3 www.savta.org November/December 2023 | SAFE & VAULT TECHNOLOGY PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE I ’m writing this in early October. It seems like I just fin- ished writing the last president’s message, yet here we are. Let me tell you a little about the SAVTA Advisory Board. By being elected to the Advisory Board, we take on certain in- dividual duties assigned by the president and consensus of the board. At the SAF- ETECH convention, the board is really put to work by unloading the trucks, help- ing behind the scenes wherever needed, working the various parts of the trade show and a lot more. A whole lot more. Now, let me tell you a little about be- ing the SAVTA president. Once you’re elected as president by the SAVTA Ad- visory Board, you take on all the duties of delegating when necessary. However, there is a lot that cannot be delegated. The SAVTA president is automatically a director on the ALOA SPAI Board of Directors. So in addition to the SAVTA Advisory Board meetings held multiple times a year, there are multiple ALOA Board meetings to attend. A lot of time is devoted to seeing that the associations are running smoothly. Additionally, there are duties associated with the Safe & Vault Technology magazine and article issues, technical support, coordination with the ALOA staff (especially the education de- partment) and much more. While planning SAFETECH 2024, it’s my duty to join Kelly Parker, the ALOA convention manager, at the venue in Tul- sa, OK. We meet with the hotel and con- vention staff, check out the classrooms and meeting rooms, examine the docks, look into the caterers, plan the Kick-Off Party and, again, much more. The sole purpose is to make your experience at the convention and trade show the most enjoyable possible. The “But” But! Yeah, there is always a “but.” We need your help to make the SAFETECH conventions a success: Tell us what classes you want or need. Help us find vendors for the trade show. We need you to provide material for the Friends of SAVTA Live Auction. We need you to attend classes, go to seminars, participate in the Swap Meet, bid on auction items, attend the Kick-Off Party and visit every booth at the trade show. Only then will SAFETECH be a success — and we need SAFETECH 2024 to be a resounding success. Why, you might ask, does it need to be a resounding success? Because SAF- ETECH 2023 lost tens of thousands of dollars. We can’t afford to have that hap- pen again, or SAFETECH conventions as we now know them may end up dis- appearing forever. So, what is your SAVTA Board doing about it? We’re looking at the financials and other statistics. We are examining the minutest details. We are looking into every aspect of the conventions, planning, coordinating and more. At times, it seems like a daunting task. But I think — with your support — we can get it done. Plan on being at SAFETECH 2024 in Tulsa. Oh, and don’t forget that Route 66 runs through Tulsa. Come and get your kicks. Gene Gyure, CRL, CAI President Help Make SAFETECH 2024 a Success “We need your help to make the SAFETECH conventions a success: Tell us what classes you want or need. ”
