What does Coming Together mean to you in this upcoming year?
Tom Borgia: Coming Together means building a stronger industry. Regardless of experience level, age, title, or location, the opportunity for construction financial professionals (CFPs) to connect and build a stronger industry is important. We are fortunate to be part of a thriving industry that allows us to provide experience and guidance beyond the numbers. For the first time since 2019, attendees are all Coming Together in person to experience CFMA’s Annual Conference in Atlanta to learn from the industry’s best and brightest.
Kevin Foley: While the impact of COVID-19 was lessened last year, we still did not have the opportunity to be together in the same way as before the pandemic. Coming Together speaks to the hopeful return of our important relationships and the opportunity to form new ones. Our Conference in Atlanta in May is an exciting part of this as well.
Caryl Coronis: I am extremely happy to be able to Come Together in person at CFMA’s Annual Conference & Exhibition, regional conferences, and chapter events. I have really missed networking with CFMA friends, old and new. This upcoming year provides CFMA members with the opportunity to Come Together with all General and Associate Members.
Jason Myers: Togetherness is a key tenet of how we learn and grow our relationships, both socially and professionally. Coming Together provides diversity in thought and the ability to provide forward-thinking solutions to support and add value to the industry. To me, our clients and industry friends are part of our family, so we have a passion to “lean in” to help them grow and succeed. This year is also very special for me as BKD and DHG will be Coming Together as one firm on June 1 to serve our clients and industries!
Pamela Hepburn: Of course the first thing that comes to mind is being able to hold in-person conferences and chapter meetings. And, there are many new opportunities with Certification and CFMA Coming Together. I also think about having conversations with people whose views are different from mine — being curious about their ideas and finding shared values that we can build on.
How has technology helped you/your career/your company be set up for success now and in the future?
Tom: Early in my career, I was fortunate to be part of a team that invested in and embraced technology. Understanding that the right technology can provide efficient, powerful, and real-time solutions for the industry is important for leaders to consider. In an industry that has been known to be “behind the curve,” we have continued to evolve and embrace the changes in construction technology, which excites me even more for the future.
Kevin: During COVID-19, our company was fortunate to have cloud-based software in use, which enabled us to keep working remotely, communicate effectively, and manage our projects without a severe impact to our work product. Throughout my career, the ability to move from one tool to a better one has been an exciting part of the journey. I’ve seen too many struggle when they fall behind in technological knowledge. Thanks to IT investments, so much more can be done to help us better manage our companies and workflows.
Caryl: The power to effectively work virtually is the most significant benefit for me. Collaboration between the field and office has made communication seamless and information transparent. My company uses drones when estimating and performing work as well as other technology to improve safety and building processes.
Jason: I leverage multiple forms of technology to stay organized, be efficient, and stay up to date on industry issues, but I’ve been amazed with how our firm has assisted clients in utilizing technology as we look to support innovation in the industry. We’ve also had the privilege of assisting our clients in strategic planning, software/enterprise resource planning support, and project execution. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the use of social media to stay connected!
Pam: I remember recording checks by hand in green bar ledger books and writing “while you were out” memos before voicemail was around, so a list of how technology has helped in my career would be long! I guess the biggest impact for me has been the ability to connect with people and on ideas faster, as well as instant access to information and education.
How can CFMA members Come Together to lead in 2022?
Tom: CFMA members lead in all different ways, so I encourage you to find your own way to Come Together to lead in 2022. This could mean mentoring a less experienced member to help them gain the education, training, and confidence needed to succeed; investigating technology solutions and digging into those that can make a difference to your company and team; or embracing diversity in our leaders and membership — the more diverse and inclusive we are, the stronger our members and CFMA can become!
Kevin: I hope that CFMA members are ready to attend as many in-person events as possible, raise their hands in their chapters to help spread the workload around, and be engaged in the Connection Café to share ideas, ask questions, and support each other. All of us Coming Together makes the industry stronger and helps our companies stay healthy.
Caryl: CFMA chapters, regional conferences, and committees offer opportunities for members to Come Together to lead. The volunteer spirit of CFMA members is unique, and I have seen many examples of members meeting members where they are in their careers and fulfilling their needs. For CFMA leaders, this means maintaining plentiful opportunities for mentoring, networking, and growth. I look forward to the development of educational offerings at many levels that will be available in easily usable formats.
Jason: CFMA members have a tremendous opportunity and network to support the industry through meaningful connections and growing in leadership. I encourage each of us to be active and engage in meaningful dialogue to support one another. One of my favorite things about CFMA is the relationships built through how we interact and our mentorships, which makes us all better for the benefit of our organizations and the industry.
Pam: One of CFMA’s newly stated core values is courageous leadership. As CFMA members, we can focus on Coming Together, listening to diverse ideas, and building an inclusive community by getting comfortable being in uncomfortable conversations. We can also attend conferences, join Peer Groups, ask and answer questions on the Connection Café, attend chapter meetings, teach a class, and write an article for CFMA Building Profits magazine! These are all opportunities for CFMA members to learn from each other and take a leadership role.
What is one thing you can look back on for inspiration and/or motivation as you provide leadership for CFMA in the upcoming year?
Tom: I can look back on many points in my career for motivation or inspiration, but one thing always comes to mind: I’ve been extremely fortunate to have been a part of this industry for almost 25 years, and it has provided many opportunities for success and the chance to take care of my family and meet our goals. It’s also provided the chance to meet, learn from, and know some of the best and brightest people from across the country — many of whom have become close friends. The opportunity to lead this year is a way for me to give back to an industry that has done so much for me over the years; that alone is all the inspiration I need to lead CFMA into the future!
Kevin: It is really inspiring when I think about how CFMA started in 1981. With no decent technology available, Dave Casey and his team manually sent invites out to names clipped out of publications to help form this Association. CFMA members not only lead but roll up their sleeves to share in the work to get a task done. The passion of those original founders to pull together an Association that now boasts about 8,600 members makes me want to add value to our membership in the same way that I have benefited from CFMA.
Caryl: I look back on my introduction to CFMA and how it met my educational and professional networking needs. Being new to construction, CFMA was very helpful in progressing my career and inspiring confidence when I received advice and counsel from others in the industry. Now, I look forward to giving back to CFMA and helping its members grow, both personally and professionally.
Jason: One of the most rewarding and valuable things in my entire career has been the relationships I’ve built with others through CFMA. This inspires me to serve CFMA members in a way that encourages forward-thinking to support positive relationships, empowering each of us to be the best we can and not afraid to lean in.
Pam: In working with member volunteers and the CFMA HQ staff over the past several years, I am inspired by the culture of continuous improvement, dedication, and courageous leadership in our organization.
Copyright © 2022 by the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA). All rights reserved. This article first appeared in May/June 2022 CFMA Building Profits magazine.