6 KEYNOTES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 WWW.ALOA.ORG EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE I f you’re reading this, then you’ve likely noticed that this is a combined February/March magazine issue, and you may be wondering why. I wanted to share some information with you to help clarify the situation. Many businesses and organizations suffered financially during and after the pandemic, and ALOA SPAI has been no different. We cut costs, moved to online board meetings and adapted some mem- ber services to be more digital — including starting to offer more webinars. Many of our new ways of doing business have been quite successful and a positive change for the association and its members. While we shifted gears and adapted to the changing environment over the past nearly four years, some things remained out of our control. One of them is that while we changed our operations, many other businesses did as well. As we all know, rising prices in various areas have affected us all. Additionally, we were un- able to hold one ALOA Convention and two SAFETECH Conventions, and con- ventions have been slow to return to the level they were pre-pandemic. That’s not just for ALOA and SAVTA — this is for conventions across all industries. As a result, we have faced a revenue shortfall. While we hope that this is tem- porary, it’s important to address it now. Where Does That Bring Us? Last fall, the board discussed various ways to cut expenses in the short term. One expense we pinpointed for inves- tigation was the printing and mailing of Keynotes. We discussed moving to a digital-only magazine, but we ultimate- ly decided not to do so after polling our members. We know that the magazine is a huge member benefit, and most of you prefer receiving a printed magazine. The board decided that combining two issues would be the best way forward. This way, members still receive Keynotes in their preferred format, and each issue still has the same amount of content. It’s so important to us that we keep providing members with the benefits that are most important to them, and that’s something we will always strive to do. However, none of this means that ALOA SPAI is in immediate financial trouble. We still have proceeds from the sale of the headquarters in the bank, and we continue to bring in new members each month. But, for now, we must lower some costs so we can be positioned for the future. We ask for your help — through bringing in new members and supporting ALOA Conventions and education — so ALOA will continue to be a driving force in the industry for years to come. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to a great 2024. Membership Renewals and Board Elections Remember to renew your membership if you have not yet done so. We don’t want you to lose your member benefits — and especially with convention registration coming up! The discount on that alone can pay for your membership. Also, we have ALOA SPAI board elec- tions coming up in May, and your nom- ination forms are due March 1. Please consider running for an open position and helping to shape the future of the association. It’s so important to have in- volved members, and this is a great way to be a bigger part of ALOA. You can get the form in the December 2023 issue of Keynotes, and you can also contact mem- [email protected] for a form and more information. Mary A. May Executive Director [email protected] Looking to the Future “While we shifted gears and adapted to the changing environment, some things remained out of our control.”
