6 KEYNOTES JANUARY 2023 WWW.ALOA.ORG EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE W hat a year we have had here at ALOA! Through- out the pandem- ic, we saw a lot of changes to our operations, but we’ve con- tinued to adapt. Those adaptations have come not just in how we operate — such as new use of technology — but in the ac- tions and services we take as an associa- tion on behalf of our members. The greatest of those improvements the past year has perhaps been the formation of the International Association of Automo- tive Locksmiths (IAAL). It was exactly one year ago that I announced in my monthly column that ALOA was establishing this division and moving forward with orga- nizing it. We have since gotten IAAL off the ground running, formed its board and signed up members. Now, we are excited to announce there will be an IAAL convention in September 2023 in Kansas City. This is so exciting for our automotive members to have a specialized convention all their own, much like safe techs do with SAVTA’s SAFETECH Convention. Look for more information soon on the website and in Keynotes. If you’re inter- ested in teaching a class or have sugges- tions, please contact [email protected]. SAFETECH 2023 Another accomplishment we had last year was being able to return to holding the SAFETECH Convention after a two-year hiatus. It was so nice to be able to see ev- eryone and hold those classes again. We are now coming up on SAFETECH 2023, which will be held April 17-22 in Reno at the Atlantis Casino Resort. This is a new venue for us, and it’s going to be a great location for this event. SAFETECH registration is opening, and you can find online registration on www.aloamembers.org. On the Convention tab on SAVTA.org, you’ll find a full registration brochure with class descriptions, an events calendar and everything else you need to know about SAFETECH. The discounted early registration dead- line is March 24. Some classes always fill up, so register early to get your best chance of receiving your first picks. Don’t forget to reserve your room at the Atlantis as well. The cut-off date to reserve your room in the discounted block is March 22, and there is a link on the Convention tab on SAVTA.org to take you directly to their reservations page. ALOA 2023 Don’t forget to keep saving the date for ALOA 2023 as well. It may seem like it’s far off, but it will be here before you know it. We will be at the Hilton Orlando Au- gust 6-12. Stay tuned for class and event information in the coming months. On top of those three exciting conven- tions, we will continue to hold webinars and some in-person classes right here in Dallas at the ALOA Training Center. We have a calendar on ALOA.org that continues to be updated but you can al- ways contact [email protected] to learn about the latest classes as well. Thank you all for a great 2022, and I’m looking forward to seeing you all throughout 2023 at these wonderful events. It’s going to be another great year for ALOA — and for you as members! Mary A. May Executive Director [email protected] A Great Year Ahead for ALOA “Don’t forget to keep saving the date for ALOA 2023 as well. It may seem like it’s far off, but it will be here before you know it.”
