2021 CSMFO Strategic Planning Session
The October 2021 CSMFO strategic planning session and board meeting were held in person at the happiest place on earth. Yes, in person and it was great!!! As you can imagine, the energy was high, everyone was participating, laughter and work completed were abundant, ideas were flowing, new connections were made, and long-lasting friendships were reaffirmed.
Facilitator, David Garrison, Director of Marketing and Design Development from SMA and CSMFO’s Creative Director encouraged new perspectives while also keeping the agenda moving along on time. It’s difficult to keep about 40 finance professionals who love and respect one another from speaking all day; especially since many hadn’t seen one another since the 2019 conference, but Garrison navigated the multiple personalities and distractions with humor, tough love, and randomly calling on volunteers so everyone stayed focused.
Attendees were also encouraged to be curious, ask questions, and listen with an open perspective.
Each year the strategic planning session provides an opportunity to celebrate the successes of the past year, evaluate what is pending and determine how it can get accomplished, discuss challenges, discover untapped opportunities, and explore the priorities CSMFO will focus on for the upcoming year(s).
Attendees showcased their artistic side with a stretch exercise where pictures, no words, could only describe the meaning and thoughts behind CSMFO’s Strategic Sessions Top Three Topics:
- Innovation and Future
- Succession: Leader Identification and Development
- Communication and Organizational Effectiveness
A full report of the strategic planning session results will be presented at an upcoming CSMFO board meeting. As a reminder, all board meeting agendas are published online here. Additional, highlights and updates will also be presented through CSMFO News.
This two-day, in-person event was a precursor to returning to an in-person conference in February 2022 at sunny San Diego. The annual conference is where old friends meet and welcome new members, share pitfalls and successful trade secrets to learn from one another, interact with commercial vendors who always support government professionals, and attendees select from a variety of diverse, cutting edge, and best practices sessions. We hope to see you all in San Diego.
Karla Romero is the Finance Director/City Treasurer for the City of Brawley, has served on several CSMFO Committees, and is a current board member. She has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Business Administration; with 16 years of progressive local government experience. She enjoys seeing others succeed and is passionate about mentoring and sharing knowledge. In her free time, she enjoys reliving her childhood with an active son named Titus, traveling, and staying connected with family and friends.
