IABC Tampa Bay home
Home Membership About us Jobs Sponsors Freelancers Events Board Contact us
Get Involved
News and Notes
Find Resources
Be Recognized
IABC Southern Region
IABC International
Chapter brochure
Bronze Quill Awards

President's Message - January
Spotlight: Exciting Changes in 2008

Hello and Happy New Year! As the 2008 president of IABC/Tampa Bay, I am excited about all that we have planned to serve the needs of our membership and ensure future viability of our chapter. Whether you are new to IABC/Tampa Bay, thinking about joining, or have been here for years, I want to take this opportunity to welcome you and discuss some changes we are making in January:

1. Expanded Board

  • We have established 12 board positions for the coming year, and made plans for each position to be staffed by two chapter members. This will add depth to the chapter leadership team and will be a tremendous asset in succession planning.
  • We've added four new board positions (including VP sponsorships, accreditation chair, awards director, and job relations chair.
  • Each board position will be effective 2/1/08 - 1/31/09.
  • See a list of our newest board members on our board page.
  • FOR YOUR REVIEW: Are you interested in getting involved? We have five open board positions. Send me an email if you want further descriptions and estimated time commitment. We need to fill these positions by 1/29/08!

2. Scheduling Professional Development Programs

  • Michele Pointer and Dina Vann secured Steve Gavatorta to speak at our first program of the year on the evening of 2/13/08.
  • Mark your calendars and watch your email for details on this exciting professional development and networking event!

3. New Chapter Web site

  • Bryan Marks, IABC/Tampa Bay immediate past-president, has redesigned our site; expected go-live is the week of 1/28/08.
  • In future updates, I will highlight new features of the Web site. The redesign activities will increase relevance and usability of the site, reflect the new IABC Be Heard brand, and help connect TB-IABC members with each other.
  • In the meantime, I encourage you to take a look and provide feedback.

4. Increasing Focus on Strategic Partnerships

  • Our new VP of sponsorships will look to create strategic partnerships with companies to increase the value of your IABC/Tampa Bay membership.
  • If your organization might be interested in participating, please contact Louis Ricca for more information.

5. Creating Our Strategic Plan

We are developing our two-year strategic plan (including critical success factors, key actions and measures) to be used as a primary tool to direct chapter activities and fiscal management.

I look forward to a very active 2008 at IABC/Tampa Bay, and I hope to see you at our events. I encourage you to provide feedback.
Best regards,
Adrienne Schutte