Dear GTC IFMA members,

Happy New Year! That sounds like an odd message for May, doesn’t it?!  For the Greater Triangle Chapter (GTC) of IFMA, May represents an aspect of a New Year’s celebration as our annual planning retreat takes place this month.

Our Chapter uses the retreat to set goals for the coming year, plan future events, and establish budgets.  It’s also an opportunity to begin the transition from the current GTC IFMA President and Board to the next year’s leadership team. In this year’s case, I will become Past President, Justin Barber will become the 2019-2020 President, Angel Bond will become Vice President, Ed Boyle will serve as Treasurer, and Haley Hough will be Secretary.

Our Chapter has an established (and successful) succession plan.  As a Board, we recruit potential leaders based on interests and leadership capabilities.  By serving as a Committee Chair or Co-Chair, a member can begin learning the inner workings of the Chapter.  From those committee leadership positions, a member may volunteer or be recruited to a future Board position.

Traditionally, each volunteer serves a one-year term as Board Secretary and/or Treasurer.  This starts the progression to Board Vice President and finally, a term as Board President.  Several leadership educational opportunities are made available along the way to ensure that the candidate inline for succession is well-supported as they advance to each position. The result of such a well-established plan is a transition to a new Board each year and a consistently successful Chapter master plan.

I think a recent quote from Anne Mulcahy, former chairperson and CEO of Xerox Corporation, sums it up pretty nicely; “Succession planning should be gradual and thoughtful, with lots of sharing of information, knowledge, and perspective, so that it’s almost a non-event when it happens.” That’s what we’re striving toward.

Sound interesting?  New Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs are ALWAYS needed and welcomed.  Get yourself started on the road to GTC IFMA Board leadership!

Cris Karasek
President 2018-2019