6 KEYNOTES JANUARY 2024 WWW.ALOA.ORG EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE W hat a great 2023 we had here at A L OA SPA I . There was a lot to be proud of, most notably the IAAL Auto Lock Expo’s in- augural event. Establishing an automo- tive division was a long time coming, and being able to hold a convention just for our automotive locksmiths was an amaz- ing experience. A big thank you to IAAL President Ed Woods, the IAAL board and ALOA staff who helped organize and make the convention a success. Of course, we had our challenges as well. Early in 2023, we lost Education Manager Jim Hancock, who had been on staff for many years. He made such an impact on our organization and was well loved among all. He is sorely missed. With his passing, the Education De- partment was stretched thin, and we knew we needed to bring in a new per- son to help fill his shoes. Well, instead of one great new leader, we got two: Direc- tor of Education William M. Lynk, CML, CPS, ICML, CMIL, CAI, M.Ed., and As- sociate Director of Education John K. Hubel, CML, ICML, CMIL, M.Ed. They are both stalwarts of education and bring in so many years of teaching experience and industry expertise. They are already making an impact on the department, and we look forward to seeing where they take ALOA Education in the near future. SAFETECH Convention SAFETECH 2024 registration is open- ing this month. You’ll see the brochure included within the pages of this issue of the magazine, and we will have full class descriptions posted online as well. On- line registration will be opening up soon, so look for it on www.aloamembers.org this month! We will be in Tulsa, OK, April 22-27 at the Hyatt Regency Tulsa Downtown. This is a new venue for us, and we are excited to be going to a new central-U.S. location. Downtown Tulsa is a really nice area, and there’s a lot of restaurants within walk- ing distance. You’ll see in the brochure pages that there are classes for all skill levels at SAF- ETECH this year. If you’ve ever thought about getting into safe and vault work, this is the perfect opportunity to learn and explore. The people who attend are always so helpful to newcomers as well, and it would be easy to find a mentor. Our instructors are also the best in the industry, so you know you’ll be learning the right way. Be sure to register by March 29 for the early-bird pricing, and reserve your ho- tel room by then as well to get a room at the group rate. For any questions, email [email protected]. And if you have a business, booths are still available at the Trade Show! Contact Kelly Parker at [email protected]. ALOA 2024 Don’t forget to keep saving the date for ALOA 2024 as well. It may seem like it’s a long time from now, but it will be here before you know it. We will be back at the South Point Hotel & Casino July 22- 28. (Note the two weekend Security Expo days!) This is the same venue we were at two years ago, and it was a great one for us. Look for more information online and in Keynotes about ALOA 2024 over the coming months. Keep saving those dates! Thank you all for a great 2023, and I can’t wait to see where this year takes ALOA SPAI. With your participation as members, there’s no limit to where we can go. Thank you for being a part of this wonderful association. Mary A. May Executive Director [email protected] Looking Forward to 2024 “If you’ve ever thought about getting into safe and vault work, this is the perfect opportunity to learn and explore.”
