From the Great Northwest Region Manager...

A Message from Susan Lord

Dear Great Northwest Region of ARMA members:

Welcome to the 2005-2006 ARMA year! I trust you had an enjoyable summer. I know that your chapter officers and directors have been busy these past few months preparing for a most excellent 2005-2006 business year.

Most of the chapters began this business year by having representation at the 2005 Region Leadership Conference hosted by the Bellevue/Eastside Chapter (in true Aloha style). I believe we all learned a lot about ARMA International, the Region, duties of the chapter’s Board of Directors (BOD) positions, and best practices for chapters. There was opportunity to network and share information with each other and we had a bit of fun, too!

During the summer, your chapter Boards have been calculating budgets, planning the calendar, contacting speakers for your educational programs, and a myriad of other things. I hope you will thank your chapter officers and directors - at your next opportunity - for the time and effort they volunteer on behalf of our organization. I appreciate them and I am sure you do, too!

I would like to welcome a new member to the Region leadership team. Fran Blaylock of the Bellevue/Eastside Chapter is the 2005-2007 Region Coordinator. Fran is the primary contact person for the Bellevue/Eastside, Boise Valley, Greater Seattle, and Mount Vernon Regional chapters. Fran has been an active member of ARMA for about nine years and has served her chapter in many positions including Chapter President for two terms. I have known Fran for many years and am very honored to work with her in this new capacity at the Region level.

Please mark your calendar now for the 2006 Great Northwest Region Conference to be held March 13-15, 2006 in Seattle, WA. This 2.5 day conference entitled “Keeping on Track in Century 21” promises to be a terrific opportunity to enhance your records management skills. Hosted by the Greater Seattle Chapter of ARMA, the planning has been under way for several months. Currently, there is a call for presentations. Two educational tracks are being designed: “Lessons,” especially for attendees new to the field; and “Lessons Learned,” for the more experienced records professionals. If you are interested in speaking at the Conference, please contact Co-Chair of Programs, Roger Winters, at Roger.Winters@METROKC.GOV or by phone at (206) 296-7838.

If you are planning to attend this year’s International Conference in Chicago, please be aware we are planning to meet at a local restaurant during the conference for a no-host GNW Region Luncheon. Keep your eyes open for a notice/sign-up sheet to be posted at the message board near the Registration area. Also, there will be information on the message board about our “Region Toast” typically held prior to or immediately after the Awards Banquet. In addition, to those of you who are chapter leaders, please consider attending ARMA Leadership Day on Friday, September 16 and/or Region and Chapter Leadership Day on Saturday, September 17. Please contact me should you have any questions.

Finally, I hope you have a great ARMA year!

Very truly yours,

Susan M. Lord, Manager
Great Northwest Region of ARMA