| Jacques Tremblay took the long and winding road from
graduation from Laurentian University in 1982 to his current role as
Regional Director of Marketing & Communications for the Certified
Management Accountants of Ontario. Cathy Bailey, First Vice-Chair of the Society
of Management Accountants for Ontario, was born and raised in Sudbury and
is currently the Senior Manager in charge of Finance and Administration
with the North East Community Care Access Centre in Sudbury.
Jacques and Cathy were the special guests on the March 31, 2008 edition
of “Inside Education”, a local talk show
on CKLU 96.7 FM that is broadcast live every Monday evening at 6 p.m. from
the studios at Laurentian University. Robert Kirwan, an Independent Education &
Career Development Specialist who operates a private practice called The
Greater Sudbury Learning Clinic, is the producer and host of the program
which consists of an engaging conversation with a person from a different
career field each week. The purpose of the show is to provide listeners
with some valuable down-to-earth insight and information which may prove
helpful for those who are looking for tips and strategies that will help
them become more successful in their current or future careers.
Both guests pointed out that many of today's corporate leaders find it
quite advantageous to pursue their C.M.A.designation through the two year
strategic leadership program offered by C.M.A. Canada. This is a
professional designation that demonstrates that you are able to understand
both the financial and non-financial elements of big business today.
Jacques began working for Royal Lepage in Edmonton after graduating. It
was there that he obtained his C.M.A. designation and then moved to the
North West Territories where he became Comptroller of Cominco Mines in
just three years. From there he went to work for Noranda Mines, then off
to Quebec and back to Alberta to work for a not-for-profit Francophone
Organization before moving back to Sudbury in his current role in 1999.
Marketing was always a love of his, so he jumped at the chance to become
Regional Director of Marketing & Communications for C.M.A. Ontario.
Cathy spent 12 years with KPMG in public accounting before taking on
the position of Vice President of Finance with the Y.M.C.A. After making
sure that the Y.M.C.A. went through its expansion, she became Director of
Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology for the Northeastern
Ontario Medical Education Corporation. After establishing the model for
the medical school she moved over to her current position as Senior
Manager in charge of Finance and Administration with the North East
Community Care Access Centre in Sudbury.
Both Jacques and Cathy love the challenges that come from taking on new
responsibilities. And both of them found that the training they received
from their C.M.A. program as well as the continuous networking and
communication with the over 20,000 Certified Management Accountants in
Ontario is invaluable to their success.
They said that they understand how difficult it is for young people
starting out today, but offered several bits of advice:
- Define your goal. Make sure you know your vision and what it is that
you want to do with your life. That will give you direction and you
will have a target to aim at.
- Ask two key questions: What are you good at? and Do you like it? You
are going to be in a career for a long time, so it better be something
that you like to do. Also, if you are good at something and it comes
naturally for you, you will overcome your weaknesses. Today you can
find opportunities if you look hard enough.
- You should do a lot of volunteer work in the right places.
Networking is extremely important in opening the doors of opportunity.
The more people you know the better.
- Market yourself. You must make yourself known today. Impress the
right people and develop good relationships.
Both Jacques and Cathy encourage university graduates to consider going
for their C.M.A. designation if they are interested in becoming leaders in
the business world. A certified management accountant is prepared for
anything and is able to handle all of the challenges that come up in the
corporate world. |
