IDA Universal

I DA U N I V E R S A L J a n u a r y - Fe b r u a r y 2 0 2 4 7 PRESIDENT'S POST LANCE HINRICHSEN President THANK YOU TO OUR PLATINUM SPONSOR AND OUR GOLD SPONSOR I trust you enjoyed a relaxing holiday season having spent time with valued family and friends. As we begin a new year, I like to think about the wisdom in this quote being a guiding light for business success. "Have the courage to say no" underscores the importance of strategic decision-making, encouraging us to explore opportunities that align with our core values and long- term objectives. In a dynamic and ever-evolving market, the ability to face the truth is crucial; acknowledging challenges, market trends, and feedback with transparency develops adaptability and resilience. "Do the right thing because it is right" emphasises the necessity of ethical conduct in business operations. Upholding integrity builds trust among stakeholders, including both customers, suppliers and employees, ultimately contrib- uting to sustained success. ese principles are key in maintaining a business environment characterised by honesty, responsibility, and a commitment to doing what is ethically sound. We have so much to look forward to in 2024 with more and more new and returning members joining our ranks. e eff ort to reaffi rm IDA as the go-to association for informa- tion, collaboration and collective strength is really paying off and I welcome all our new members. I look forward to the value we can add to your respective businesses, and we are excited to learn more about you and the contribution you could make to further strengthen the IDA. At our bi-annual board meeting, expected to be held in April, we discuss and plan, based on member input, to build the strategic future of our associa- tion. I invite you to reach out to any board members to have your thoughts and ideas tabled. Please refer to the board page in this edition for current board members and their individual contact information. And as always Tiff any is happy to have a chat! As you must be aware by now, I am not a north American local so in preparation for our convention in Philadelphia in September, I am going to make it my mission to better educate myself about the city. Did you know: Philadel- phia is the mural capital of the world. Art is a huge thing in Philly. e Mural Arts Phila- delphia program began in 1984 as an anti-graffi ti campaign and has since turned Philadel- phia into a worldwide leader in publicly accessible street art. Currently, there are over 4,000 pieces of community-based art throughout the city, with new pieces being commissioned every year. Most of the plans for the convention in Phila- delphia are now complete featuring some old favou- rites like the Black Cat Golf Day, the tradeshow and multiple opportuni- ties to catch up and have a yarn. We are excited to bring you a guest speaker who has not only the ability to deliver the most up-to-date economic news relevant to our industry, but to do so in engaging and entertaining way. I look forward to seeing you all in Philly. Stay well and all the best as always. Lance Hinrichsen "Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. ese are the magic keys to living your life with integrity." W. Clement Stone Happy new year to one and all.

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