Logan Sathasivam, a graduate of Marquette University, currently serves as a manager of accounting operations at CUNA Mutual Group in Madison, Wisconsin. An expert in process development and improvement, Logan Sathasivam also holds professional designations including Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification.
Administered by the Institute of Management Accountants, the CMA certification has been a global accounting benchmark for more than 40 years. Accountants who receive the designation demonstrate knowledge of financial accounting, strategic business management, and financial data. The CMA has proven itself to be a worthwhile credential, as accounting professionals in the US who hold it earn 47 percent more on average than those who do not.
To obtain the credential, accounting professionals must have a college degree as well as at least two years of management accounting experience. Moreover, candidates must pass a standardized test, split into two parts.
Part one of the exam consists of sections on external financial reporting decisions, performance management, cost management, and internal controls, as well as a section on planning, budgeting, and forecasting. Alternatively, part two of the exam focuses places more emphasis on financial decision making. Topics covered in part two include financial statement analysis, decision analysis, corporate finance, professional ethics, investment decisions, and risk management.
