WWW.ALOA.ORG JANUARY 2024 KEYNOTES 35 Get Published! IAIL members: Submit your articles for the Investigative Spotlight department. Send your information to Ross Squire at [email protected]. INVESTIGATIVE SPOTLIGHT The Benefits of IAIL Membership T he new year is time for reappraisals and new beginnings. So, let’s start this month with asking ourselves why we should be members of IAIL. And, more generally, why do we bother joining associations at all? Why do each of us, and so many others, take on the expense and invest the time away from our family, business and leisure to commune with other like-minded professionals? There are lots of reasons and arguments for membership, but let’s concentrate on the most important reasons to join IAIL. 1 Professional Education. IAIL can help you learn, understand and become a pro- fessional in one of the most refined niche areas of our industry. 2 Professional Certification and Advancement. Once you work toward, attain and maintain your Certified Forensic Locksmith credential, you join an elite group of professionals in a uniquely specialized field. Did you know there are fewer than 40 current CFLs? Join IAIL and attain your CFL — you’ve truly demonstrated your professional commitment, achievement and credibility. You’ve distinguished your- self and your business from others. 3 Remuneration ($$$!). In this specialized field, you can be well compensated for your time and investment. 4 Networking. Professional success today can depend more than ever on having a network of colleagues to help support your activities. You will find all sorts of diverse IAIL members willing to share ideas, experience, expertise and resources when you need it. 5 It’s interesting and fun. IAIL and forensic locksmithing can introduce you to people and work in all sorts of different directions that you may never have antici- pated — areas that you can define for yourself. Like and know automotive, safes, life safety or fire doors? Combine one of those specializations with investigations, report writing, photography and legal procedures, and you have something that can get you excited about going to work for again! 6 Give back. Association membership is not just about what you receive. It is also about the sense of satisfaction you get from what you can give back to others and your industry. What did I miss? Please let me know your thoughts about the benefits from IAIL and Association membership. If you’re interested in joining or want to know more, please feel free to reach out to me or email [email protected]. Happy and prosperous New Year to everyone! Clyde T. Roberson, CML, AHC, CPP, CMST, CFMST, AMKS, President, Inter- national Association of Investigative Locksmiths, [email protected] “Professional success today can depend more than ever on having a network of colleagues to help support your activities.”
