CPABC in Focus February/March 2014 | Page 8

NoTeS & NeWS Hope in the City M ore than 1,000 of BC’s business leaders, politicians, and supporters took part in the Salvation Army’s annual Hope in the City Breakfast at the Vancouver Convention Centre on December 5. Participants took time out to reflect on the inspirational words offered by various speakers. Among the speakers was Wally Buono, BC Lions’ vice-president of football operations and general manager, who shared his own story of being an at-risk youth, and described his rise to become one of Canada’s top athletes and a Grey Cup-winning coach. CPABC participated in the event as a bronze-level sponsor. Hope in the City Breakfast, 2013. Photo: Salvation Army. Sharing words of hope: Wally Buono, BC Lions’ VP of football operations and general manager (left), is interviewed by Dave Klassen, BC Lions’ chaplain, at the Hope in the City Breakfast. Photo: Salvation Army. CPA Young Professionals Forum Events T he CPA Young Professionals Forum (YPF) hosted an encore session of “Getting on Board,” delivered by Michael Blatchford, a lawyer with Bull Housser LLP, on December 18. James Proctor, CPA, CA, a member of the YPF, said, “This educational session provided useful information on how to get involved in not-for-profit organizations and unravelling some of the mysteries surrounding board service, including the Society Act, director’s duties, and the skills required.” A common question raised was where to look for volunteer opportunities. One place is the CPABC jobs site (jobs.gocpabc.ca), where not-for-profit organizations (NPOs) can post their volunteer positions for free. Many NPOs are specifically recruiting for professional accountants to join their boards. 1 In November, the YPF hosted two sessions with Karen Wensley, author of the bestselling book The Power of Personal Branding for Career Success, published by CPA Canada. Wensley shared examples of how to develop your personal brand and how to find the right mentors as career guides. Attendees at these sold-out sessions learned Wensley’s eight-step process to developing a brand, heard real-world examples, and discovered how to use the practical tools included in Wensley’s book (which can be purchased through the CAstore at www.castore.ca). 1. Session leader Michael Blatchford (left) and YPF member James Proctor, CPA, CA. 2. Karen Wensley (far right) leads a personal branding session. 8 CPABC in Focus • Feb/Mar 2014 2