Spring Is in the Air - Articles

Here in Princeton, NJ, the arrival of spring can only mean one thing: Start planting your garden? Have a picnic in the park? No! It’s time to start thinking about attending CFMA’s 2022 Annual Conference & Exhibition, which will be held on May 14-18 in Atlanta, GA.

Since this will be the first opportunity for us all to come together since 2019, the Conference theme this year is Coming Together. The Conference will provide an opportunity for a new generation of professionals to connect with well-established and experienced leaders from throughout the construction industry. In addition to educational content focused specifically for construction financial professionals (CFPs), the Conference offers opportunities to explore new ideas, discover over 75 exhibitors that are changing the way business is conducted today, collaborate with industry peers, and make new connections.

I may be a bit biased, but of all the conferences I attend, I believe CFMA’s Conference combines education, networking, and fun better than any other. To learn more about the Conference and details about the sessions and schedule of events, visit www.conference.cfma.org.

In an issue dedicated to workforce issues, it’s worth reminding you about the quarterly CONFINDEX^TM survey (www.cfma.org/confindex), which is CFMA’s proprietary confidence index survey of CFPs in commercial construction. CONFINDEX is the only confidence index survey gauging the confidence level of important decision-makers in the industry.

In every quarterly survey, respondents are asked about their level of concern on a number of issues, including worker shortages in the skilled trades. Except for one quarter during the pandemic, this issue is far and away the biggest concern to our members. I’m not sure that will surprise any of you, but the CONFINDEX is a great way to keep a pulse on your peers and how the industry views issues that impact construction, including worker shortages. If you are a General Member and would like to share your thoughts as an important industry decision-maker, I encourage you to complete the next CONFINDEX survey that is due out in May.

As CFMA begins a new fiscal year on April 1, I would like to take this opportunity to thank CFMA’s outgoing Chairman, Pamela Hepburn, CCIFP, who has worked tirelessly this past year to move CFMA forward in a positive, new direction. Pam is egoless, and her only goal in the past year has been to always consider what is in CFMA’s best interest and look for ways to deliver more value to our members. It has been my honor and pleasure to work with Pam.

Now, it’s time to welcome Tom Borgia, CFMA’s 2022-23 Chairman. Tom brings a different style but an equally committed perspective to the role as Chairman. Please join me in welcoming Tom, who looks forward to working with all of CFMA’s stakeholders over the next year. Check out his message on page 8 to understand Tom’s journey to becoming CFMA’s 38th Chairman.

I’ll see you in Atlanta in May!