Next Year

I am really excited about this upcoming year. We have had several people, who have been active on committees in the past, take the next step forward to become a part of the 2010-2011 Board. With half our board being new this year, I anticipate many fresh new perspectives and ideas to help make our Chapter even better. Those new perspectives mixed with the returning experienced board members will make a winning combination.

As Paulette mentioned in an article earlier this year, being on the board is a lot of work. We meet as a board once a month to discuss chapter issues and make decisions. Most of the committee chairs also meet once a month with their committee members to discuss the logistics of everything including programs, communication with members, special events, and how to implement a new initiative. In addition, everyone puts in time on their own preparing materials and flyers, arranging meeting spaces, sending out invitations, contacting speakers, balancing the books, soliciting sponsorships, etc. (Did I mention this was a volunteer position?)

I will miss our outgoing board members this year - they have done a fantastic job and have set the bar high for our future leaders. I have no doubt that the 2010-2011 board will rise to the challenge and make this new SMPS year a great one. One of my favorite sayings is “nothing gained is something lost.” Although I stole that saying from the lyrics of an old .38 Special song, there is a lot of value in that statement. Because if we sit idle and don’t continue to grow and improve we really are losing an opportunity to advance our chapter and our careers. So, keeping that in mind as we move forward, our goal will be to continue to grow the chapter and make it stronger, find new and innovative ways to administer all aspects of the organization, and provide our members with the best possible service.

Erika Passailaigue, CPSM
Datum Engineers
SMPS Austin Chapter President-Elect