Letter from the President and CEO: Finding the Upside
January 29, 2008
Jim Kaitz

This article originally appeared in AFP Exchange magazine. Earn CTP Recert Credits Now you can take the AFP Exchange CTP Quiz online! RECENT NEWS ARTICLES BY TOPIC Bank Relationship Management Corporate Finance Financial Accounting & Reporting Payment Resources for Treasury Risk Management Sarbanes-Oxley Treasury Management Career Services

From the Jan/Feb 2008 edition of Exchange magazine

Dear AFP Members:

The start of the new year brings great opportunity. Capitalizing on this optimism, AFP is launching our first Corporate Risk Forum in February (www.afponline.org/riskforum), the first of its kind for corporate practitioners, as the role of treasurer continues to expand to include risk management in many cases.

"Finding the Upside," this edition's cover story, should serve as a guide for current and aspiring financial professionals. It calls upon them to evolve from a defensive strategy on risk management to one where corporations can protect themselves while allowing for future growth. Or, put another way, moves and decisions can be made now to provide increased value and flexibility in the future.

Other risk topics we are tackling in this issue include hedge effectiveness, data management risk, an element of internal control, managing risk in corporate cash portfolios, and a hidden risk of not going green. There is also an interview with Adrienne Urban, treasurer of The Children's Place, who discusses lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and 9/11–related insurance claims.

Digging into the business planning function, Michael Conover of KPMG explains the risks inherent in model development. With complex business models widely in use, model risks have begun to outpace the infrastructure that organizations have in place to manage them, he says.

Looking at the bigger picture, Michael Gregory, a senior economist with BMO Capital Markets, shows how dollar parity and a weak U.S. economy may mean trouble ahead in Canada.

Yes, the world may be a risky place, but AFP is committed to providing the tools you need to meet those risks head on.

Add AFP's complimentary Risk! newsletter to your AFP profile at www.afponline.org/newsletters. Also check out AFP's series of risk-related Webinars at www.afponline.org/webinars.

You can even brush up on your treasury knowledge in the AFP magazine. This month we launch our Treasury Essentials column, exploring the core treasury topics represented in AFP's Essentials of Treasury Management, the body of knowledge for the Certified Treasury Professional designation. Each month you will have new column by Ernest Humphrey, our new director of treasury services. Then parlay that knowledge into credits toward your CTP recertification through the online Exchange magazine quiz: www.afponline.org/ctpquiz

To keep current with custom training opportunities, add the Training Essentials newsletter to your profile: www.afponline.org/newsletters

Count on AFP to be Your Daily Resource, a place where you can always find the upside.

Jim Kaitz
President and CEO
Association for Financial Professionals

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