Sandra B. Richtermeyer: Accounting Profession Advocate

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Management accountant. Public accountant. Accounting professor. Volunteer. IMA[R] Chair Sandra B. (Sandy) Richtermeyer, CMA, CPA, Ph.D., has been all of these and more. "Now I very much enjoy being an advocate for the accounting profession," she says, and she's planning ways other IMA members can help her, particularly in promoting the Certified Management Accountant (CMA[R]) credential and in developing leaders. "The CMA is applicable to so many different types of organizations, and it puts a great strategic focus on all the important roles and responsibilities of accounting professionals," she adds. "Its strategic lens shows how accounting and finance professionals can empower an organization and be an integral part of the leadership team and the progress that organizations make. Being a CMA has given me the perspective to look at the profession in a much broader sense and to examine all the various possibilities that accounting and finance professionals have."

In her past and present work with a variety of nonprofits, Sandy has been concentrating on leadership development, board development, and governance. "I enjoy helping nonprofit organizations with their strategic planning, governance, succession planning, and performance measurement. I'm able to be involved with all of these at IMA, and that's one of the things that makes my IMA service so engaging.My many years of IMA service have helped me prepare for a variety of leadership roles. I hope our members take advantage of opportunities that IMA offers them to grow as leaders, which, in turn, can translate into great things for their career. I continuously see how our active members transfer their IMA involvement right into the workplace. I enjoy encouraging our current and prospective members to get involved."

A Good Balance

Led by a strong work ethic and a spirited sense of duty, independence, and fun, this fourth-generation Wyoming native admits that she spends the majority of her time in a balancing act because there are so many things she wants to accomplish both professionally and personally--and she loves it! "I've always done a variety of things simultaneously," she laughs, "because I didn't want to settle for just one thing at a time." This determination started back when she was in high school in Cheyenne."My sister, who's an accountant, told me I should take an accounting class in high school because I would really like it--and she was right. But I also …