I am sure you were as relieved as I was to learn the recession in the United States officially ended in June 2009. If we had only known, we could have all rested so much easier for the past 15 months. I am being facetious, of course. As an old student (and teacher) of macroeconomics theory, I realize that the technical end of a recession can take a while to become obvious. However, the official declaration of the “end” of the recession presents a perfect opportunity to review exactly how extensive the impact has been on the profession in this country.

Today, ISACA and The IIA saw the culmination of a meeting long in the planning. The three-hour meeting, hosted by ISACA at its International Headquarters office, was a unique opportunity for ISACA’s and The IIA’s senior management staff to sit around the table and talk about shared challenges and opportunities. Given the similar — but not same — nature of ISACA’s and The IIA’s professional areas, it is not surprising that the organizations have faced many of the same situations over the past several years.