Investment Management Consultants Association^SM (IMCA^®) was established in 1985 to deliver the premier investment consulting and wealth management credentials and world-class educational offerings. IMCA provides a variety of resources to education and training providers. IMCA also offers instructions for submitting your educational programs for non-IMCA-sponsored continuing education (CE) approval, as well as descriptions of IMCA educational offerings and links for your intranet sites.

For more than 20 years IMCA has been building and strengthening the Certified Investment Management Analyst^SM (CIMA^®) certification—the only advanced certification designed specifically for investment consultants. In 2007, IMCA launched the Certified Private Wealth Advisor^SM (CPWA^®) designation, a credential created specifically for wealth management professionals who work with high-net-worth clients on the life cycle of wealth: accumulation, preservation, and distribution. Both of IMCA’s certifications are built upon experience, education, examination, and ethical requirements.

In 2011, IMCA’s CIMA certification earned accreditation by American National Standards Institute. This makes the CIMA certification stand out as the only financial services designation in the U.S. to be accredited under an international personnel certification standard (ISO 17024). Accreditation adds validity and value to the CIMA mark and helps communicate to others that IMCA’s certification meets high-quality, objective standards. Click here for more resources on the importance of a strong certification program and the value of accreditation.

For more information about the strength and value of IMCA’s certifications as well as helpful information for development professionals, see the resources below:

IMCA’s Certifications and Educational Programs At-A-Glance—Helpful at-a-glance documents you can share with advisors at your firm.  These were created to give a quick overview of IMCA’s certifications and educational programs. 

• CIMA at-a-glance—The CIMA certification administered by IMCA is the only credential specifically designed for financial professionals who want to attain a high level of competency as advanced investment consultants. 
  
• CPWA at-a-glance—The CPWA designation program, administered by IMCA, is an advanced credential specifically designed for financial advisors and consultants who work with high-net-worth clients on the life cycle of wealth.
  
• EIC at-a-glance—The Essentials of Investment Consulting (EIC) certificate program, administered by IMCA, is an online learning program that provides financial professionals the opportunity to master core concepts of investment consulting. If you are interested in designing a custom Essentials of Investment Consulting certificate program for your firm or learning about corporate discounts, please e-mail Lara Davies or call 303.850.3081.   

CIMA and CPWA Informational Webinars and Videos—IMCA offers ongoing complimentary informational webinars and video testimonials on the CIMA certification, the CPWA designation and IMCA membership that you can forward to colleagues. 

Professional Designations Comparison Table—More people are earning professional designations than ever before, and the number of designations is likewise growing. The Website of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), for example, lists more than 90 financial services designations, including the CIMA, CIMC^®, and CPWA designations. This table compares IMCA’s CIMA and CPWA designations with six others that are commonly seen in the industry.

CIMA and CIMC Form ADV Brochure Supplement Descriptions—Under new SEC regulations that go into effect on October 12, 2010, investment advisors registered with the SEC must provide brochure supplements describing their educational and business backgrounds. Advisors whose fiscal years end on December 31 must deliver the brochure supplement (Part 2B) to new clients by July 31, 2011, and to existing clients by December 30, 2011. Full descriptions available for use in Brochure Supplements for the CIMA and CIMC certifications, and CPWA designation can be found on the IMCA website. 

Sign up to receive IMCA Insight—A FREE bi-weekly briefing for investment management consultants and financial services industry professionals. Get market updates and news about policy and regulation affecting the industry. Stay up to date on the latest news, events and research from IMCA. 

Descriptions of IMCA Educational Programs and Useful Links
The following links and descriptions can be used within your company intranet to describe IMCA's education programs, certifications, and other investment consulting and wealth management offerings.

IMCA—Investment Management Consultants Association was established in 1985 to deliver the premier investment consulting and wealth management credentials and world-class educational offerings—membership, conferences, research, and publications. Visit our homepage at www.IMCA.org for more information. 

Certified Investment Management Analyst^SM—CIMA^®
IMCA—Investment Management Consultants Association offers the only advanced certification designed specifically for investment consultants, the Certified Investment Management Analyst certification program. Certified Investment Management Analyst professionals provide objective investment advice and guidance to both individuals and institutions. The CIMA professional integrates a complex body of investment knowledge and applies it systematically and ethically to assist clients in making prudent investment decisions.

Benefits of CIMA Certification
The financial services industry recognizes the CIMA certification as the standard for advanced investment consulting. The CIMA credential communicates to clients and peers that the consultant has completed a rigorous process reflecting a high level of competency, professionalism, and investment expertise. Click here for a description of CIMA professionals as well as testimonials and a listing of our top corporate supporters.

Certified Private Wealth Advisor^SM—CPWA^®
The Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) designation is an advanced credential created specifically for financial advisors who work with high-net-worth clients on the life cycle of wealth: accumulation, preservation, and distribution. Candidates who attain this designation will gain superior expertise in advanced wealth management content, strategies, and applied concepts. More information is available at www.CPWAAdvisor.org

Benefits of CPWA Designation
The CPWA designation provides advisors with advanced expertise in wealth management content, strategies, and applied concepts in order to better-serve a high-net-worth client base. The educational component of this program is offered in conjunction with The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. CPWA graduates have told us that they believe that wealth management professionals, like medical professionals, should have a strong foundation in generalized knowledge and specialized knowledge in order to best deliver their services and skills. Click here to hear what else they've had to say. 

IMCA Membership is available to investment professionals who want to stay on the forefront of investing trends and strategies by offering cutting-edge information and a network of expert investment and wealth management professionals. More information is available at www.joinimca.org.

IMCA Conferences—IMCA hosted more than 4,300 attendees at its conferences in 2011. Click here for more information about IMCA's conferences.

Essentials of Investment Consulting Certificate Program
This entry-level certificate program is designed specifically for financial services professionals who wish to enhance their fundamental knowledge of core topics related to the investment consulting process. The IMCA Essentials of Investment Consulting learning platform incorporates a comprehensive set of educational content and self-evaluation tools into an online, self-study environment. There are 12 learning modules organized within an online learning center, with each module offering written educational content, a key themes discussion area, and an application assignment (along with a self-assessment tool). There also are three quizzes offered at three points during the 12-module online learning path, and several audio recordings presented by subject matter experts. To view an online demo of the certificate program click here. If you are interested in designing a custom Essentials of Investment Consulting certificate program for your firm, please e-mail Lara Davies or call 303.850.3081 or click here to learn more.