CEO Message: Our Future is Shaped Today

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.

-Chinese Proverb

Looking through the topics covered in this month’s Internal Auditor magazine, including a spotlight on some of our brightest emerging leaders and the experiences of first-time CAEs, there’s a lot of great content that speaks to The IIA’s commitment to serving our members throughout the entirety of their career, no matter how that career might evolve.

The IIA has already begun implementing a new student strategy that will help us build a robust pipeline of the best and brightest talent to meet the ever-expanding needs of businesses. In August, we announced free student membership in North America, and expanded student eligibility to include part-time students. This is a tremendous opportunity to provide a future generation of internal auditors with access to information, resources, and support that will interest them in the profession and provide them a stronger foundation to become internal audit leaders. Free student membership benefits an entire generation of students and positions The IIA to make meaningful connections with the future leaders of our profession at a much more formative time of their lives, while they’re still deciding on a career path.

For those further along that path, The IIA is introducing the IGNITE Emerging Leaders Conference in Las Vegas, Oct. 31–Nov. 2. The conference is an interactive experience for emerging internal audit leaders who are interested in gaining hands-on tools necessary for the future of internal auditing. As part of the conference, four of Internal Auditor’s 2022 Emerging Leaders will participate in the panel presentation: Emerging Leaders: Sparking Passion for the Profession.

We’re also excited to bring back Vision University, which is a great way for emerging leaders to network with top executives, learn from expert instructors and speakers, and work through real problems via presentations, discussions, and case studies. The next Vision University offering will take place in Boston, Oct. 3-6.

There’s never been a better time to be an internal auditor. We’re shaping our future each and every day by our decisions and actions, and I’m excited about the future that we’re building for The IIA and our members. As you read this issue, I encourage you to think about the future that you’re creating for yourself and your organization.