Message from the Great Northwest Region Manager

Dear Great NW Region of ARMA members:

Oh, joy! Spring has arrived – finally! It is the promise of the regeneration of garden plantings, the placement of vegetable garden seeds, and the careful transplanting of seedlings that get me all excited about the season. The assurance and anticipation of the “fresh” and “new” that Spring always delivers makes me, well, just giddy!

During the springtime, Chapters, Regions and ARMA International also accomplish a little “regeneration” and “seedling transplanting”. New members to ARMA’s board of directors at the different leadership levels really do offer fresh ideas and add a sense of newness to the Association. It can be an exciting time for our ARMA volunteers. But, as with the seedlings in our gardens, we may need a little extra care to “grow” into sturdy leaders of our Association.

I am pleased that ARMA International has made the commitment to assist our volunteers in their endeavors to be strong chapter leaders. For the second year, ARMA has arranged for an executive leadership trainer to be present at each region’s Leadership Conference. In addition, ARMA has a section on its website that provides resources for our chapter leaders to assist them in their volunteer duties. ARMA has also recently developed a leadership course called “Personal Leadership Skills”. As part of ARMA’s Leadership Academy, this on-line course was created exclusively for ARMA volunteer leaders. It is part of ARMA’s commitment to support and help “grow” our chapter leaders’ development.

If you are a current ARMA chapter leader, or hope to be involved as a volunteer in our Association in the future, I encourage you to attend the Great Northwest Region of ARMA Leadership Conference to be held June 20-21 in Tacoma, WA. Hosted by the Puget Sound Chapter, this conference is an affordable opportunity for you to gain leadership skills (applicable to our work, home and other environments) during a four-hour course by executive leadership trainer, Dale Mask. You will also have the chance to learn more about ARMA and meet a member of its International’s Board of Directors, Sharon Alexander-Gooding, who will discuss the initiatives of our association. You will meet Tom Killam, ARMA’s Director of Member Services who will be speaking about the resources available to chapter leaders, and, most important, you will be meeting and sharing with your fellow ARMA leaders and members from throughout our Region. This Conference promises to offer “nourishment” to the current and new ARMA volunteers in our great Region. I hope you will consider attending. Please see more information at our website http://www.armagreatnorthwest.org. If you have any questions about the Leadership Conference, please do not hesitate to contact me at slord@vjglaw.com or 253-383-3791.

Finally, I have enjoyed my years as the Great Northwest Region Manager because of you. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve you and get to know you. I feel I have grown both professionally and personally by working for and with my colleagues in our GREAT! Northwest Region. So, it is with a sense of sadness that I step down. Alternatively, I am also excited (its that “spring” feeling of newness, again!) that the Region will be in the capable hands of our Region Coordinator, Fran Blaylock, and Region Manager, Marc Simpson, as there is already a sense of new “growth” and “fresh ideas” for our Region! Your “new” region team will serve you well, I am sure!

Very truly yours,
Susan M. Lord, Manager
Great Northwest Region of ARMA