Good morning,
My name is Robert Baird, and I’m excited to officially introduce myself as ARMA International’s chief executive officer. I can’t begin to express how excited I am to lead this organization into the future. In my first week onboard, I have learned two things. First, I have a terrific board of directors dedicated to making ARMA International the best it can be. Second, I have amazing staff who can execute the board’s vision.
Over the last few months I have been listening and learning. And, frankly, what I have learned is that we’ve got some work to do. The good news is that we definitely have something solid to build on–our members, our volunteers, our staff, and this association’s incredible history.
Where will we start?
1. We will better define who we are. We know there has been some confusion among our members as to who ARMA is. Are we IG? Are we RIM? The short answer is that we’re both. We’re RIM first and foremost because RIM is the foundation of IG. Without RIM, it’s impossible to have IG. That said, we also serve those who want to continue up the RIM career ladder to step into an IG role. We will do our best to eliminate this confusion. This starts with a revised mission statement, which we will share with you very soon once it is approved.
2. We will be more transparent. As a membership association we serve you, and you should have a clear understanding of what HQ staff is doing on your behalf and on behalf of the profession. I will personally communicate with you regularly about the decisions we are making and the actions we are taking.
3. We will work to make interacting with ARMA International simpler. We know the website is frustrating. It needs significant improvement and this will happen. I have established a “red team” of HQ staff to identify and analyze the elements of the website that create friction and frustration for you. We will prioritize what they find and begin making improvements immediately.
As with any transition, there will be change. We will need to do some things differently to more effectively serve you–and we will.
If you missed my professional biography in the announcement that ARMA International sent out a few weeks ago, please feel free to read it here.
I hope to attend some of the upcoming regional meetings and I will be at the international conference. Please introduce yourself; I would love to meet you and hear from you.
Sincerely,
Bob