A Message From the Great Northwest Region Manager

Happy New Year Everyone! New Years is a great time of reflection. Thinking back over this past year, I had a chance to reflect one more time about the phenomenal time I had at the International Conference in Vegas. It had been ten years since I last attended. I was thrilled to see that the conference had not diminished. If anything, it just gets bigger and better. We’ve already talked about the great educational sessions, the vendor exhibits, the awards and the parties at the conference. But there is one more aspect of the conference, an aspect of ARMA actually, that I was once again reminded of. Some call it networking. Others see it as the friendliness of the organization. I’m calling it the Heart of ARMA.

As you know I served on the International Awards Committee. After only a couple of conference calls and a brief e-mail or two, we all met at rehearsal the afternoon of the banquet. At that point we were strangers, but by the time we left Vegas, several had become my friends. Vegas is also where I finally met my fellow Region Managers and Coordinators and the same thing happened with them. And I was very happy to have all of the Chapter Presidents from the Great Northwest Region there! I have now met all of them and many, many more of you, the members of our region. I came home with a bunch of new friends! I know that I’m not the only one who did. Where else but in ARMA do you meet people from literally around the world that you look forward to seeing year after year?

ARMA International is focused on giving the membership what we need to succeed. They care. Whenever I contact ARMA for something, they are quick to respond with what I need. When our Region Coordinator, Fran, was in need of a job, it was her ARMA family that helped her find one. Whenever I have been stumped working in RIM, I’ve always had someone I could turn to for help. And many times, when there have been personal tragedies, I have watched the ARMA family draw close together. This network of friends that we build, our ARMA Family is a priceless thing.

So as you travel down that yellow brick road to success, never forget the value of those traveling with you. You’re not alone. And that warms my heart.

I have one last comment about Las Vegas and an apology for you all. Fran and I were lead to believe that there were numerous venues that we could choose from for a Region luncheon. I began working on that as soon as I hit town on Thursday afternoon. But it turned out after an exhaustive search that our possibilities were slim to none unless we wanted to spend an arm and a leg. So we are so sorry that we couldn’t make the event happen this year, but stay tuned for Orlando!

Very Truly Yours,

Marc J. Simpson, Manager
Great Northwest Region
Of ARMA International