BUILDING ENERGY 14
FROM THE CHAIR
CONFERENCE + TRADE SHOW FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY AND GREEN BUILDING PROFESSIONALS MARCH 4-6, 2014 SEAPORT WORLD TRADE CENTER BOSTON, MA nesea.org/buildingenergy/
Money and Other Hurdles: We’re on It As this is my first appearance in BuildingEnergy Magazine as board chair, let me start by saying that I am thrilled to be engaged with NESEA. My involvement in NESEA has grown steadily over the years: from attending the BuildingEnergy conference to speaking at it to serving on the conference planning committee to serving on the board of directors and finally as board chair. Earlier this year, I was also inspired to make the ultimate commitment to NESEA: I became a Lifetime Member. I did it very publicly, during the BE conference, as a means of thanking the organization that has given me so much. I challenged others—and I challenge you now—to join me in this commitment. Thank you John Abrams (“double lifetime member”!) and Jonathan Wright, who accepted the challenge. Over time, I’ve also encouraged my staff at Conservation Services Group (CSG), where I am program director, to get involved with NESEA for its phenomenal professional development opportunities. In fact, Matt Root of CSG is serving as vice chair of BE14—a substantial investment of CSG’s time and resources, but one that I know will more than pay off! Clearly, I value NESEA, and as board chair I will do my best to help strengthen and guide it during my term. Which brings me to the hurdles we face as an organization. Like many of the best-run nonprofits, we are trying to do too much with a small, somewhat junior staff. If we are to expand our programs, we need to reliably earn sufficient revenue not only to hire more staff, but also to attract and retain top talent. To address these issues, we are taking steps to diversify our programming (I direct you to Jennifer Marrapese’s letter on page 5) and our revenue streams. We’re offering new conferences in more locations, robust online programs, and peer-to-peer networks and communities of practice, all of which add value for NESEA members. We are addressing fundraising and development capacity at the board level first—meeting one-on-one with board members to hear how NESEA has benefited their career and practice and asking them to share these stories with others in their networks who might also benefit. This is a new effort, and we don’t know yet how effective it will be. NESEA’s effectiveness also depends on leadership development. As Jennifer explains on page 5, we are already working on creating a process that will ensure we are mentoring members for roles of increasing responsibility. This ongoing, resource-intensive campaign will send positive ripples throughout the Northeast and beyond. It will help more people find their path within the organization, to both lend their talents and benefit—as I have—from the professional growth that comes from doing so.
Caitriona Cooke Chair, NESEA Board of Directors caitriona.cooke@csgrp.com
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