July 2011
I want to begin by thanking everyone for their vote of confidence in me by electing me for a second term. I feel we have accomplished a lot as a chapter this past year. I can honestly say the things we did as a chapter exceeded any dreams or chapter goals I had set. The validation of those dreams and goals came to fruition at the 69th Kansas Division Annual Meeting in Wichita. I believe the Power of Commitment, as well as the Passion and Purpose were rejuvenated by all the attendees.
The new board is fresh and eager to start their new year. We held our first ‘retreat’ and have begun working on scheduling the programs for this upcoming year. We are planning on including the chapter in more of the ‘business’ items this year, like the Strategic Plan and the Marketing Plan. We will work on these, in small bites, as a group at our chapter meetings. We are really looking forward to working with you and getting your feedback, thoughts and ideas.
In reviewing the goals we set out to achieve this past year we fell short on a couple of them, growing the chapter and retaining our current membership. As I stated last year, “if we do not share the benefits of IAAP, our chapter will not grow. We need new members, new ways of thinking and communicating as well as new ways to share our knowledge to enhance our own skills and keep the passion alive”, I still feel that way. We need your help, we need your input, we need to know what we, as a chapter, needs to do to keep you and to bring in new members. I truly believe we are a friendly and caring chapter and have a lot of benefits to offer all our members, whether they be new, seasoned or MAL’s. We still encourage you to stretch out of your comfort zones and get more involved in our chapter, so you can feel the purpose of the chapter and will want to embrace the passion.
The chapter met the increase membership certification goal. Our Certification & Mock Exam committees have done a fantastic job this year by holding 17 study sessions with 14 attendees, holding 2 mock exams and having 10 attain their designations. We currently have over 50% of our members with certifications.
The chapter met the next goal of providing financial assistance, by either paying the full amount, or almost 60%, of the registration fees to all members who attended both the chapter and/or division educational programs.
Lastly, the chapter achieved becoming a Chapter of Excellence for the third year in a row! As great as that is, I am most excited by the fact we had 17 members (36%) participate in the Member of Excellence program. I am so impressed, thankful and proud of all the members who participated. It would be fantastic if next year we could increase the participation even further, how nice would that look on your resume or when speaking with your boss during your review, when you can say “Oh yeah, I also achieved Member of Excellence” and show them the criteria you had to complete to get it.
Last year I said the first step toward achieving the chapter, as well your personal, goals was for everyone to have FUN, because having fun is just another way of displaying your passion. I feel we met that expectation this past year. I know I had a great time and am definitely looking forward to another remarkable year of FUN and growth!
I, again, ask everyone to show your passion, challenge yourself by stepping outside your comfort zone and make a commitment to the Johnson County Chapter. The Board is ready – are you?
Ceci Cook, President
Johnson County Chapter IAAP