PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

HELP STEER YOUR ORGANIZATION

Our board of directors recently resumed in-person meetings. While Zoom meetings sufficed in the interim, there is no replacement for the dialogue and feedback we get from in-person board meetings.

A little background on how this process works. First, IA&B staff is constantly looking for member agents that are willing to serve and able to provide the perspective we need as a board director. During our constant interactions with our members, we “build a bench” of those individuals who have future potential as a director. It’s from this bench that we then officially elect our board of directors – 11 directors from Pennsylvania, four from Maryland, and three from Delaware (based on the ratio of member agents in each of our three states). The board is lead by a chair and a vice chair, resulting in a 20-person board of directors for IA&B.

The board meets four times a year, over the course of two days for each meeting. Rest assured, these meetings are not the rubber-stamp variety. Over two days, the board and IA&B staff navigate a full agenda of strategic items, all geared towards providing IA&B staff the direction needed to deliver quality programs and services to our members. We do not vote at the IA&B board meetings – we find that arcane and divisive. Instead, we constantly seek consensus – meaning that each and every director is comfortable with a decision and formal action to be taken.

The constant question the board operates on during these meetings is, “[d]o we have adequate knowledge and understanding about our members’ wants, needs, and preferences that is relevant to the decision?” Any discussion item, or decision point, revolves around this. IA&B prides ourselves on putting our members’ interest first and foremost, and this begins with our board meetings.

To that point, we included a directory of our board in this publication and on our website. Our directors fully expect to hear from membership. Please reach out to your board of directors and provide them the comments, feedback, and concerns that will help them perform their duties.

IA&B is your organization, and it is steered by your board of directors. These volunteers are integral to our operation. Whether you have interest in serving as a director (please reach out to me) or you want to provide valuable feedback to our directors, take advantage.

Best,

Jason F. Ernest

President & CEO