MSAE

Connections | Spring 2015 4 President's Perspective Dear Members, I thank you for the honor and privilege of serving you as president of the MSAE. I appreciate your support of MSAE and the dedica on and commitment of your MSAE Board Members, which includes the following associa on execu ves and industry partners: Judith Forshee, Vice President Bob Wilson, Treasurer Nancy Youngblood, Secretary Sherry Veazey, Immediate Past President Beth Hansen Rachel Hebert Melanie Henry Karla Hooten Steve Mar n Whitney Orr Al Sage Angela Weathersby Board Retreat We held a Board Retreat in December 2014 to develop a strategic plan to guide MSAE through 2016. We must ensure our ac ons are focused on improving our value proposi on to both associa on execu ves and industry partners. We developed a new Vision Statement and Tag Line: Serving Members by Advancing Associa ons Develop • Promote • Connect • Engage Each Board Member will be serving on one or more task forces to develop ac on plans in the following areas: Increasing Membership and • Par cipa on Enhancing Networking and Dialogue • Developing a Resource Sharing • System Remote Offerings via MSAE Web Site • Developing a Speaker Database and • Showcase Enhancing MSAE Member Directory • If you are interested in par cipa ng in the organiza on of these ac on plans, please email awilson@msae-net.org. You will hear reports from each task force throughout this year. By working together, we can make MSAE more beneficial to everyone. No 2015 Joint Conference You should be aware that LSAE and MSAE will not have a joint conference in 2015. We will have a reduc on in 2015 income of $18,500 due to this change. The Board developed a budget which increases income and reduces expenses to offset this loss of income this year. The primary changes you will see include a new membership dues structure and elimina on of the 2015 holiday recep on. Amy Wilson, Execu ve Director has done a very good job of minimizing all opera ng expenses in the budget as well. New Dues Structure Execu ve Memberships: We have added an organiza onal er structure to offer organiza ons an opportunity to have mul ple MSAE memberships enabling staff to benefit from specific educa onal opportuni es and make connec ons that assist them in their jobs. Industry Partner Memberships: The primary membership was increased by $25, but no increase for addi onal company representa ves. More Associa on Staff Par cipa on In order to help our associa on grow and increase value of networking and idea sharing, we must increase the number of members and member par cipa on in MSAE events and ac vi es. There are many professional and trade associa ons in Mississippi that are not MSAE members and many member associa ons have addi onal staff who could benefit from par cipa on in MSAE events. I hope each of you will assist us in accomplishing this objec ve this year by invi ng a member or non-member to a mee ng or member gathering! The Board is open to making your associa on the very best it can be for all members. If you have comments, sugges ons or ideas to make MSAE be er, I hope you will share them with Amy or any of your Board Members. I am… Sincerely, Charles Ellio , President Mississippi Society of Associa on Execu ves Fast Fact About Mississippi... Memorial Day 1866 - Friendship Cemetery in Columbus has been called Where Flowers Healed a Nation. It was April 25, 1866, and the Civil War had been over for a year when the ladies of Columbus decided to decorate both Confederate and Union soldiers' graves with beautiful bouquets and garlands of flowers. As a direct result of this kind gesture, Americans celebrate what has come to be called Memorial Day each year, an annual observance of recognition of war dead.

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