By / Shaun Ekert
The time has come to pass the proverbial torch on the TIAC presidency. Reflecting on the past three years, I feel confident that we have invested the necessary time, energy, and effort into changing the way the board and association operate, and in doing so, we have paved the way for a smooth transition. We now operate as a critical mass rather than being subject to a changing individual vision. That means when we pass the torch, we don’t see a reset on our operative direction or strategic plan. Rather, we see a continuation, a smooth transition free of the hiccups or gap that switching leaders can sometimes inspire.
We have paid attention to strengthening the board and the innovators group, and we have encouraged the involvement of others while promoting the importance of cohesiveness. This momentum began previous to my tenure, and having a strong, committed, tenacious board has carried us successfully through this time, in particular, through the past 18 months of turmoil.
Despite the industry (and the world) operating in a state of flux, we have still moved the needle on our main initiatives. We may not have been able to communicate with our membership through our conferences, which is usually the place where we discuss our initiatives and direction in face-to-face interactions, but we pivoted to present webinars and to connect with members in other ways. Not a week has passed where I haven’t talked about TIAC and discussed its initiatives with at least one person, and I know others have maintained this drive, as well.
I think our progress and positivity warrant a high five to everyone in TIAC, not to mention the fact that we were able to withstand the pandemic financially and not only maintain but grow into a brighter future. There are associations and businesses that didn’t survive these past 18 months, so it is important that we take the time to celebrate that we were able to thrive and drive value back to the membership. We stayed relevant, and we strengthened our North American footprint by growing our partnership with NIA, which creates positive momentum for our future endeavours.
Moving forward, the MICA manual project is nearly complete. TIAC has signed an agreement and the publication will soon be available to members to use as the TIAC standard. This is a huge accomplishment to have achieved during this time. The innovators group continues to thrive, and we will be welcoming some new members to it and to the board of directors before the end of the year. The innovators group will continue to work on updating the Denis Formula on an ongoing basis.
Leading the association during the pandemic has had its pros and cons. For me, interaction and face-to-face interactions are my strength, so operating outside of those opportunities was a challenge. At the same time, I felt grateful to take on that challenge for the board.
When Joey Fabing takes over the president role this fall, the process will be smooth. Handing the torch to a person like Joey is so easy—he is well-respected in industry, as a competitor, and as a friend and extended family member. We all know he is a great fellow and that he will lead the membership and association in the right direction. His values around business, the association, and even around family and friendships are aligned with ours as a group. There is no doubt that TIAC will realize great things under his direction. (No pressure, Joey!)
In closing, I want to recognize Jessica Kirby and her team at Point One Media, Robin Baldwin and her team at the Willow Group, the TIAC board of directors and, of course, the membership, for inspiring and motivating me and for driving my passion throughout this unprecedented time. As we move forward into a recalibrated future, I can see clearly that this association can climb any mountain and realize any dream with the foundational excellence and eye to the future we have all built together. ▪
