This time of year, HFTP pays special attention to the exceptional chapters who have gone above and beyond to provide local members with educational, professional and networking opportunities. These chapters were celebrated with the 2021 HFTP Chapter of the Year awards during the keynote presentation at the HFTP 2021 Annual Convention in Dallas, Texas USA last month.
2021 HFTP Chapter of the Year Awards
The HFTP Chapter of the Year Awards recognize chapters that demonstrate extraordinary efforts to further the goals of HFTP in the local community and provide quality educational, professional and social opportunities to chapter members:
Tier A Chapter Award – Congratulations, HFTP Greater Milwaukee Chapter!
Tier A: chapters with 35 members or less
Message from the HFTP Greater Milwaukee Chapter: “Our board is proud and humbled to have received the Chapter of the Year Award. This could not have been done without our team and amazing Milwaukee Chapter membership. We hope to continue thriving as a chapter, and a big ‘thank you’ to everyone in our HFTP community. Thank you, everybody!”
Tier B Chapter Award – Congratulations, HFTP Fairfield Westchester Counties Chapter!
Tier B: chapters with 36 to 70 members
Tier C Chapter Award – Congratulations, HFTP Mid-Florida Chapter!
Tier C: chapters with 71 members or more
Message from the HFTP Mid-Florida Chapter President: “As the pandemic raged on, we dedicated ourselves to maintaining the same level of opportunities to connect, learn and grow that our membership has come to expect. Not discouraged by the obstacles de jour, we were invigorated by the opportunity to innovate and adjust to meet the challenge. We used words like flexibility, sharing, inclusive, and improvise throughout the year to meet, and surprisingly exceed our own expectations for providing educational and networking opportunities. Through our chapter connections, we were able to find meaningful employment for at least three displaced members this year.
“With all that we accomplished this year, we look ahead to the 2021-22 year with renewed enthusiasm to build upon the multitude of successes achieved.”
Student Chapter of the Year Award – Congratulations, University of Houston Cougar Chapter!
The student chapter shared their excitement on LinkedIn: “Everything that happens in Dallas, doesn’t stay in Dallas!! It was an honor to accept the award for HFTP student chapter of the Year this week at HITEC! Thank you [HFTP] for this recognition and for putting on a great in-person event. These past two years have been incredibly challenging given the pandemic, but the reward is so worth it. We would like to say a HUGE thank you to our members for participating in our events, the chapter advisor Professor Arlene Ramirez for her continued support, president Alexis Jeanjaquet, CHIA and 2020-2021 officers Mahsa Bitaab, Lantz Han and Yueming Guo for all the hard work that has led up to today.”
About HFTP Chapters
HFTP currently has approximately 80 chapters organized in countries around the world, including the United States, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, China, India, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates. Upon joining HFTP, members have the option to join a local chapter. Attend chapter meetings to connect with a local network of fellow HFTP members, share solutions with other professionals in your community, and access tremendous opportunities for education and leadership. Learn more about the chapter system on the HFTP website.
Check Out Recent Chapter Activities
Chapter Returns to In-person Meetings
The HFTP Treasure Coast Chapter had their first in-person chapter meeting since early 2020. Read the message from Jill Burnett, CPA, CHAE, an HFTP Global Board member in attendance: “Everyone was so happy to be back together again! The club that hosted us had a great view, wonderful food, and we raffled off some door prizes, too. We were also lucky to have three global directors at our meeting – Kelly Brennan, Jonathon Goodman, CHAE, CPA and myself.”
Chapter Participates in Community Event
The HFTP Arizona Chapter will join the Arizona Animal Wellness League community walk on Saturday, November 6, 2021, at Tempe Town Lake. The goal is to raise funds to save the lives of animals in need. The chapter also participated in this walk in 2019. Visit the chapter’s webpage to learn more about this event. You can walk with the chapter (bring your pup or come on your own) or pledge funds to support the chapter.
Student Chapter Members Volunteer at HITEC
The HFTP Northern Arizona University Student Chapter participated in the HITEC Dallas student volunteer program last month, and they created a fantastic recap video of their HITEC experience. Watch the video here.
This volunteer program provides students the opportunity to volunteer behind the scenes at HITEC in North America, giving them access to an unforgettable experience. In exchange for assisting HFTP staff throughout the conference, the students are provided with a complimentary full conference registration and housing accommodations. For the student volunteers, the program is a significant chance to network and learn from the brightest minds in the industry without the price tag of conference registration. As a plus, HFTP’s on-site staffers get a little extra help making this massive, carefully orchestrated event into a successful reality.
Make It Your Goal to Get Involved
Whether you take advantage of the local social events, education sessions, community volunteerism or taking a leadership role on the chapter board, there are many opportunities for HFTP chapters to help you grow, both professionally and personally. For those HFTP members who have not already done so, HFTP encourages you to make it your goal in the next year to connect with a chapter and get engaged in all the activities being offered at the local level.
