ALABoston.org President's Message

I am the lucky person to follow one of the most effective leaders our chapter has ever had; however, I am also fortunate to lead a chapter that is running like a well-oiled machine.

On behalf of all members of the Boston Chapter of ALA, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Chris O’Sullivan for his untiring energy as the Chapter’s President for these past two years. With Chris’s vision and leadership, our chapter has realized growth, both in numbers and in our mission, together with building and fostering a strong relationship with our vendor sponsors. This has resulted in many achievements which have been recognized on a national stage.

Last month, the 30 Boston Chapter Members who made the trip north to the National Conference in Montreal witnessed, with great pride, the involvement, professional scope and success of the Boston Chapter in the ALA:

Chris O’Sullivan served as a presenter at a session for other chapter leaders;
Paul Morton is now sitting on the national board as Region 1 Director;
Karen Glowacki began her position on the Region 1 Board; and
Boston Chapter Members witnessed the proudest moments at the Awards Ceremony as our chapter was presented with the following awards:

First Place:		Retention & Recruitment
Second Place:		Membership Brochure
Third Place:		Activating Volunteers
Third Place:		Web Site
Honorable Mention:		Community Service
Gold:		President's Award

Undoubtedly, the past has been triumphant for our chapter, and I believe the future will be as well. We have a great foundation in all areas and an enthusiastic Board of Directors to help the Chapter excel in its future endeavors.

Programs: Much attention will continue to focus on bringing quality programs of interest to the membership. This includes an exciting All-Day Educational Conference on November 16th that is shaping up to be another award-winning event.

Membership: We are very close to our goal of 200 members and will continue to actively recruit new members. Marybeth Flynn and I recently attended a New Member Orientation Meeting and agreed that this was one of the more valuable recent additions to this Committee - a great way to acquaint new members with the ALA

Vendor Sponsorship: It is an understatement to say our vendor program is a success. This chapter’s ability to advance to the level we are now enjoying is partly due to the strength of the sponsorship program. Other chapters are looking to Boston for advice on how to initiate a similar program. We need to continue to recognize the vendors who support our Chapter. It is important that these sponsors feel that they are receiving value for their sponsorship, and I would like to work with all members to further this goal.

Community Relations: We have done so much good the past two years for both The Home for Little Wanderers and The Finex House. This is an area that is “never” enough. Although fundraising is certainly an important focus, it is not simply all about money. Community Challenge weekend is approaching (October 20-22) - not only have we given back to our community by volunteering, but have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves doing so. The 30 members, their families, friends and sponsors who volunteered at The Home for Little Wanderers in Plymouth this past year had a great time - we shared lots of laughs painting and cleaning classrooms and are looking forward to this year’s project. We all win!

Communications: The chapter newsletter has received many accolades, and the web page continues to evolve into a total communication tool for the Chapter. Communication is one of the most vital ingredients in making the chapter work, and we will continue creating and improving our tools to better converse with the membership. Networking through communication is one of our critical functions.

The Boston Chapter has come a long way but there is plenty still to do. The new structure of the Chapter has made it easier to get involved and participate, while making accomplishments in our careers as legal administrators. Many new opportunities have been created for member participation and there is always room for more members. Getting involved in the Boston Chapter is fun, can be challenging, and is without doubt rewarding. If you would like to join us in this endeavor, please contact a board member to find out where you can help. We love to see new faces, as well as those that have been involved over the past years. Join us in continuing to help you manage your firms, further educate yourselves in your profession, and make available our extraordinary network.

Thank you for your trust in me and the 2006-2007 Board of Directors. It is an honor to serve you in this role. I look forward to a great year working with everyone.