Are you seeking a financial executive? Call FEI.

• Author: Deitsch, Mimi
• Position: Financial Executives Institute's Member Counseling Program - From FEI

Merger, restructuring, downsizing, refocusing on the core business-all are familiar terms these days, The frequent result is the loss of jobs, including, of course, those of financial executives. FEI's member counseling service is helping our members in transition find new professional opportunities.

The Member Counseling Program instituted in 1989 is not FEI's first effort in assisting members relocate professionally. A similar program existed from 1948 to 1956. During the interim, referrals were made by FEI's Administrative Department and, later, by the Membership Department. But, as the number of mergers and restructurings increased, Membership Director Noreen Normand realized that a more structured program was needed.

The current program is far more extensive than earlier initiatives and is the first supported by staff experienced in the field of human resources. A Member Counseling Committee, with one member from each of FEI's five U.S. areas, was established last year to provide guidance to the national staff and to increase the pro, gram's visibility. A separate program operated out of the Toronto office serves Canadian members.

According to Member Counseling Committee Chairman James Hearon III, president of Commonsense Business Solutions, the committee hopes to increase the number and quality of services to FEI members in transition and to the companies of FEI members. Each of FEI's chapters has been asked to appoint a member counseling chairman to work with members and the national office. "One problem," Hearon says, "is that most of the local chairmen have a limited amount of time available to counsel members on such things as resume construction and have a difficult time helping members develop their networks with executive search firms."

Hearon and the committee are currently working with Member Counseling Manager Loretta Geis on plans that will enable chapters to give more assistance to members. "We also hope to encourage FEI members to have their companies list job openings with FEI first," states Hearon. "No matter how hard we try, without listings of open positions, we will be unable to help members."

According to Geis, over 1,000 FEI members have been registered in the program since 1989. At the present time, 600...