Greetings from GNW Region Manager, Sue Lord

Happy New Year! I hope each of you had a wonderful Holiday Season. As much as I love the Holidays, I am always quite ready to get back to “normal”! I get a bit overwhelmed before Christmas and usually feel a sense of relief after I pack the ornaments and decorations away. I hope you have found your “normal,” by now, too.

Do you usually make New Year resolutions? I typically don’t (really!), but I am going to ask you to join me in one this year. I resolve that I will take one little extra step for ARMA this year. Might you do the same? Will you attend one or two more meetings at your chapter than you did last year? Can you volunteer for one more ARMA activity during 2005? Will you write one article for your chapter newsletter between now and June? Can you put your chapter’s seminar on your calendar today and request assistance from your organization now for the registration fee? Will you do one more action than you did in 2004 for your chapter, for ARMA International, or for your profession?

Did you recruit a new ARMA member last year? If not, here is your chance to do one more thing for ARMA in 2005! Did you forget to vote in association elections last January? Well, you have a chance to remedy that this month! (ARMA elections are being held this month through February 16th. If your member info is current, please expect an e-ballot by January 6th. Otherwise, a paper ballot should be mailed to you after that.) Here is your chance to take that one extra little step for ARMA – VOTE!

I wish you and yours a happy and prosperous 2005 and I hope you will join me in the New Year’s resolution for ARMA.

Very truly yours,

Susan Lord

Region Coordinator Dean Koga's Holiday Message

Season’s Greetings!
By Dean Koga

It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is already upon us. It’s an exciting time to be with our friends and family, and to be thankful for everything we have. It’s a time to share with others less fortunate than ourselves and to seek out those special gifts to give to the people we love. Wherever you spend the holidays, may they be happy and safe.

As we start out the New Year, I hope you will give some thought to supporting ARMA by some means, such as volunteering, attending meetings, supporting the Educational Foundation, speaking at a meeting, or referring a new member.

Our chapter meetings are well on their way for another year, as well as the plans for our Region Conference in 2006. The conference will be held in Seattle and co-chaired by Susan Priebe and Jenny Winkler. I’m sure they would like to hear from you if you have any suggestions, would like to be a speaker or be a vendor for the conference.

Remember, December 20 is the deadline for sending speaker’s proposals for the ARMA International Conference to be held in Chicago, September 18-20, 2005.

If you have not heard, Leslie Sturgeon has accepted a new position in her hometown of Long Beach and resigned her position as Region Coordinator on November 9. We wish Leslie the best of luck in her new position and thank her for the work she did for the Great Northwest Region. Sue Lord, our Region Manager and myself will take care of any region business and hope to visit all of the chapters in the Region, but we will miss working with Leslie.

A reminder, ARMA elections are coming up in January, so remember to vote. Bonnie Nadler from the Bellevue/Eastside Chapter as well as Doug Allen, Cindy LeMay and Deb Marshall are running for Association Director while Carol Choksy, Susan McKinney and Helen Streck are candidates for the association’s President-Elect position. It is important that you vote. You saw how important one vote could be by our recent gubernatorial race in the State of Washington.

The ARMA International Educational Foundation (AIEF) is still not fully funded, so your donations are very important and are tax deductible. The Foundation funded two research projects this past year. They are “Discovery, Spoliation, and Legal Holds: Issues Affecting Your RIM Policies” by John Isaza, Esq., and “Access Rights to Business Data on Personal Computers” by John Montana, J.D.

I wish you all a happy holiday and best wishes in the coming year.

Dean Koga
Great Northwest Region Coordinator

Article on Long Beach Conference

[With permission from the author, we are reprinting an account of the ARMA International Conference held in Long Beach, California, in early October of this year. For a link to the actual article (which contains direct links to many of the companies mentioned in the article), click on "Article on Long Beach Conference," above.]

KMWorld, Content Document and Knowledge Management
Volume 13, Number 10
November/December 2004

ARMA breaks records

by Robert Smallwood of IMERGE Consulting, Inc.

ARMA International's annual conference and expo Oct. 3 to 6 in Long Beach, Calif., broke previous records, according to its organizers, becoming the largest ever records and document management trade show. Fueled by a heightened interest in boardrooms, legal and IT departments stemming from regulatory changes such as Sarbanes-Oxley and HIPAA, 230-plus exhibits (and more than 90 companies new to the event) filled the show floor.

“We’ve never seen such a strong turnout from IT and legal professionals," says Dave McDermott, president of ARMA (Association for Records Managers and Administrators).

“The show exceeded our expectations,” says ARMA board member John Phillips, president of Information Technology Decisions (http://infotechdecisions.com). “It’s the result of our focus on organizational mission and member needs. Strategically, we’ve kept our attention on the U.S. and Canada, while carefully growing our global presence.”

A few key trends continued as software and services firms seek to offer full document life cycle management. Paper file and box tracking vendors added new radio frequency identification (RFID) capabilities that allow remote tracking of physical files within an organization, and also expanded their offerings to include electronic records management capabilities. Records and information management (RIM) vendors continued the trend of adding traditional electronic document management (EDM) capabilities.

Major EDM software suppliers have scrambled to acquire or align themselves with RIM vendors to integrate crucial records management capabilities and to become compliant with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) 5015.2 standard for records management systems.
E-mail management continued to be a hot topic as corporations and executives have been exposed to serious penalties due to e-mail content--often the “smoking gun” not contained in most formal records. E-mail management topics were some of the best-attended sessions at this year's ARMA conference.

Adam Wilkins, VP of Canadian-based e-mail management provider Yaletown Technology Group, a FileNet partner, pointed out that “ARMA's conference seemed to carry a more compelling message than ever before. Compliance and litigation will continue to accelerate business needs over the coming years. In the interim, e-mail and other high-volume sources of documents will force companies to change the way they allow users to create and manage electronic documents, both records and non-records.”

Strides have also been made in searching and locating records. "A new breed of search engines that provide an open, Web services architecture are emerging that can perform full-text and keyword searches across multiple content sources. This is a powerful way to integrate across these content silos," says Eric Perry, VP of product management at Scientific Software.

What the industry will likely see is the unrelenting consolidation of solution providers until they have the ability to track all written communications including e-mail, records and documents--whether paper or electronic--from creation to distribution to archiving and ultimately, to a shelf in a records storage warehouse, all of which bodes well for ARMA International’s future.

Robert Smallwood is a partner with IMERGE Consulting (imergeconsult.com), e-mail robert.smallwood@imergeconsult.com.

KMWorld, Content Document and Knowledge Management Volume 13, Number 10 November/December 2004
KMWorld is a publishing unit of Information Today, Inc.

Jobs from Great Northwest Region Posted

GREAT NORTHWEST REGION CHAPTERS COLLABORATE ON EMPLOYMENT NOTICES

The Great Northwest Region of ARMA includes Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The chapters in our region have agreed to collaborate on and share information about job openings, job applicants, and other employment information by posting to a single location, the ARMA Great Northwest Region Jobs Blog.

Each chapter will have a designated jobs information coordinator who will have the ability to post notices to the Jobs Blog at any time, without going through a Web master or anyone else. All chapters will encourage their members and area companies to let them know of jobs in the Records and Information Management area so they can be posted on the Jobs Blog. Members who are seeking employment or consulting opportunities can also ask their chapter's jobs information coordinator to post notices on their behalf.

All notices will be deleted upon receipt of word they have been filled, withdrawn, or expired. Any notice may be deleted after 60 days. People who are the source of a notice should be sure to let their jobs information coordinators know when the notices are obsolete or, when necessary, request that they be re-posted.

The jobs information coordinator for the Greater Seattle Chapter is the Chapter President, Roger Winters. Send notices and any questions you may have about this service to him at roger.winters@metrokc.gov.

Region Coordinator Position Opened

APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR TERM THROUGH JUNE 2005

The resignation of Leslie Sturgeon from one of the Region Coordinator positions for the Great Northwest Region of ARMA (she's taken a job in California) has left this important position open. Sue Lord, our Region Manager, has forwarded the following information about the work done by the Coordinators:

Region Manager and Coordinator Program
Effective immediately, ARMA International is seeking applications for a Great Northwest region Coordinator to provide the localized, hands-on, day-to-day support of Great Northwest Region chapters and region.

An Opportunity for Improving Leadership Skills
As Great Northwest region coordinator, you will have the opportunity to gain additional leadership experience as you work with a wider network of people that will extend beyond the local chapter level and outside of the ARMA membership. Serving as a region coordinator will also provide valuable training for those who are interested in seeking a position on the ARMA International Board of Directors.

Duties of a Region Coordinator

1. provide assistance and direction to chapters (and to those members who are not affiliated with a chapter) within the specified geographic region

2. visit assigned chapters, as requested, with a minimum of one visit per year to each chapter.

3. help organize and charter new chapters in their region

4. assist the region manager with coordination and implementation of regional activities such as leadership conferences and special projects

5. assist with regional initiatives such as the development of Web sites, newsletters, and budgets

6. forward comments from chapters and unaffiliated members to the ARMA International Board of Directors or ARMA headquarters, as appropriate

7. submit an activity report to their region manager 45 days prior to the spring and fall ARMA International board meetings

8. provide a communications link with the Member Services Department at ARMA headquarters

9. partner with Member Services to provide chapter operations training, as necessary

10. participate in ARMA International leadership training meetings, as required

Eligibility Criteria

1. must have been a member of ARMA International for a minimum of the three consecutive previous years

2. must have prior chapter leadership experience, preferably as chapter president

3. must have strong oral and written communication skills

4. must be detail-oriented and self-directed

5. must have the ability and willingness to travel to chapters in the region

6. must have earned the recognition of members in the region

7. may not simultaneously serve as a chapter president or on any ARMA International committee or task force

Duties of a Region Manager

In addition to the coordinator duties, the Great Northwest region manager will

1. manage two coordinators to provide chapter and region support within your region

2. provide overall coordination of all region activities and initiatives

3. work jointly with the region treasurer to administer the region fund for appropriate travel and related expenses

4. compile activity reports submitted on behalf of your region coordinators and submit the consolidated report to the association’s Board of Directors

Length of Terms

Typically, region managers and coordinators serve two-year terms, but due to the circumstances at this time, ARMA is asking for the Great Northwest Region Coordinator to apply now through June 30 and then again for the July 1, 2005-Jun 30, 2007 term.

Training and Support

Training for Region Manager and Coordinator program participants will be given during the ARMA Leadership Conference during the Great Northwest Region leadership meeting the summer of 2005 and again at the ARMA International annual conference in Chicago, IL, September 17, 2005.

Managers and coordinators must have organizational support for the time commitment required for these positions.

Need More Information?

Those needing more information about the regional manager and coordinator program may contact Anita Willis, Director of Member Services at ARMA Headquarters, whose name can be found on ARMA’s Web site at www.arma.org.

Application Deadline

Apply to be a part of ARMA’s exciting and dynamic new direction by completing the following application form and returning it to ARMA headquarters no later than Monday, November 22, 2004.

Message from the Great Northwest Region Manager

SUSAN LORD REPORTS ON ARMA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND MORE

Happy autumn to you! The Puget Sound geographical area just had a fabulous fall weekend with mostly sunny skies and mild temperatures. To celebrate this weather, my husband and I raked and scooped over 2000 pounds of horse chestnuts off our lawn and hauled them to the municipal yard-waste station. Oh my aching back!

It wasn’t that long ago that some of us were in sunny California at the 49th Annual ARMA Conference and Expo. What a terrific event! I had the pleasure of arriving a couple days early in order to attend ARMA International’s Board of Directors (BOD) meeting and to participate in Region and Chapter Leadership training. What a pleasant experience that was! On Friday, I was honored to be able to deliver an oral report on behalf of our GREAT NW Region to ARMA’s Board of Directors. It was an opportunity to highlight the accomplishments of our chapters in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington states. I was also able to relay to the Board, in person, a few concerns that members of our Region expressed to me. In addition, I was able to deliver positive messages about ARMA International from the Region. If you ever get a chance, do consider sitting in on an International Board of Director’s meeting as it is quite interesting.

Saturday was absolutely non-stop as it involved many training sessions for Region leaders as well as chapter leaders. I met many new people and continued to learn a great deal about ARMA.

For the first time, ARMA conducted a General Membership Meeting prior to the beginning of the conference on Sunday. While modestly attended, I think it was very appreciated by those in the audience, including myself. The meeting was led by President Dave McDermott. He delivered a comprehensive presentation on the current state of and goals of ARMA. One of those goals is called “Transparency” where the BOD is delivering to the Association information on what it is doing, including posting its agenda and “discernment” items on the International website. Mr. McDermott also discussed what the BOD believes to be the top twenty issues that have impact on our organization. This list is called their “Radar Screen” of issues. The top four issues are considered to be of the highest concern. The “Radar Screen” should be posted at arma.org and the Board is asking for comments from the members. After the formal presentation, the audience was invited to bring questions to the BOD. To be sure, there were some lively discussions!

I also attended the “Candidate Forum” that morning. This was a venue for those candidates running for ARMA International BOD positions in 2005. Each candidate had an opportunity to give a brief “stump” speech then a Q & A period followed. One of the candidates for a Board of Director seat is Bonnie Nadler from the Bellevue/Eastside Chapter. Good luck Bonnie!

I have to admit I was pretty tired BEFORE the actual conference got started, however, I never, NOT ONCE, fell asleep during an educational session! I believe the courses in Long Beach were really the best! I don’t think it was luck, either. I believe the Conference Program Committee really had its “finger on the pulse” of the membership and arranged for top-notch speakers with very pertinent subject matter. Some of my favorite courses were: “Access Rights to Business Data on Personally-Owned Computers” by John Montana; “Discovery, Spoliation, and Legal Holds: Issues Affecting Your RIM Policies” by John Isaza, Esq. (both of these topics were results of projects sponsored by ARMA International’s Educational Foundation); “Retention of Client Files in Law Firms-Ethics Opinions” by Beth Chiaese; and one of the most valuable courses, for me, was called “RIM 101-Technology Basics” by Rick Stirling.

Especially nice was a chance for the members of the Great NW Region to have lunch together on Monday of the conference. I believe there were nearly 50 of us there! It was so very nice to meet and greet the members of our Region. We are a lively bunch and that lunch hour went by too fast, I believe! I would like to extend my thanks to Great NW Region Coordinator Leslie Sturgeon for making all of the arrangements for the Region Luncheon. Her efforts were appreciated by us all!

There were evening events, too! I attended a “Welcome Party” aboard the Queen Mary. What a beautiful ship! I also attended the very nice Awards Banquet. While there were no awards given to our Region’s chapters this year, many of us met after the dinner and “toasted” our Region and the GNW Chapter Members of the Year. Sadly, I missed the Canadian Party, as prior to the event, I accidentally erased all of the Conference images I had taken on my digital camera. I was so remorseful, I couldn’t bear to go to the party!

The Conference was great! The educational sessions were outstanding! I expect the same next year in Chicago. If you have an opportunity, do plan to attend the 50th Annual ARMA International Conference and Expo in Chicago next September.

Very truly yours,
Sue Lord, Manager
Great NW Region

Report from the Long Beach Conference...

LISA MOLSEED REPORTS ON ARMA INTERNATIONAL'S RECENT CONFERENCE
The word of the day is TECHNOLOGY!! Seek, and ye shall find a whiz-bang solution for a more efficient way to conquer the Information Monster! This was unmistakable at the 2004 ARMA Conference and Vendor Expo in Long Beach, California. The emphasis was not just managing records, but content and information management throughout a company. One of this year’s presenters commented that at past ARMA Expos (e.g. 1990-2000 or so), at least 75-85% of the vendors supported mostly paper-based records management systems (binders, boxes and shelving options). The pendulum has swung to the opposite side, where the majority of vendors currently offer software and computer-based systems to handle records and information management.

The driving theme force behind most Conference sessions was dealing with electronic records. Topics ran the gamut from exploring emerging technologies, imminent security issues, understanding retention requirements, to handling legal discovery requests. I liked the strategy of justifying records and information management expenditures to your company’s management by posing the question of what it would “cost” if they didn’t spend the funds on software and the energy on training its staff. Challenges to track information increase exponentially every year, no matter how it is captured (i.e. paper or electronic media). It was evident that paper storage in boxes is still crucial; however, both hard-copy and electronic information is integrated into the whole system. You not only can locate what is inside an off-site box (via the software), but can request delivery via the computer, without using the telephone! It is truly impressive how the right application, administered in the most efficient manner can free up time to face the next hurdle. It was quite worthwhile to attend the ARMA Conference and Vendor Expo, not only to hear the technical papers, but as a forum in which to exchange ideas with colleagues from a wide spectrum of industries and experience.

I gratefully thank the Scholarship Committee for providing the chance to attend a day of sessions at this year’s ARMA Conference, and look forward to attending next year’s event in Chicago. One year seems to vanish in a heartbeat; put it on your calendar – make a valuable investment in yourself!

--Submitted by Lisa Molseed

ARMA Northwest Jobs Blog!

First Posting of Job Announcement at the ARMA Northwest Jobs Blog

The chapters of the Great Northwest Region of ARMA International have begun to coordinate job announcement information. We felt that a single location for job related information (offered, sought, etc.) would serve members in the region best. Accordingly, we have established the "ARMA Northwest Jobs Blog" (see below) and it has received its first job posting.

Take a look at it at http://armajobsnw.blogspot.com.

If you have job announcements, send them to your chapter president or job information coordinator. They will refer the information to one of the Blog's editors.

Also, if you have posted a job and filled it, please let us know so the announcement can be removed. Ordinarily, they will be removed after the expiration date for applications quoted in an announcement.

Opportunity...

SAFECO SEEKING RIM CONSULTANT SERVICES

We have received the following request for assistance. Please respond directly to Mr. Hunter if you wish to be considered for consulting or if you have recommendations to share regarding whom they might do well to contact.

"Safeco is embarking on development of a new records management strategy. We are seeking names of consulting firms that we might interview on matters of document classification schedules, retention schedules, application of policy to new and existing records and internal training, to qualify for our bidders list for the formal selection process.

"I would appreciate any recommendations of consultants who specialize in helping organizations with their records strategy. I would also welcome any direct experience or advice on criteria for selection of consultants as well as writing a scope of work for consultant services.

"Thanks,

Jim Hunter
Safeco Insurance Company of America
Corporate Procurement, O-2
Safeco Plaza
206-925-1228

jamhun@safeco.com

Message from GNW Region Coordinator

A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW
By Dean Koga

Greetings! Many chapters have already held their first ARMA meeting for the new ARMA year. After a year of outstanding chapter meetings, the Great Northwest Region Conference in Anchorage, and our Region Leadership Conference in Boise, last year will be a tough act to follow. However, I have no doubt that this year will also be another banner year for all of our chapters.

Our Region Manager, Sue Lord, has brought new leadership and organization to our region. Sue, along with Region Coordinators Leslie Sturgeon and myself, hope to support you, your chapter, and our region in anyway possible to promote your career as a RIM professional and to promote the ARMA spirit through educational and networking opportunities.

Several examples of upcoming educational opportunities include the Puget Sound Chapter and the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association (CLE) Continuing Legal Education committee’s seminar on September 17, 2004, to address “Recent Developments in Electronic Records Management” and ARMA International’s Conference in Long Beach, California, October 3-6, 2004. There is also a joint ARMA chapter seminar to be held on April 22, 2005, in the Puget Sound area. The seminar is sponsored by the Bellevue/Eastside, Puget Sound and Greater Seattle Chapters and will include topics such as electronic records, e-mail, and other RIM issues. Finally, the Seattle area legal ISG brown bag lunch group meets a different law firms to discuss issues such as imaging and electronic court filings. If you have any questions about these events, please feel free to contact Sue Lord or me.

In case you haven’t heard by now, the Greater Seattle Chapter will be the host chapter for the Great Northwest Region Conference to be held in March 2006. If you would like to volunteer to work on the region conference committee, please contact Roger Winters, Roger.Winters@METROKC.GOV or at (206) 296-7838. You do not have to be a member of the Greater Seattle Chapter in order to work on the conference and it can be fun and rewarding, not to mention a great learning experience.

I hope you will all take advantage of your membership by attending some of the many ARMA chapter meetings and networking with other members, as well as reading about current RIM issues in your Information Management Journal.

If you have any questions about ARMA or the above-mentioned events, please feel free to contact Sue, slord@vjglaw.com; Leslie, lsturgeon@simplot.com; or myself, dkoga@stoel.com.

May you and your chapters have a wonderful year.

Dean Koga
Great Northwest Region Coordinator

SEATTLE BLOG HAS NEW FEATURES

The Greater Seattle ARMA Chapter's Blog now allows readers to post comments by clicking the "comments" item at the end of any posting. Comments are forwarded to the Chapter President and available for others to read.

You can also e-mail a given Blog posting to someone else. Just click on the envelope icon at the end of the message you would like to forward, fill in the blanks, add a personal note if you wish, and the message will go off to whomever you have sent it.

Remember, if you would like to post something to the Blog, you should send it to Roger Winters at roger.winters@metrokc.gov.

LETTER FROM REGION MANAGER SUE LORD -- PLEASE READ

Dear Great Northwest Region of ARMA Friends:

Welcome to the 2004-2005 ARMA year! I would like to begin this year by letting you know that it is both a pleasure and an honor to serve you and your chapters as Great Northwest Region Manager. My name is Sue Lord and my home chapter is Puget Sound - located in Tacoma, WA. You should know that the GNW Region Coordinators, Dean Koga of the Greater Seattle Chapter and Leslie Sturgeon of the Boise Valley Chapter are equally eager to serve you, the members, and our association in the coming year. Rounding out our Region Team is the very capable Great NW Region Treasurer, Fred Pauls, also of the Boise Valley Chapter.

One of our primary charges is to provide support to our chapters and members in meeting the objectives of our association and profession. We are responsible for assisting in facilitating communication between the members and chapters and ARMA International’s Board of Directors. The recent GNW Leadership Conference, which was held in beautiful Boise, Idaho, was the perfect venue for practicing the “communication thing.” Most of the attendees were comprised of your chapter officers and directors who took time out of their busy summer to attend this meeting. They had the opportunity to get to know and share information with Dave McDermott, ARMA International President; Anita Willis, ARMA International Member Services Director; and Cheryl Pederson, President-Elect from the International Board of Directors. What a terrific opportunity it was to meet all of these folks!

The GNW Region Team is hoping to have the opportunity to meet you in your own location during the upcoming year. ARMA International has provided our Region a travel fund so that we can visit your chapters. We will have information for you from ARMA International. In turn, we hope you will plan on bringing issues that are of concern to you and your chapter to our attention so we may convey them to ARMA on your behalf.

Certainly, you do not have to wait until a meeting in the event you wish to discuss something with any of us. Please feel free to contact us, should you so desire.

Sue Lord, Region Manager: 253-383-3791; slord@vjglaw.com
Dean Koga, Region Coordinator: 206-386-7508; dkoga@stoel.com
Leslie Sturgeon, Region Coordinator: 208-327-5915; lsturgeon@simplot.com

I hope you are able to attend the 49th Annual ARMA International Conference to be held in Long Beach in October. If you attend, keep your eyes open for us and please don’t hesitate to introduce yourself! In fact, be sure to check for an announcement on the message board (usually in the Registration area) as we will be planning to meet for a Region “social.” Typically it is a no-host luncheon at a restaurant near the conference venue. I think you will find it to be a fun way to get to meet each other and to visit with your ARMA friends from this GREAT northwest region!

Thanks for being a part of ARMA,

SUE LORD

Great Northwest Region Manager

ASSISTANCE REQUESTED - CAN YOU HELP?

If you can help with the request below, please contact Ms Barats directly. Tell her ARMA Seattle sent you!
---------------------------------

I am with Orcas Power & Light Coop on Orcas Island in the San Juans. We are a small rural utility cooperative that until now has had a less than satisfactory method for managing our records retention. We are trying to change that but need help. Are there any small utilities (or companies) out there that are pleased with their programs and might be willing to share information and ideas?

Thanks so much for your help.

Betty Barats
Orcas Power & Light Cooperative
183 Mt Baker Rd.
Eastsound, WA 98245
(360) 376-3537
bbarats@opalco.com

CAN YOU HELP WITH THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION AND IDEAS?

The following request for help came to me as a referral through the ARMA organizational network. Specifically, Mr. Hunter, the writer sought help internally and someone knew enough about ARMA to make an inquiry with the Los Angeles chapter. Recognizing that the original request came from someone in Seattle, the Los Angeles chapter president forwarded it to me. I invited Mr. Hunter to prepare his request for posting on our BLOG. If you can help him, please do respond to him directly at jamhun@safeco.com. We hope Mr. Hunter will not only find the help he seeks, but will realize the value of ARMA as a source for information and networking amont records and information management professionals and, then, that he might join our association.

Do you get inquiries you can't answer personally, but that a posting on the BLOG might help address? Forward such items to me and we'll post them. This is yet another way ARMA can be of service within the community.

--Roger Winters, President

=================================================================

One of my assignments is off-site storage of archive records. I’m looking for a technique to link supplier rate increase requests to supplier-offered savings opportunities, a rational plan that puts them in the position of having to earn their increases. In other words, for every net dollar of increased cost they request in their rate structure, I want them to give me a net dollar of operational savings. Make sense?

We have allowed one fairly stingy rate hike over a five year period. Last year we dug in our heels and just stubbornly refused their rate increase. That got us 12 months worth of breathing room but it isn’t likely to work twice. We need something with legs, something that will continue to contain storage & service expense over time.

Anybody ever put a provision like this in place with any of your service suppliers, past or present?

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Jim Hunter
Safeco Corporate Procurement
Safeco Plaza, O-2
206-925-1228
jamhun@safeco.com 

ORGANIZATION SEEKS SKILLED PROFESSIONAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT HELP

Farming and the Environment (F & E) is a relatively new non-profit located in Seattle, working state-wide to protect the environment and enhance the economic viability of agriculture in Washington State by providing farmers and ranchers with the support and resources they need to be good stewards of Washington’s land, water and air.

F & E has been under the fiscal sponsorship of another non-profit and is in the process of establishing an independent office and a record keeping system.  ARMA, the Association of Information Management Professionals was recommended by the F & E Secretary/Treasurer as a resource to ensure the quality of F & E’s new record keeping system. 

F & E would like to find a skilled professional to work with our staff to design and organize a record keeping system for current and future growth.  Both an electronic and hard-copy record system is desired.  Please contact Josh Simenstad at 206-622-1340 or josh@farmingandtheenvironment.org for more information.

SUE LORD'S GREAT NORTHWEST REGION CONFERENCE WRAP-UP

The recent Great NW Region Conference, hosted by the Greater Anchorage Chapter of ARMA was a great success! Under the capable leadership of Anchorage Chapter President Larry Hayden, Seminar Co-chairs Renee Salvucci and C’Les Jensema and their Planning Committee arranged for the highest quality of speakers and an enjoyable Alaskan experience. Anchorage Chapter of ARMA should be commended for their hospitality, efforts and hard work. It truly was a “Real Adventure” in Records Management!

The conference, held at the very nice Anchorage Sheraton Hotel, was attended by over 100 people. There were 12 vendors present where attendees were able to stop by their booths and have an opportunity to discuss RIM products.

The conference was opened by ARMA International President-Elect David McDermott who presented a motivational talk entitled “Life is a Juggling Act”. Dave likened three areas of our lives – family, work and volunteerism – to juggling of different kinds of balls. The analogy was interesting. The “work ball” may be made of clay. Like clay, our work life can be molded into different shapes. If the clay ball is dropped, it can be re-shaped again. Dave said the “volunteerism ball” could be made of rubber. If it gets dropped, it can bounce back and be juggled again. However, the “family ball” is made of glass. If the glass ball gets dropped, it may break. Dave advised, “Don’t drop the glass ball!”

The conference contained two “tracks” of educational sessions. As an attendee, I found it very hard to choose between speakers! All of their presentations sounded very interesting. There were eight educational sessions on both Monday and Tuesday and two, including an interesting panel discussion, that closed the Conference on Wednesday. In addition, the conference featured cultural activities such as a troupe of Alaska Native Dancers who performed at opening ceremonies; a visit to the Alaska Native Heritage Center; and live music at Monday’s lunch and at the Conference Banquet on Tuesday evening. Great dancing music, it was, too!

One of the classes I attended was entitled “Privacy v. Security – A Delicate Balance” given by Juanita Skillman, former ARMA International President (2002-2003). What made this presentation so interesting was that Ms. Skillman compared privacy/security issues that we deal with here in the United States to our counterparts in Canada, Australia, and the European Union. For example, “Opt-In/Opt-Out” practices are not mandatory in the United States, but they ARE in the EU and Canada. Juanita explained that Americans tend to “tell anybody everything,” but Europeans, Canadians and Australians look at privacy very differently. So those countries “have instituted stringent new governmental regulations at the same time they are severely regulating private businesses and mandating increased security of personal information,” she said. Because of our culture, Juanita said, we are not so ready to put similar restrictions in place.

Alaska is a very beautiful state. If you ever have a chance to visit, GO! The next Great NW Region Conference will be held in the spring of 2006 at a location yet to be announced. Our region seems to have the habit of presenting very excellent conferences. I hope you will plan to attend the next one - it will be worth it!

Very truly yours,
Sue Lord
Great NW Region Manager

Seeking Information in the Seattle Area regarding Disaster Recovery

Hello chapter members,

I'm looking for a list of Disaster Recovery firms in the Seattle area. There are many companies but most seem to focus on water damage. I've looked in the phone book under water damage recovery also I've used the internet. I'm looking for companies that really focus on document recovery.

Thanks to anyone with a current list to share!

Jacqueline Lawson, ASRC Aerospace
Regional Records Manager-U.S. EPA-Region 10
(206) 553-4480 voice; (206) 553-0714 fax

DAWN PRESLER MOVES UP AND OVER AT SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
Watch for Records Analyst Position to Open!

Congratulations are in order for Greater Seattle Chapter member (and Web Master) Dawn Presler, who has a new job, still within the Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD).

Dawn is now the Relicensing Information Coordinator for their Jackson Hydroelectric Relicensing Project. This position is not in the Records Management Department; it's in the Water Department. However, Dawn reports to an attorney in the Legal Department. The new position is a promotion for Dawn and she is very excited about it.

As she wrote in a recent e-mail, "I will be doing information management and project management functions; mainly developing systems for paper and electronic records and information management, dissemination, coordination, publication, filing, etc. This will involve setting up paper filing systems, publishing to a website, administering an EDMS, etc. I will also be attending stakeholder meetings, maintaining calendars and project schedules."

Dawn will have the same email address (DJPresler@snopud.com) but her phone, fax number, and title have changed to:

Relicensing Information Coordinator
425-783-1709 (phone)
425-267-6369 (fax)

Dawn also advises this: "If you know someone looking for a Records Analyst position...tell them about this opening...it should be advertised this coming weekend in the newspapers and at our org's website... www.snopud.com."

Congratulations, Dawn! And good luck with your new position!

CHAPTER TO SPONSOR "OPT-IN" MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

As you may know, ARMA policies prohibit sharing official membership rosters with businesses, marketers, or even members. However, having contact information for other chapter members and sharing one's own is a part of the networking that makes ARMA valuable to so many of us.

The Board of Directors has decided to launch an "Opt-In" Greater Seattle Chapter Membership Directory. We are in the process of identifying the data elements that a person could choose to include (or exclude) in agreeing to be listed in the Directory. We believe it is important for each of us to have control over what data others will have.

Unlike the official roster, maintained by Vice President for Membership, Shelley Boogaard, in coordination with ARMA International, an "Opt-In" Directory will be freely available to all members of the Greater Seattle Chapter. Those who "Opt-In" will, in effect, give their consent to be contacted via the data they provide. One could, for example, limit one's entry to NAME, COMPANY, MAILING ADDRESS, if only postal mail contact is desired, or one could list that, plus TITLE, EMAIL, PHONE(S), and more. Shelley has agreed to take on the overall responsibility for maintaining the "Opt-In" Directory. She may want help from one or more volunteers. Please contact her at sboogaard@riddellwilliams.com if you think you might like to help.

Posted by Roger Winters, President, for the Board: Roger; Dean Koga, Past President; Susan Priebe, Secretary; Cliff Moon, Treasurer (John Cluff, Acting Treasurer); Shelley Boogard, Vice President for Membership; Andrea Bettger, Vice President for Programs.

SUSAN PRIEBE SHARES INSPIRING ESSAY BY VANNEVAR BUSH

A friend who shares my passion for essays and who was amazed (as I fear he should have been) that I had never read the incredible "As We May Think" by Vannevar Bush (since I like essays and am in the records profession), sent me the attached link, so that I might read it. (Vannevar Bush himself, I'm sure, would have been pleased, but not at all surprised that the article came to me in this fashion.) As folks in the records/information-management field, I think it is an interesting and important essay to read (it was written in 1945), if you've not had the opportunity before. It not only presents the strikingly impressive and accurate projections of one of the world's great thinkers, which is interesting in and of itself (much better reading than the Prophecies of Nostradamus in my estimation!), but it profoundly supports our critical role in the pursuit of making the world a better and potentially more peaceful place. The link to the article is www.theatlantic.com/unbound/flashbks/computer/bushf.htm. I hope the portion quoted below will entice you to read the entire essay.

There is a new profession of trail blazers, those who find delight in the task of establishing useful trails through the enormous mass of the common record. The inheritance from the master becomes, not only his additions to the world's record, but for his disciples, the entire scaffolding by which they were erected. --Vannevar Bush, "As We May Think," July 1945

THE POSITIVES, NEGATIVES, AND PLACEMENT OF FORMER GOVERNORS' RECORDS

Andrea Bettger has passed along the following, saying, "Look how three states have handled sealing records. Also, where the records were placed after the governorship."

Nevada law prohibits sealing of governor's records
Nevada law requires Governors leaving office to turn their documents over to the Nevada State Archives. Most of the records are consider public records and document the administration and history of the governorship. The State Archivist of Nevada Guy Rocha stated that a governor does not have the right as the chief executive to make his own decision as to what to do with the records.

Walker: Where are the Files Now?
Former Governor of Oregon was recently asked why public records were not at the Oregon State Archives in an appointment hearing. Former Governor Neil Goldschmidt was asked why records were at the non-profit institution Oregon Historical Society and not at the Oregon State Archives. Goldschmidt stated that the records are there because it was difficult time in his life and it was not an issue at the time of his departure.

Vermont: State can keep Dean records sealed
Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean has government watch dog group file lawsuit alleging he unlawfully sealed public records. Vermonts State Attorney I will defend the former governor right to keep his records sealed. The records in question will be sealed until January of 2013 according to the agreement between the former governor and the Secretary of State of Vermont.

ANOTHER GOOD SITE FOR ARMA FOLKS TO CHECK OUT

What follows is the text of a monthly reminder message you can get by subscribing to it on LLRX.com. For the full deal, see the Web site itself: www.llrx.com.

[DO YOU KNOW of a good Internet resource that other RIM professionals might benefit from learning about? Send the details to Roger and he'll post the information here on the Greater Seattle Chapter of ARMA's Web Log (Blog).]

New on LLRX.com for January 19, 2004:
http://www.llrx.com

**West Publishing Fires and Sues FindLaw Co-Founder Tim Stanley
http://www.llrx.com/features/weststanley.htm
T. R. Halvorson provides a chronology of the events that led to a West lawsuit against FindLaw co-founder Tim Stanley, as well as details from the court documents and current status of the case.

**Public Libraries and the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA): Legal Sources
http://www.llrx.com/features/cipabiblio.htm
CIPA expert Mary Minow's annotated bibliography encompasses primary sources, secondary sources, and state sources.

**Electronic Guide to the Best Mexican Law Websites
http://www.llrx.com/features/mexlaw.htm
Mexican law expert Prof. Jorge A. Vargas's comprehensive guide will be a tremendous asset to researchers, as it includes documentation and commentary on Mexican law information in English and Spanish, federal statutes and codes, the constitution, international treatises and conventions, the federal government, the state governments, and the legal background and history of Mexico.

**Doing Legal Research in Canada - Updated
http://www.llrx.com/features/ca.htm
Ted Tjaden has made revisions and updates throughout his extensive guide, with special focus on primary and secondary resources, legal organizations and publishers.

**Metaforix@Health: Healthcare, Online and Off
http://www.llrx.com/columns/metaforix1.htm
LLRX is delighted to introduce this new column by e-health expert Lois C. Ambash. Please take a moment to complete the brief survey she has included to ensure that her future columns will address key issues and resources of interest in this area.

**Burney's Gadgets for Legal Pros - Two Wonderful WiFi Widgets: A Wireless LAN Adaptor and a WiFi Detector
http://www.llrx.com/columns/legaltech18.htm
Brett Burney recommends two WiFi gadgets that will maximize the effectiveness and ease of use of this technology.

**Wisdom From the Grammar Goddess: Back to the Basics, Darkly
http://www.llrx.com/columns/grammar7.htm
Diane Sandford offers a commentary on the eight parts of speech...quick, can you name them? If not, all the more reason to read on.

**After Hours: Gadgets Galore
http://www.llrx.com/columns/afterhours7.htm
This month Kathy Biehl surveys affordable "must have" kitchen gadgets, both classic and novel.

**Technology Bits and Bytes: A Roundup of Technology News and Changes from Past Columns
http://www.llrx.com/columns/notes66.htm
Cindy Curling updates readers on some of the technology mentioned in her recent columns.

**FOIA Facts: Who Isn't Covered by the FOIA
http://www.llrx.com/columns/foia6.htm
Scott Hodes reviews what agencies are covered by FOIA.

**Weekday updates on law, library and technology news (with a searchable
database of over 3,400 entries from September 2002)
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