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| F R O M T H E D E S K O F L I Z R I C H A R D S |
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New Year, New Look
This is the time of year when we welcome new members to the MHEDA Board of Directors. Prior to assuming office, MHEDA hosts a Nominee Orientation Meeting for incoming directors and for the new MBOA (Manufacturers Board of Advisors) appointee. We are delighted to include the following new Directors on MHEDA's Board: Ken Shaw III, President, Fred Hill and Son Co. (Philadelphia, PA); Jerry Weidmann, COO, Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp. (Brookfield, WI); and David Reder, President, OKI Systems Limited (Cincinnati, OH). Joining the MBOA is Colin Wilson, COO, NACCO Materials Handling Group (Greenville, NC).
| MHEDA's nominating process begins in May of each year. An article is published in The MHEDA Connection asking interested members to contact the Nominating Chairman. Additionally, current Board Members are asked to submit names of individuals who have expressed an interest in serving. The list of potential nominees is reviewed based on the following criteria: |
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| The goal is for MHEDA's Board to mirror the demographics of the membership, ensuring that there is representation from each industry segment, company size and geographical region. |
Once a list of potential nominees has been compiled, the Nominating Chair/Immediate Past President of MHEDA conducts a phone interview with the proposed nominee. The Nominating Chair explains the commitment required and gains a better understanding of the individual's ability and willingness to serve. In addition to two Board meetings a year, Board members are also required to attend Convention and participate in committee meetings throughout the year. Board members are not reimbursed for travel expenses, so a significant financial contribution is required in addition to the time commitment. Position description statements are provided at every level, including those for officers, directors, committee members, committee chairs, Executive Committee liaisons and staff liaisons. It is an inherent part of MHEDA's Strategic Planning Process that the association operates symbiotically with the Board and staff, working in concert to plan and execute programs.
Similar to the Board profile, the MBOA is also representative of each industry segment. The Mission of the MBOA is to act as the voice of the Supplier/Associate members to the Board of Directors of MHEDA in order to maximize the value of being a member by offering guidance regarding membership development and program content for the benefit of all members. We thank each Board and MBOA member for their continued support and dedication to the association!
This year brings a few exciting changes to MHEDA. The association Web site, www.mheda.org, has been updated with a new look and new navigation tools to ensure that you have comprehensive and accessible information available at your fingertips. The MHEDA Connection has a new look that complements the Web site changes. The magazine feature “News from Vernon Hills” has been renamed as “Spotlight On...”.
We are also delighted to announce that a new staff member has been hired at MHEDA. Susan Freibrun joins MHEDA as Education and Meetings Manager, bringing over 20 years of meeting and course development experience to the association. AnnaMaria Kendall, MHEDA's former Education Manager, will be assuming a new role as Manager of Marketing Communications. And last but never least, we look forward to working with John Maybury as MHEDA's 2006 President and extend our gratitude to 2005 President Dave Griffith for his year of service. Best wishes to all of you for a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!
