Volunteer Committees
The Institute often depends on volunteers to help support and promote its programs and services to members. The addition of expert assistance in executing these services is encouraged, and always appreciated. The Institute is proud to operate several types of committees and task forces:
- Enthusiastic committees of volunteers committed to developing conference programs, editorial works, examinations, or policies.
- Advisory committees responsible for generating new ideas and suggestions for improving the Institute.
- Subcommittees of the Board of Directors.
- Certification Examination Item Writers and Test Form Review Task Force members.
Current active committees are listed below. Other committees are formed, meet, and disband as the need arises. If you are interested in volunteering on Institute committees, please download, complete, and submit the Volunteer Application and Expectations form to info@i-w.org or gvenne@i-w.org.
Annual Conference Committee: Meets regularly to discuss topics, tracks, speakers, and locations for the organization's annual conference, which spans three days and typically offers approximately 20 hours of continuing education credit.
Awards Committee: Meets annually to select recipients of the Matthew McArthur Award, J. Richard Joyner Wealth Management Award, Richard J. Davis Legal/Regulatory/Ethics Award, Edward D. Baker III Journal Award, and Stephen L. Kessler Writing Award. These awards are presented at the Annual Conference.
Certification Commission: Responsible for the development and maintenance of the certification programs that are established by the Board of Directors. The commission is accountable for setting the initial and ongoing requirements that candidates must meet in order to be certified by the Institute.
Government Relations Committee. The Institute's government relations committee acts as an advisory workgroup, providing guidance and direction to staff and government relations advisors. The committee provides members with legislative intelligence updates about Washington happenings, and grows “political branding” strategies and tactics, particularly related to the Investments & Wealth Institute certification programs. As an education and credentialing organization, the Institute does not lobby Congress, but the government relations committee helps communicate the organization's story to regulators and government officials.
Investments & Wealth Monitor Editorial Advisory Board: Meets regularly to define the themes, topics, articles, and editorial content of the Institute's informative bimonthly magazine.
Journal of Investment Consulting Editorial Advisory Board: Oversees all content published in the association's esteemed biannual Journal, and oversees the blind-review process of all submissions.
Media Source Bureau: Reporters and editors periodically contact the Institute for sources on stories on a wide range of industry topics. Institute members can respond to these requests as they relate to the investment consulting and wealth management industry. This volunteer opportunity is open to any member and provides the opportunity to positively impact media coverage and potentially increase exposure for the Institute. To enroll, download, complete, and submit the Guidelines for Working with the Media document to Maureen Walker at mwalker@i-w.org.
Membership Committee: The Membership Committee is charged with keeping the membership requirements, benefits and programs current and in tune with members’ needs. Institute Ambassadors, our community of dedicated, enthusiastic volunteer members, also report their work to the Membership Committee.
Nominating Committee: This Board of Directors subcommittee meets annually to discuss the slate of nominations to the Board of Directors and the officer positions.
Professional Review Board: This group of volunteers, specifically appointed by the Board of Directors, reviews disciplinary complaints filed against members who may have violated the Code of Professional Responsibility according to the Disciplinary Rules and Procedures.
Specialty Conference Committee: Meets regularly to discuss topics, speakers, and locations for the Institute's annual specialty conferences that are dedicated to topics such as international investing, practice management, and advanced wealth management.
Wealth Management Committee: Oversees the development and maintenance of the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® program.
Certification Examination Item Writers and Test Form Review Task Force members
CIMA® and CPWA® Certification Examination Item Writers
Item writers develop test questions (items) according to test plan specifications and validate them by using standard textbooks appropriate for each credential. Writers also draw upon their experience and expertise to develop realistic settings and to present accurate and valid information in their test questions. Individuals selected for writing test questions receive training and materials on how to write a valid, defensible test question. No item writing experience is required.
- CIMA or CPWA certification preferred.
- If interested, please submit a current resume and a statement that summarizes your interest/experience in item writing to certification@i-w.org Attn: Ashley Vargas, Associate Director, Certification
- Please indicate any specialty area of expertise.
CIMA® and CPWA® Certification Item/Test Form Review Task Force
Task force members meet to review all questions selected for each examination form. Such matters as correctness of answers, biases, clarity and appropriateness of items are considered during the item review process. The task force review constitutes a final check and balance system on the reliability of the examination. No previous experience is necessary. Training is provided by the Institute's test development partner, PearsonVUE.
- Travel: If travel is required, the Investments & Wealth Institute provides all airfare and hotel accommodations.
- Time Commitment: If a face-to-face meeting is necessary, a day and a half will be required.