It's among the most clever and to-the-point slogans on the street: M = More.

The Certified Management Accountants of Alberta have adopted the equation to spread the word that the "M" in CMA speaks much more than a mouthful.

"M = More" underscores a fact sometimes overlooked by business leaders.

It's that every professional earning the right to trail the letters CMA behind his or her name returns to the workplace with a balanced set of management tools, within a specific business context.

Sterling Eddy says the CMA designation brings leadership skills.

OK, we've established that "M = More."

But more what? Sterling Eddy, president/CEO of the Certified Management Accountants of Alberta, is glad you asked.

More leadership aptitude. More profound understanding of
corporate governance. More strategic thinking.

More dexterity within the widest possible range of accounting, financial and management processes. More creative approaches to analytical problem-solving.

More seasoning, more maturity, more insight. And more practical solutions to the kaleidoscopic range of strategic challenges faced by any given business on any given day.

In short, CMAs provide implementable strategic solutions that lead to increased profitability, productivity and prosperity.

Eddy believes CMA Alberta's "M = More" campaign will help occupants of the executive suite better understand that adding CMAs to a senior decision-making team can lead to a beefed-up bottom line.

When an employee earns the prestigious CMA designation,
the employer gains someone qualified to be CFO, possessing high-octane training and a proven business track record – not to mention the CMA's duty to maintain the highest ethical standards of the profession.

That translates to stronger analysis and problem solving; to leaner, more efficient management practices.

Ultimately, it leads to the peace of mind only a robust
bottom line can bring.

At a time when optimal leadership skills are at a premium, CMAs are in greater demand than ever before.

And, at a time when investor confidence has been shaken by upheavals at senior corporate levels, never have the tenets of the CMA program been more urgently needed by the business community at large.

"Corporate governance, or a lack of it, has been central to many such upheavals. But CMAs have a particularly astute command of corporate governance issues," said Eddy.

Even the best-informed CEOs are sometimes unaware of the specific skills a CMA brings to the marketplace.

"Many people think of an accountant as an auditor," explained Eddy.

"But less than 10 per cent of our membership fulfil the important auditing role. They’re more likely to apply their strategic management skills to running the entire
business," he said.

Certain specific attributes set apart the Certified Management Accountant from colleagues within the broader accounting profession. As Eddy puts it: "We are different. And we were originally intended to be different."

Most of Alberta's 6,000 CMAs find themselves working at the very core of the province's most successful enterprises.

And they earned the coveted designation of CMA only by
shedding much sweat, and perhaps a few tears, en route.

Recently, only 58.7 per cent of first-time writers were able to pass a stringent two-day national entrance examination that tested CMA candidates in both technical proficiency and strategic, case-oriented ability.

Those successful writers now qualify to enter a rigorous and intensive two-year Strategic Leadership Program (SLP).
The SLP challenges candidates to demonstrate their mastery of contemporary tools in the areas of strategy, management accounting, operations, human resources, marketing and information technology.

To succeed, potential CMAs must apply these leading-edge concepts through all phases of their organization’s product
life-cycle.

And when every hurdle has been conquered, the successful CMA emerges from those studies with an unbeatable blend of strategic management skills.

Yet, advanced education and learning does not stop with the awarding of a CMA designation. As strategic management
professionals, CMAs sustain and elevate their mastery of critical competencies and business performance through mandatory Post Designation Learning.

Yes, the qualified CMA is a so-called "numbers person." But the CMA's broad strategic management background makes him or her the "numbers person" with a handle on all facets of the business.

To inquire how you and your best people can benefit from the CMA program, contact the team at the CMA Alberta office (Phone: 403.269.5341; Toll-free: 1.877.CMA.2000).

Or seek out the website of the Certified Management Accountants of Alberta at: www.cma-alberta.com.