Election Time: Make a Difference

By Russ Finney
1999 Austin Chapter President

October 1999

All across our organization chapter nomination committees are soliciting for new chapter officers and committee directors. This is the process which really determines if you chapter is going to succeed or fail next year. Are you personally stepping forward to offer a little of your time toward the further building of your local IT community? Will your chapter have an energized and visionary group of folks leading it next year?

AITP chapters succeed or fail at the hands of their local boards of directors. No other group has a more localized influence over the quality of the meetings, the quality of the speakers, the monthly announcements and publicity, and the general community atmosphere of the chapter. Make no mistake - selecting this group will determine your chapter's future.

Here is a check list for selecting your local board of directors:

1. Is each candidate really working to build a local IT community in your city?
2. Will each candidate make the appropriate time commitment to fulfill his or her responsibility?
3. Will each candidate represent the IT community's interests in developing programs and events?
4. Do you need to be a part of this group working to insure the success of you local chapter?
5. Should you be contacting your nominating committee to express an interest?
6. Could you personally make a difference?

This year has really been a turnaround year for our organization. We have rebuilt our national infrastructure from the ground up, we have put web and email based communication tools into place, we have put the focus where it belongs - right a the chapter. Now we need local leaders to step forward and put this enhanced AITP organizational infrastructure to good use!

The year 2000 will be a year of reflection for our organization. We have dramatic changes in our profession, and we must adapt our organization to meet these new IT community needs. Next year promises to be our opportunity to step in and expand our local communities though networking, excellent speakers, relevant events and conferences, and wider relationship building though our state of the art communications infrastructure. AITP is poised to be the voice of IT. You can help to make this a reality.

I would like to personally invite you to be a part of this exciting and important change by taking a leadership role next year within your local chapter. Let your nominating committee know today.

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Please share your thoughts and comments regarding this feature. You can do so by posting to our AITP Members Forum or by writing me at webadmin@itmweb.com.

Copyright © 1999, Russ Finney, All Rights Reserved. Originally written for The Information Executive.