Our story is one of steady transformation yet unwavering commitment:
As we’ve progressed through each decade, we’ve never lost our mission-led purpose to uphold the profession.


The organization was founded in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1919 as the National Association of Cost Accountants (NACA) to promote knowledge and professionalism among cost accountants and foster a wider understanding of their role in management.

In 1957, our name was changed to the National Association of Accountants (NAA), beginning an era in which we would later develop our hallmark credential, the CMA®.

In 1991, the organization's name was again changed to the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), signifying our broader role as the association for accountants and financial professionals in business.

Today we are known by the shorthand—IMA—and continue the legacy of professional excellence begun nearly a century ago. “100 Years and Counting: ,” by: Bud Kulesza, CMA, CFM, 1999-2000 IMA Chair and John B. Pollara, CMA, 2007-2008 IMA Chair.

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