Welcome to the 2009-20010 Robert H. Garnett Chapter of the Financial Management Association! I'm really looking forward to this year's activities. We have a dedicated group of officers, a full slate of speakers, and an ambitious social agenda for the upcoming year.

Dana Rovira is ahead of the game in lining up speakers - they include corporate finance professionals, a real estate investment trust analyst, financial analysts, and bankers - and that's just for the Fall! Be sure to mark October 4th on your calendar, when we'll have a resume and interviewing workshop with several members of the Finance and Economics Advisory Board.

In Spring, we'll have an equally impressive group of speakers, and we'll be traveling to Denver for the Finance Leaders' Conference in March. Kendra Hiller is working on some great fundraising ideas, and according to Nick Clarke, we're in strong financial shape. Jared Conrad is, I'm told, planning some tailgating events at Bobcat football games. We'll invite alumni to those games (thanks to Matt Thomas), so we're hoping those will provide some good networking opportunities. Shannon Walsh, the Director of Student Programs with the national organization, is planning some interesting web conferences, as well as some new networking opportunities and even a competition at the Leaders' Conference. I'm looking forward to an impressive showing by Bobcats!

I hope you'll consider joining us for this year's FMA. Look for us at the first Bobcats home game on Sept. 5th, or come to the first business meeting on September 10th, to see if we're a good fit for you. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at jpayne@txstate.edu or drop by my office - McCoy Hall 510. Stephanie Hagemeister is in charge of membership this year - she's also glad to answer questions.

Thanks, and have a great year!

-Janet Payne, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Finance