6 Keynotes December 2024 aloa.org Mary A. May Executive Director [email protected] EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE Education is at the cornerstone of everything ALOA does, and that shows in how we use our resources. A Look Back at 2024 I T’S BEEN A GOOD YEAR HERE AT ALOA SPAI. We had two fantastic, successful conven- tions in 2024, and we’ve made some positive changes in ALOA Education that have ben- efited members. At SAFETECH 2024 and ALOA 2024, atten- dance was up, and we held new classes at each convention. Additionally, this year saw the return of free evening seminars for convention attendees. We had so much interest at SAFETECH that we had to call in volunteer instructors to assist! At the ALOA Convention, we had up to seven seminars in one evening, which is incredible. This is one way we’ve added value for those attending conventions — free education! Education is at the cornerstone of everything ALOA does, and that shows in how we use our resources. But education also is a source of income for ALOA through class and certification fees. In addition to bringing in the more than $366,000 in convention education income this year, ALOA SPAI had nearly $230,000 in other education income. This came from things like PRP testing, the AFDI program, the Fundamentals courses in Dallas and other such areas. We continue to reduce expenses so we can offer more programs and increased member services. Membership Renewals As the end of the year approaches, don’t forget to renew your membership! Renewals can be done online at www.aloamembers.org and are due by December 31 and. Log in to see and pay your invoice. If you need assistance or have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] or (214) 819-9733. We are always happy to help. Don’t forget to send in your ALOA board elec- tions nomination forms! See pages 21 and 22 for more information and the form. In 2025, we will be electing the president and the Southeast, North Central, Southwest and Associate directors. For ALOA to serve its members best, we rely on the active, engaged involvement of its board mem- bers in steering the association. If you’re passionate about the future of the industry and want to help shape it, consider running for an open position if you’re eligible. This is your association, so why not be a bigger part of it? If you can’t run at this time, consider getting more involved in other ways: Ask to join a committee, teach a class, or volunteer at a convention. Or per- haps you’d like to send us concrete ideas on possible new programs or benefits. Get in touch with us at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you. I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday season! Thank you so much for your support, and we look forward to seeing you all in 2025.
