One of the most gratifying aspects of serving in this role is to observe the enthusiastic contribution of volunteers to the success of CIRI. This was again evident at the Annual Conference in Whistler in June. The feedback I have received from many of those in attendance was unanimously positive and a nod of appreciation should go to the cadre of volunteers (led by co-chairs Rhylin Bailie and Sonya Mehan) behind the event, who were solidly supported by the staff of CIRI National, led by Yvette Lokker. I also want to send out a special note of appreciation to the many vendors and service providers who enhanced the Conference with their presence and their ongoing support of CIRI.

From a personal perspective the Conference confirmed to me the importance of the ‘relationships’ aspect of the IR profession, whether these relationships are with investors, board members, regulators, service providers, or peers. All are important. As much as the CIRI Annual Conference is educational in nature, it is also very much about nurturing, maintaining and often re-establishing relationships with peers and service providers. Some would refer to this simply as networking; now that I have attended 10 Conferences, I believe any outsider who witnessed the camaraderie and friendship would view it more like a family reunion. (I have been to few professional association conferences where the dance floor at the major dinner event is too small to accommodate the attendees, as there are more people on the dance floor than at the tables!)

This enthusiastic volunteerism and camaraderie is also evident in the vital behind the scenes initiatives that drive CIRI, but are not as visible. CIRI’s talented Board, Committee Chairs and Members, Chapter leaders and staff have recently all contributed to submissions and publications regarding an amended Early Warning threshold, Integrated Reporting and Advance Notice By-laws, to name but three initiatives. These initiatives represent many hours of volunteer expertise and, because of this wealth of in-house expertise, CIRI is now being asked to comment by third parties on many aspects of the functioning of capital markets. Indeed, the regulatory reviews envisioned over the remainder of 2013 will keep CIRI busy both from educational and advocacy perspectives.

In the meantime, I wish each of you a relaxing and safe summer, as this is typically the time of year when most IR-related activities wind down in anticipation of the hectic fall season.