The AIP Board of Directors recently held their annual retreat in Williamsburg, VA, from June 4–7, 2015. The board comprises representatives from AIP’s ten Member Societies, two at-large members, the chair, AIP’s CEO, and the corporate secretary. AIP is fortunate to have such a dedicated and diverse group of senior leaders to help guide its mission. The retreat affords the opportunity for the board to engage in intensive discussion on issues important to AIP’s future success.
AIP draws heavily on the board’s guidance and direction. The retreat was especially valuable for me, as the new CEO at the end of my first week. I was able to learn about the board’s focus areas, structure, and operations, and perhaps most importantly, to meet and get to know our board members personally over the weekend.
At the outset of our meeting, each Member Society board member outlined their activities for me, an exercise which also enabled the board members to learn new things about each other and their respective societies. The board convened several committee meetings as well: Finance, Audit, Membership, Corporate Strategy, and Nominating and Governance, all essential elements of its function and authority.
A central topic of this year’s retreat discussions was the Member Society value proposition, and conversations delved into detail about the concerns and future needs of our stakeholders, e.g., visibility, membership enhancement, use of social media, etc. I outlined my initial platform—to focus on Member Society customer satisfaction—and provided my initial thoughts on new features and functionalities that AIP might provide. The considerable variation in our Member Societies’ sizes and needs creates unique challenges and opportunities for AIP. Such factors will be closely considered as the board charts new strategic directions for the institute.
Over the past two weeks I have also enjoyed sharing these ideas with AIP staff during many meetings with team members from each of AIP’s departments and program areas.
It will be a pleasure to work with the board and carry out their vision for AIP.