|
From the SMPS President: Thank You!
Andrea Fitch
Well, here we are...Conference has come and gone, pools have closed, and everyone (not just the kids) is in the back-to-school mode. Hopefully, this SMPS News finds you well, and even with the demands we all typically face this time of year, you do have some free time to enjoy the respite from summer heat.
Like you, we on the National Board and Staff are very much in high gear, and this particular issue marks my final address as National President, albeit officially as Past National President. So it is only appropriate that I take these next few moments to share what's happened since last September and, in some instances, allow the graphics and select hyperlinks to tell you the full story when you peruse them at your leisure.
Any good leader would be wise to build their team with people better than themselves. It's certainly not to take all the credit and cast off responsibility but instead to be challenged to continue learning and growing, and ultimately succeed together as a team. Oh, and a little humility goes a very long way; therefore, please take special note of my Oscar nods of appreciation. They are well-deserved; I've been honored by everyone's time and commitment. Thank YOU!
In 2005–06, SMPS achieved some significant milestones:
Membership grew to an all-time high of more than 5,700 marketing and business development professionals, and we expect this number to increase even more as firms continue investing in our peers to remain competitive. SMPS National's newly-appointed Vice President of Membership and Chapter Development Tina Myers, CAE, has certainly been instrumental in leading the charge to connect us with members more readily and effectively.
 Yet our growth does not end there. At conference this year, we welcomed a new chapter into our fold: SMPS Central Pennsylvania. It was a pleasure to officially mark the occasion with Chapter President Perry Heath, director of business development for RS Mowery & Sons Inc., and President-Elect Terri DiBacco, director of marketing for J. Michael Brill & Associates.
Build Business: Setting the Stage set all-time records with 900+ in attendance. We view this as another example of how marketing is taking ahold in the building industry and contributing to our firms' ability to thrive. But it's also a testament to our working smarter in bringing you the best learning and networking experience possible. I must tip my "tiara" to Conference Chair Mike Savage, vice president of Geotechnologies Inc., and his committee for a job well done, as well as the LA Chapter and Chapter President Gerry Rodrigues, CPSM, associate marketing manager of Syska Hennessy Group, for their gracious hospitality.
In the near future, as a result of all the work that occurred this year, SMPS will launch an incredible new web site featuring more tools and opportunities for members and site visitors to benefit from distance learning and community building. SMPS National Communications Manager Molly Dall'Erta is not just passionate about the Marketing Communications Awards but also in making our new site the best ever.
Speaking of distance learning, our webinar program has expanded and become an extremely popular option for those constantly on the move (or in some instances tied to their desks). Vice President of Education Bill Scott, CAE, played a key role in bringing online this new alternative to learning and he is by no means stopping there.
As always, Marketer continues to be a do-not-miss resource for information and best practices, and Past National President Randy Pollock, FSMPS, principal and CMO of Walter P Moore, remains the consummate editor leading a terrific team. I must also acknowledge the ever-present wisdom and skill of Senior Vice President Lisa Bowman who not only dots the 'i's but also helps us with ongoing information sharing such as this SMPS News.
Lastly, our time on the National Board has proved even more fruitful in representing you and envisioning the future of our entire profession. Starting during the national presidency of Karen Courtney, AIA, FSMPS, director of marketing for BSA LifeStructures, we made the commitment to invest monies in an environmental scan.
 This past year, the Board authored a strategic plan while reaching out to members and chapter leaders time and again as we worked toward key milestones in developing SMPS 2020, Perfect Vision: Advocate, Educate, Connect. I especially want to thank my fellow Board members for taking on this monumental task and doing so in record time—most associations and boards take two to three years to develop a strategic plan, but then, they are not marketers! Also, they may lack the benefit of having the leadership and legacies of our Past National Presidents and Boards who laid the foundation upon which this long-range vision for SMPS has been built.
Looking ahead, many exciting things are on the horizon, and we still have lots of work to do. As with any good strategic plan, its evolution will be continual, ensuring that SMPS is always focused on our members' needs to improve career advancement opportunities, secure profitable work for their firms, and create positive client relationships. I'm confident in knowing that 2006-07 National President Peter Kienle, FSMPS, CMO of McKim & Creed, and his Board will carry the baton well and lead us forward along with SMPS CEO Ron Worth, CAE, FSMPS, CPSM, and his dynamic team.
To close, it's been an honor to serve as National President this past year. Above all, I've enjoyed meeting many of you on my travels among the chapters and while representing you with our peer groups. If you ever have the desire to give back to our industry—be it serving on a chapter committee, reaching for the humbling role of National President, or anything in between—do not hesitate. You will be enriched by the experience, and we the Society will be better for having your energy woven into the fabric of our ongoing success.
Fond regards,
About the President
Andrea Fitch is the Immediate Past National President of SMPS and President of RedCarpet Creations in Alexandria, VA. She can be reached at 703.518.5152 or afitch@redcarpet-creations.com.
[
return to top ]
|
