We can’t say it enough: You ARE the IAPP and IARP, and we’re here to listen to you. We take that responsibility to our members very seriously, and we are making some changes to enable us to hear you better.  For starters, we have eliminated our post office box so you can mail important correspondence directly to our office and we can respond to you more efficiently. Did you know that we have designated e-mail addresses for various departments so that you can send your e-mail inquiry directly to the right place?  Everything you need to know to get in touch with us can be found on our Web site, on the Contact Us page under About Us.

We also want to know what, when, and how you would like to hear from us. There are two ways for you to let us know this.

We recently sent you a message about the first one, but if you haven’t done so already, please take a moment to go to our Web site, click “member log in” and then go to “my account.” Select “edit information” and scroll through to review the data we have about you. At the bottom, pay particular attention to the “industry code” field, which has been reset for everyone in order to comply with national standard industry codes. One of the ways we use this code is to determine where to send industry-specific information.

Secondly, you might have noticed that we are communicating with you via e-mail more than ever. According to the 2009 membership survey, 98.1 percent of respondents said they prefer to be contacted via e-mail. That works for us: It not only saves on print and mail costs so we can continue to be good stewards of your membership dues dollars, it also enables us to provide you with handy links to more online resources. Did you know that YOU can control what types of information we send you via e-mail? Watch your inbox for a special message from us that will explain how to unsubscribe from various categories of e-mails.

Editor’s note: This article was submitted by Tom Flynn of Lavante, Inc., IAPP strategic partner.

An IAPP chapter is born in Sacramento
Joe Ferrerra of Databank IMX attended his first IAPP chapter meeting in San Jose, Calif., last summer.  Impressed with the full room as well as the earnest exchange of information among members, Ferrerra reached out to staff at IAPP headquarters in Orlando, Fla., and asked for support to begin a new chapter in his home city of Sacramento, Calif.  IAPP agreed to support the establishment of the new chapter.

Ferrerra, serving as chapter president, kicked off the inaugural meeting to a room of 20 attendees and spoke very openly about his genuine desire to grow and maintain the chapter. He introduced Tom Bohn, IAPP executive director/CEO, who presented a series of slides outlining ways in which the association is working to empower the community, as well as highlights of the year’s accomplishments:  IAPP has grown its membership, improved member ratings, opened a UK office, improved its Web presence, constructed a member resource center of more than 1,200 tools, entered partnerships with many other related organizations, extended support into the AR space, and much more.  The most satisfying moment came when Bohn stood in front of a slide stating that the association had 52 chapters across the U.S and Canada.  Only one day earlier that number would have been 51.

During the question-and-answer period that followed, Carol Vaughan, from the AP department of Thunder Valley Casino, introduced herself as a longtime IAPP member who had been a fixture in the Seattle chapter until a few years ago when she moved to Sacramento.  As it is her company’s policy to pay dues for managers only, she was now paying her own dues and keeping up with the industry via the new IAPP Web site.  She said she was delighted when she heard about the new chapter and she was excited to be interacting face to face with her community again.

Bohn used Vaughan’s story as a perfect segue to introduce Eric Jones, chairman of the board of IAPP, who was slated to speak about why he takes the time to volunteer and the benefits he sees in associating with other AP professionals.  Jones, director of corporate payables for Lowe’s Companies Inc., based in Mooresville, N.C., recalled his first experiences at Lowe’s 15 years earlier where he had assumed a new job in AP would be easy.  It was after all, “just paying bills.”  He quickly realized there was more to it, and he leaned heavily on the newly formed IAPP (those many years ago) as a valuable connection to his knowledgeable peers.  Jones explained how he looks to IAPP for four major things:   community, access, resources and experience. 

As the meeting wrapped, Ferrerra polled the room about what the members would like to see in the coming year.   Sherry DePew of Lavante, Inc., who traveled from out of town to assist with the new chapter, offered her wisdom from having served as president of the Boise, Idaho, chapter for many years, as well as insights into how to make the 2010 agenda eventful and relevant.

All in all it was a great kickoff meeting, including new and old members.  It was clear that the people attending had found a new resource and wasted no time asking probing questions about how to overcome certain obstacles.  I got to see firsthand what IAPP offers to the AP community.  I was happy to be there and happy to be part of it.

Need to earn CPE credits to maintain your CAPP or CAPA?  Are you wondering how you are going to meet the two year requirements?  One of your most asked questions is, "How can I get the required CPEs that I need to renew my certification?" As part of our continuing commitment to providing high-quality professional education, IAPP has many solutions to meet your needs!

• IAPP Annual Forum. Whether you facilitate a workshop at the forum, or simply attend the weeklong event, 20-plus credits are available for participating.
• IAPP e-Learning. FREE Third Thursday webinars, IAPP webinar series events, webinars-on-demand and e-Seminars are all offered at discounted rates for members.
• IAPP Self-Study. The IAPP Professional Education Center now has hundreds of interactive self-study CPE titles available online.
• IAPP On-Site Programs. IAPP has assembled nearly 30 basic AP course offerings for your on-site organizational training.
• IAPP Regional Events. You can receive quality local training at an affordable price. 
• IAPP Local Chapter. Participate in your local chapter meetings by attending or even presenting an educational session to your peers. 
• IAPP Committees & Councils. Serving on a committee or council for one full year can earn you up to 20 CPEs.
• AP Matters and AR Matters. Prepare a publishable article for our bi-monthly magazine.
• Exam Item Writing. CAPPs can earn up to 15 credits by writing questions for future exams. 

These are just a few of the qualifying events IAPP offers throughout the year that help make it easier for you to reach your CPE requirements.  Visit our Web site for an overview of reporting credits and reference the CAPP or CAPA Handbooks for further details on continuing education criteria.  If you should have any additional questions regarding your recertification or requirements, please contact the certification department at Cert@TheIAPP.org or call 407-367-2831.

Enhance your organizational value through IAPP’s operational review program. As an AP professional, you are dedicated to improving the AP function in your organization and creating a sound business environment through quality output.  But the burning question remains:  How does my AP shop stack up against the best in the business?

Find the answer with IAPP’s Operational Review Program!

An operational review allows your AP shop to evaluate its practices against leading practices in the profession and enhance your value to your organization.  Our expert reviewer will evaluate compliance with IAPP Standards and Code of Ethics, the use of best practices, and the efficiency and effectiveness of the AP function.  Just like you, IAPP is committed to improving AP activities, evidenced by offering the Operational Review Program to any organization wishing to go through the process in an effort to validate and strengthen its AP function.

As a participant, your operational review will include:

Conducting an operational review builds stakeholder confidence by documenting the AP function’s commitment to quality and best practices, and to the profession.  It also provides evidence to the board, management, and staff that AP is concerned about improving the organization’s processes.

To learn more about how IAPP can help you identify opportunities which will improve the overall efficiency of your processes and the effectiveness of your leadership team through our Operational Review Program, visit www.TheIAPP.org/onsite, e-mail onsite@theiapp.org, or call 1-407-367-2834. 

Excitement is brewing for Forum 2010, the first-ever IAPP Annual Forum in collaboration with TAWPI and IARP. What’s the excitement? The collaboration means not only a broader choice of educational opportunities, more exhibitors than ever, and new thought-leader sessions. It also means some of the most intriguing keynote speakers and hottest entertainment around.

Keynote speakers include victims’ rights advocate John Walsh, on Living Life with a Mission; Richard Galanti, CFO of Costco, a membership warehouse chain with more than 50 million members; and Larry Winget, irreverent, edgy philosopher of success and International Speaker Hall of Fame member.

Entertainment includes 2008 Academy of Country Music best new male vocalist Jack Ingram and the B-Street Band, the longest running tribute band in the world, whose playlist features the best of Bruce Springsteen.

Watch your mail in the coming weeks for the full event brochure, and keep an eye on www.TheIAPP.org/Fusion for details as they become available.

How long have you been a member of IAPP? I’ve been a member since July 2009.

Why did you join initially? I joined because I’ve been employed in an AP capacity for over 15 years, but haven’t had the opportunity to study for an accounts payable qualification before. I also really liked the idea that the profession was being taken seriously.

Is that still your primary reason for membership, or, if not, what has changed? Yes, I suppose it is – but I really enjoyed the local chapter meeting which we held in London recently. I think to be able to have the opportunity to network and share ideas with fellow AP professionals is invaluable.

Similarly, how has IAPP changed since you joined? I think IAPP in the UK is evolving and they seem really receptive to new ideas. So I think it’s a case of "watch this space."
 
How do you think the role of the IAPP should change in the future? For example, should there be more focus on advocating for the profession, or some other area? I’d like to see an increase in awareness of the IAPP amongst UK companies and other organisations, so perhaps a higher profile or collaboration at exhibitions with IAPP- facilitated workshops would be appropriate.

What do you see as the most valuable member benefit to you? I would have to say that ultimately knowledge sharing is the most important thing to me as that’s something which can bring direct value to my career.

What are some of the highlights of your involvement with IAPP, and what motivates you to stay involved? At the recent chapter meeting, I appreciated the chance to meet the chairman and CEO of the IAPP and found the talk on the genesis of the IAPP very interesting. Apart from that – just discovering what the IAPP can do for me in my profession has been an interesting learning curve. I stay involved because it’s beneficial to me and one day I’d like to be able to say that I’m a certified AP professional.

What would you tell someone who is considering whether membership is worth the investment (or worth the continuing investment)? I’d say go for it. It’s not that expensive and the rewards far outstrip the initial outlay. Even in times of cutbacks, it’s so important to add that extra string to your bow career-wise.

What would you tell someone who is considering accounts payable as a career? I’d probably say, “Are you mad?” No, in all seriousness – I’d say make sure you work hard, be accurate, be conscientious and most of all – join the IAPP if you want others to take you seriously.

Anything else you would like to add? When I first started out in accounts payable, it wasn’t really regarded as a profession. It had a reputation of being a transactional department. That is slowly beginning to change and now CEOs are starting to realise the difference a best practice AP team can have on the overall bottom line of an organisation. Membership of the IAPP is the next logical step in the progression of accounts payable.