President’s Podium

Kim Hartley

Executive Director

I thought I would write the Podium for this issue, to sum up the past year, let you know of proposed projects for the coming year and the status of the NLGI Home Office.

Although our Annual Meeting attendance was down slightly from last year, comments from our attendees were very positive about the sessions offered and networking opportunities. I think changing the meeting format in 2015 was very successful and there are no plans to return to the “Awards Banquet”! I, along with anyone who was at that meeting in Coeur d’Alene, are very excited to be returning to Coeur d’Alene for our 2018 Annual Meeting. You may also be interested to know that NLGI has confirmed The Meritage in Napa Valley, California for its 2021 Annual Meeting. We’ve had our eye on this area for some time, so we’re very happy to have found a really amazing property there.

Our website is still a bit “under construction”. We just transferred the website to a new company and updates/corrections are being worked on. Particularly our Membership Listing and getting the technical papers back on the website.

And one of the biggest projects completed this year was the revision of the NLGI Constitution, and the creation of a Policy Manual rather than By-Laws. There were many, many conference calls and full Board discussions before this was done, almost a year and a half! The purpose of a Policy Manual is to make some decisions about the operation of the NLGI to better serve our members. This is a fluid document, and will be updated after Board of Directors meetings, if applicable. Both of these documents will be in the Members Only area on the website (eventually, see above!).

On the radar for 2018 is a project that’s been discussed for quite some time. That is to get all of the technical papers that have been presented and published in The Spokesman (back to 1935), electronically available to our Members. Currently, technical papers going back to 1999 are available electronically. Additionally, make these papers searchable. NLGI is currently talking with outside companies who can help us accomplish this goal, so stay tuned for more information. If anyone has any suggestions to assist in this effort, please let me know.

Hopefully, you all saw the announcement that NLGI has resurrected its Research Grant Program. We are very excited to have gotten this off the ground again, thanks to Lisa Tocci, Gareth Fish and a host of other volunteers. We have received a great response in our first effort, be sure to watch for the announcement of the Grant recipient and of the next Grant opportunity.

In the effort to find a new Executive Director, the Board of Directors have formed a search committee. This committee in addition to the Executive Committee, have hired an Executive Search firm and will begin conducting interviews shortly. My official last day as the NLGI Executive Director was to be October 1, 2017, however, I have agreed to remain until the new Director is on board and trained. After that, I’ll still be around but behind the scene as a contracted Meetings Manager for NLGI through October 1, 2018.

I had no idea when I walked into the NLGI Headquarters Office my first day, August 3, 2003, I would be sitting here as the Executive Director writing my farewell President’s Podium 14 years later. I would like to thank the search committee (Barbara Bellanti, Bill Kersey and Richard Howell) and the Board of Directors that gave me this opportunity in 2007. It has been such an honor and privilege to have been a part of such an outstanding group of people. I have made so many friends, worked with some great people. And will miss you. I wish you all much success in the coming years.

Warm Regards, Kim Hartley