Institute of Management Accountants (US)

Institute of Management Accountants (US)
Name	Institute of Management Accountants (US)
Abbreviation	IMA
Formation	1919
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	Montvale, New Jersey
Region served	Global
Membership	Approx. 140,000 (various years)
Leader title	President and CEO

Institute of Management Accountants (US) The Institute of Management Accountants (US) is a professional association for accounting, finance, and management professionals centered on management accounting, corporate finance, and performance management. Founded in 1919, the organization administers the Certified Management Accountant credential and provides standards, education, research, and advocacy for practitioners across corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors. It engages with institutions, corporations, and professionals worldwide through chapters, conferences, and publications.

History

The organization traces roots to post-World War I professionalization movements that involved figures associated with Harvard University, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, New York University, and University of Chicago. Early interactions connected with American Institute of Accountants, National Association of Cost Accountants, American Society of Corporate Secretaries, Institute of Internal Auditors, and Association of Government Accountants. Throughout the 20th century the group intersected with initiatives linked to Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Reserve System, U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Influences and collaborations involved educators and leaders from Cornell University, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, and Stanford University. Postwar expansion corresponded with developments at United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and World Trade Organization. Later decades saw partnerships or dialogues with European Commission, Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, and multinational firms such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, and Boston Consulting Group.

Organization and Governance

Governance structures reflect models used by American Bar Association, American Medical Association, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Project Management Institute, and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. A board and executive leadership interact with committees analogous to those at Financial Accounting Standards Board, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, International Federation of Accountants, Securities and Exchange Commission, and Congressional Budget Office. The central office in Montvale, New Jersey liaises with chapters across United States, Canada, China, India, United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Australia, and other jurisdictions, echoing networks comparable to American Accounting Association, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and CPA Australia.

Certified Management Accountant (CMA) Credential

The Certified Management Accountant credential parallels professional certifications such as Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Financial Analyst, Certified Internal Auditor, Project Management Professional, Certified Fraud Examiner, and Chartered Accountant. The CMA examination and requirements intersected historically with standards from National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, International Federation of Accountants, European Accounting Association, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, and Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. Preparation and continuing education draw on resources from Harvard Business School, Wharton School, Kellogg School of Management, London Business School, INSEAD, MIT Sloan School of Management, and Columbia Business School. Employers recognizing the CMA include General Electric, Ford Motor Company, Toyota Motor Corporation, Microsoft, Apple Inc., Amazon (company), Google, ExxonMobil, Chevron Corporation, and Procter & Gamble.

Membership and Professional Development

Membership programming includes conferences, webinars, and publications akin to offerings by Society for Human Resource Management, American Marketing Association, Institute for Supply Management, Association for Financial Professionals, and Risk Management Association. Education and networking occur through collaborations with universities and research centers such as Rutgers University, Northwestern University, Indiana University Bloomington, University of Michigan, Georgia Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University, and University of California, Berkeley. Career resources link members with employers including Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Siemens, Samsung, Sony, and Huawei. Regional chapters coordinate with municipal and regional institutions like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Toronto, Shanghai, Mumbai, Singapore, Sydney, and São Paulo.

Standards, Ethics, and Research

Standards and ethical guidance relate to frameworks from COSO, International Accounting Standards Board, Financial Accounting Standards Board, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants. Research programs and white papers reference methodologies and studies common to National Bureau of Economic Research, Pew Research Center, Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation, and McKinsey Global Institute. Ethical policies align with precedents set by American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Institute of Internal Auditors, Transparency International, World Economic Forum, and United Nations Global Compact.

Advocacy and Global Activities

Advocacy initiatives engage with policymakers and international bodies such as U.S. Congress, European Parliament, United Nations, World Bank Group, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Global outreach includes partnerships or dialogues with Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, International Finance Corporation, and professional bodies like Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, CPA Australia, Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, and Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. Conferences and summits bring together leaders from Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, HSBC, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, UBS, and Credit Suisse.

Category:Professional associations in the United States