Last fall I had the privilege of joining the International Order of the Golden Rule as your new Executive Director/CEO. A lifetime of association and non-profit work has prepared me for this role, but I also know I have the advantage of having the Big 4 (family, staff, volunteers and members) by my side as OGR enters 2021.
On a Personal Level
Like most of you, my family has always been a part of my work life. My husband Jim, a retired firefighter who now teaches at a public high school, has spent countless hours setting up tables, tearing down displays and carrying boxes for my work events. My three stepchildren, now all grown, were indoctrinated at an early age to stuff goodie bags, work a booth and even don a mascot costume! And I still consider my mom and dad, now in their 80s, as my two hardest-working volunteers! So now that I have joined the OGR family, I am excited to engage my four beautiful grandchildren – ages 9 months to 8 years old – into my work life. Well… maybe I’ll give Baby Emma a pass until she can walk on her own!
Volunteers + Staff = Great Results
As I stepped into this role, I quickly realized that one of the greatest gifts I was given was the OGR volunteer leadership and staff. Through OGR’s volunteer leaders, I have learned the association’s history, better understood the challenges our profession faces and realized the opportunities that lie ahead. They have shared their vision for a stronger OGR that can provide you with even greater resources and more significant benefits. In the staff I have seen five individuals who could not be more dedicated to ensuring OGR moves quickly and successfully into its next phase. Each staff member brings their own unique talents that have already enabled us to start executing strategies that will grow our organization – strategies that are designed to help your business grow. I do not have to tell you that the real magic happens when we pair great volunteers with great staff.
MVP
As I look forward to the coming year, there is one more person I am excited to have by my side – and that is YOU! Because of you, we are challenging ourselves to listen more, honor and learn from the past, embrace innovation, seize new technologies, engage future generations, and be unique and be exceptional. I want to hear from you this year. Tell me what we are doing well, where we can improve and what you need from OGR.
Until we can meet in person, I’m just a phone call, email or Zoom chat away!
This letter was originally published in the Winter 2021 issue of The Independent. Click here to read the entire issue.