth Monitor 24, no. 1, January/February 2009: 41–43).

Click here to read the full press release.

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IMCA in the News
Click here to read coverage of the IMCA 2010 Annual Conference from Investment Advisor, RIABiz and InvestmentNews.

Enroll Multiple Employees in Essentials of Investment Consulting and Save Up to 25 Percent
IMCA’s Essentials of Investment Consulting (EIC) online certificate program is not just a great resource to study for the CIMA Qualification Exam; it is also a comprehensive, customizable template for an internal training program. EIC’s content covers core topics related to the investment consulting process. The online platform allows users to access the content easily from their office or home. Each of the 12 learning modules offers written educational content, comprehension questions, and an application assignment along with a self-assessment tool. There also are three quizzes offered during the 12-module online learning path, and several audio recordings presented by subject matter experts.

EIC was developed with a firm's specific needs in mind. IMCA can customize the program to include participant discussion boards, group activities, a case study, and the ability for key stakeholders to have oversight of their participants' progress through online progress reports or, if desired, direct interaction and involvement with participants. We also provide program administrative and technology support.

The cost of enrollment is $795 for IMCA members and $995 for nonmembers. Discounts apply for companies enrolling at least five employees in the same track.

For questions, to set up a Webinar, or to discuss options for designing a custom program for your firm, please e-mail Lara Davies or call 303.850.3081.

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Now Available: IMCA-Sponsored CE Credit from May/June Investments & Wealth Monitor
IMCA has pre-approved a quiz for one hour of CIMA, CIMC, and CPWA IMCA-sponsored CE credit in the Investments & Wealth Monitor. The quiz for the May/June issue—as well as the other 2010 issues—is available now on IMCA’s Web site.

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Intranet Links and Resources for Corporate Training Departments—New At-a-Glance Documents
IMCA has a variety of materials available for corporate training departments. For example, check out the helpful CIMA at a Glance and CPWA at a Glance documents to overview the certification processes from start to finish. You can also access quick links and short descriptions of IMCA's educational programs, certifications, and other investment consulting and wealth management offerings on IMCA's Training Resources Web page.

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IMCA—Investment Management Consultants Association delivers the premier investment consulting and wealth management designations and world-class educational offerings through membership, conferences, research, and publications.

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