CEO’S MESSAGE
the 2021–2023 Strategic Framework. We
met with the Board and Branch presidents
at the annual Leadership Forum at the
end of March; much discussion was had
on the strategic priorities, including an
organization name change, the branch/
national relationship and a revised
membership model, to name a few. Kim
Iwamoto, CCM, CCE, CPA, CGA will share
more in the next issue of the magazine.
Operationally, we offered networking
opportunities with our bi-monthly Connect
Calls, now led by members for members.
Thank you to Jan Bloemraad, CCM; Tal
Czudner, CCM; Bill Morari; Jon Fisher, CCM,
CCE; Jim Hope, CCM, CCE; Cris Toma;
Laura Manganaro; Kyle Campbell; Chris
Serré, CCM; and Jennifer Cox, CCM for their
leadership and support over the last few
months in making these calls successful.
Education-wise, we delivered on our
National Food & Beverage Management
As much as we tried to
forecast based on prior
experience, this year proved
to be equally as busy and
twice as unpredictable.
Conference with over 90 attendees and
were able to open up our closing keynote
speaker with Dr. Mohamad Fakih, CEO of
Paramount Fine Foods, to all members
across the country on a complimentary
basis. Later in March, we delivered our
first-ever virtual BMI course. This year we
offered BMI Leadership Principles and had
35 registrants. We were delighted to have
welcomed 40 per cent of registrants to their
first BMI. We also made a point of including
club experts as part of our faculty this
year – thank you to Liz McDowell, CPA,
CA; Trevor Noonan, CCM, CCE; and Greg
Lundmark, CCM, CCE for their support.
Our National Conference is still slated for
Oct. 2–5, 2021, to be held in Montreal, Que.
More information will follow later in the
spring as we determine how and if we will
be able to meet in person.
I began this article indicating that so
much as happened in the last few months.
I would be remiss not to mention the most
significant and arguably traumatic event
in my time with the Society – in my career
perhaps. Our beloved director, Professional
Development, Susan Rock, passed away on
Feb. 5, 2021 with her husband, John Diessel,
by her side. We have compiled a photobook
for her husband, featuring the many condolences
that were received, which we will
deliver to John later in April. We continue to
grieve Susan’s loss. We miss her dearly and
she will never be forgotten. And while these
last few months have been more unpredictable
than I would have liked, I can guarantee
this: we will take the great work that
Susan began in our professional development
team and build on it. In my heart, I
believe Susan would have liked that.
cycloneproject/123rf 6 § The Canadian Society of Club Managers § www.cscm.org
/www.cscm.org
