Forum Events

The Western Forum of Credit and Financial Executives

As the Western frontier of our country developed through continuous growth, the business climate dictated that major decisions had to be made in the west.

So, too, it meant that the role of credit management aspired to a high profile to meet the ever-growing demands made upon them in both quantitative and qualitative terms

During this evolution, senior credit management did not have a common bond with their peers in Western Canada, as did their cohorts in Central Canada, or even other professional people in their respective fields throughout Canada.

In the early stages of 1975 interest heightened in organizing a group specifically for senior credit management. The leg work originated in Vancouver by firstly identifying prospects for admission to this group. Informal preliminary meetings were conducted to commence the framework of the "modus operandi".

The inaugural meeting was held in Vancouver on June 19th, 1975.The theme of the meeting was " Loss Prevention". Staff Sergeant Emil West, of the Vancouver Police Dept., Fraud Squad, gave an interesting dissertation on "White Collar Crime."

H. Sigurdson, C.A., Trustee Dunwoody & Co., of Vancouver, delivered an informative paper on "Internal Fraud and Audit Control."

The topic by A Dilworth, Senior Vice President, American Indemnity Company, Baltimore MD was "Accounts Receivable Insurance."

The mundane tasks of piecing together the loose ends continued;

• to establish the criteria for membership acceptance;
• prepare a draft of by-laws;
• communicate with others in Western Canada;
• contact perspective members:
• devise the means to finance future functions;
• maintain financial records;
• propose membership fees;
• submit nominations for election of officers;
• and establish a name for the Group and its objectives

All this and much more has been accomplished. The official name was Western Credit Executives Forum, which is affiliated with the Canadian Credit Institute, now called the Credit Institute of Canada. The Forum has constitutional By-laws with specific aims and objectives. Finances are in good order and membership has steadily grown.

Over the past few years some of the tours the Forum organized are: The Syncrude Plant in Fort McMurray AB., the Boeing Aeroplane factory in Redmond, WA. The Olympic facilities in Calgary, AB, 1987. The now world renowned facility at Whistler BC.,where the Forum's 20th Anniversary was celebrated

Over the years, the Forum has, prided itself on the quality of speakers it attracts. Subjects vary from credit, economics, social problems affecting the business person, fitness etc. Speakers such as Bill Vanderzalm, Don Henfrey, James Angus, Rhys Eyton, C.H.Newton, Paul Kay, Professor of Political Science, S.F.U., Frank Ney, former Mayor of Nanaimo, Don Hudson, President of the Vancouver Stock Exchange and Larry Simpson, Wildlife Conservationists, to name only a few.

The Forum has been active in the Credit Institute, supplying generous scholarship awards to National. One of the highlights of their social season is the Annual Golf Tournament.

In 1989, they decided that the chair should be elected for a two year term, and in 1992, they under went a name change, to be known as the Western Forum of Credit & Financial Executives.

Qualifications for membership have not changed over the years. They are;

1. Must be a General Credit Manager or a Corporate Credit Manager of a firm whose Head Office is located in the Western Provinces.
2. Or, shall be a Regional Credit Manager responsible for the administration of the branch credit of at least 2 of the four Western Provinces.
3. The candidate must hold a designation conferred by the Canadian Credit Institute, and be a member in good standing of the C.C.I.
4. Those who do not meet the above criteria in 1, 2 and 3, may be sponsored by two members in good standing.

The Forum has lived up to it's mandate to provide a forum for credit executives to come together and share their experiences, discuss