By Jason McRobbie

HRMA CEO Anthony Ariganello, CPA, FCGA; ICD.D

As an articulate accountant and accomplished leader with over three decades of business experience, Anthony Ariganello, remains guided by a personal motto that has served well throughout—”Success breeds success.”

The saying has served Ariganello well in a career spanning four decades.

“I believe, that if you’re successful, you can only be more successful, so I always tell people to look for things they can achieve. Have objectives and go for them,” he explains. “Success requires passion and a lot of it is mental—if you condition yourself to believe you can do anything you want in life and understand that you will have some defeats, over time you’ll have many victories.  Those victories are all the sweeter when they serve a larger picture, in this case a dynamic and thriving membership of HR professionals.

Appointed CEO of the Human Resources Management Association (HRMA) upon the retirement of outgoing CEO Simon Evans, CHRP, Ariganello has plenty of success to build upon. With student memberships burgeoning and overall membership having doubled in the past decade, the 5,500 members spread over eight regions covering BC and the Yukon are indicative of the growth of the HR profession and the Association alike.

However, it is the tripling of the number of Certified Human Resources Professionals (CHRP) within HRMA, that elicits the greatest interest from Ariganello. As the president and CEO of CGA-Canada since 2003, his passion for building the recognition and reputation of the CGA designation bodes well for the CHRP’s ongoing evolution.

“There is room for our designation to gain even greater recognition, both in Canada and on the international stage. I see an opportunity there and I think I can improve our position even from where we are today,” said Ariganello. “I believe that because of what I’ve done personally and the fact that I can bring my corporate experience to help our Assocation. I see that as a big win-win, as I will learn something new while contributing to making our designation better and stronger.”

A Fellow CGA, and CGA since 1982, Ariganello was born and raised in Montreal, and holds a bachelor of commerce from McGill University along with membership with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and is a fellow from the UK-based Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). The move to Vancouver over 10 years ago with his wife Mary and daughter Melissa marked far more than a geographical change.

For Arignalleo, the move to become president and CEO of CGA-Canada marked a significant period of transition—and a step away from the corporate world where he had spent more than two decades.  After 10 years with Nortel and a similar stretch as president of Avon Canada, what Ariganello found in CGA-Canada was the opportunity to bring his years of operational experience to bear with a completely different focus.

“Our goal was brand recognition for CGA nationally and internationally. I went to work with our affiliates to make sure the designation was recognized for who we are and what we represent.  Without a doubt, I see a similar opportunity with the CHRP designation and my new role as CEO of HRMA,” says Ariganello. “Some great work has been done here and I look forward to working together with the Board of Directors, staff and volunteers to move us further forward. I want to focus on the organization, our stratgegy and what it is that our members need. Defining where we want to go and what we want to accomplish over the next year is a top priority.”

The roll-out of a new brand for HRMA is near the top of that list, and Arignello likes what he has seen and hopes the members do too. “From the peek we had at the conference and what I have seen since, I think the new look and feel is refreshing and very much in keeping with how the HR profession has evolved.  There is a polish and personalibility that really reflects the dynamism of our membership.”

As per his days with Avon-Canada, what Ariganello looks forward to the most in his inaugural year as HRMA’s CEO is traveling to meet the membership.

“The piece I like best is the networking piece. For example, Avon is a direct-selling company, but the company itself is all about relationships. If you were not able to influence people to do something—to buy your product, to sell your product, to meet other people—then you would not be successful. I have a penchant for building relationships,” says Ariganello.

“With HRMA, I am looking forward to networking with my counterparts across the country—people who influence our profession. The CHRP designation has made some great strides since its inception and I am excited about influencing further positive change.”

(PeopleTalk Summer 2014)