Hello to my fellow Philadelphia Chapter members,
In 1983, I was a senior in high school. Ronald Regan was President and Dallas was the top rated show on network TV. The Sixers won the NBA Championship however the Phillies came up short in the World Series to the Orioles, the Flyers were swept in the first round of the NHL playoffs, and the Eagles had yet another disappointing season. In 1983 there was no internet, no cell phones and therefore no social media. Back then, if you wanted to keep up with your friends and family you actually called them on the phone and talked to them. Things have changed dramatically in our lives since that time. We all know that the Eagles finally won the Super Bowl back in February and the other Philadelphia teams are on the upswing now, too. Today, we can’t really live or work without internet access, everyone including children have smartphones or an iPad, and some people can’t go fifteen minutes without posting to Facebook or Instagram. The skyline of Philadelphia was completely different in 1983 as well. Back then, no building was taller than William Penn’s hat which sits atop of City Hall. Today, there are numerous skyscrapers already built and more on the way.
In 1983, a group of professionals here in Philadelphia formed the first chapter of a new organization called the Construction Financial Management Association. CFMA was dedicated to bringing people together who had a something in common. They were financial professionals who were either working directly for construction companies as controllers or CFO’s or the advisors who had clients in the construction industry including accountants, bankers, surety agents and lawyers. For the last 35 years, the Philadelphia Chapter of CFMA has remained strong and relevant to the construction industry in the Philadelphia region.
Every construction project needs a sound foundation and I am proud to say CFMA’s foundation is built on education and networking. For the last 35 years we have strived to provide our chapter members with the best educational sessions to assist them with their personal career growth. We have also brought our members together to network and make lasting friendships and business relationships. Our chapter is also a proud sponsor of the Ronald McDonald House as well as Laurel House. Over the last several years, we have also awarded significant scholarships to college students in the Philadelphia area.
To me all of this comes down to one word: opportunity. For 35 years, the CFMA Philadelphia chapter has given all its members a tremendous opportunity to improve their knowledge base, to meet people and make friends, to help people who are truly in need and to support the next generation of construction leaders. My sincere hope is all of you take full advantage of these opportunities. I did and I have benefited from it both personally and professionally. Come to a meeting. Get involved. Introduce someone you may know who is not yet a member of the Philly chapter to CFMA so they can see what opportunities are available to them.
On November 30, 2018, we are going to hold an event at the Museum of the American Revolution to celebrate our chapter’s 35th Anniversary so please look for more details as they are finalized.
Finally, I would like to say a very big thank you to my predecessor, Joe Buckley of Allen Myers, who was chapter President from April 2016 through March of 2018. Joe did a great job as our chapter President and I’m proud to call him a friend. I look forward to working with our extremely talented Board of Directors who will continue to bring to you, the chapter members, the opportunities I mentioned before.
Thank you.
Jim McGettigan
President, CFMA Philadelphia