President’s Message

I want to welcome you all to 2021! What differences a year makes. But we made it! We worked together and accomplished what we thought last year was the impossible. Well, we put our best foot forward, and you did too, and together we explored the virtual world we call CMworld .

Now, this virtual world was no easy task to get up and running. It required extensive work just to build it. Then it required even more extensive work getting you all trained on how to walk and talk in the world. But I can say that even the skeptical found it advantageous. We received so many positive statements from managers and industry partners. Someone even found the virtual pot of gold under the rainbow at the SoCal Law Seminar!

But, when it’s all said and done, our primary goal is to identify and implement ways that provide you ALL an opportunity to engage together. We had well over 1,000 people attend both Law Seminars in the virtual platform. Putting aside some technical challenges, I think we accomplished the goal of engagement. Now we look forward to the next opportunity for engagement.

Virtual Platforms vs. In-Person Events

There are a lot of differing opinions and discussions on how and when to come back to live events. We all hear and read the same reports. After all, this is a worldwide pandemic. But there is no better way to have an intimate conversation, to get to know your colleague or one of the amazing industry partners ready to help you, than in-person. So, we pivot again.

While we will continue to offer classes, courses and training inside the virtual platform, we are also starting to plan in-person events, which take months of planning. Our first in-person event is the Executive Leadership Summit being held in May at the Loews Coronado Resort. This event is being planned with all the respective guidelines and restrictions in place now and at the time of the event. We are also planning on a couple of one-day expo events that will include morning education, lunch, followed by an in-person Expo Hall, and ending the day with a networking event that will include a casual Vision Awards ceremony.

Look, it’s been a tough 2020 and start to 2021, for everyone. We know that! We want to help in any and every way we can. If you have a specific need or require special assistance, please share it with us. If you have an idea to help keep everyone engaged, share it with us!

We are striving to come back bigger and better than years past. Together, nothing can hold us down or stop us from working together. We’re here for you.

I look forward to seeing you, literally, in the coming months. Until then, chin up and keep moving forward.

Thomas Freeley, CAMEx, CCAM, President & CEO