Seven months ago, a dedicated group of Craftsmen representing a cross section of our association, put their heads together with the help of some forty hours of group conference calls and an already completed visioning plan to formulate a business plan to reshape our association.

That business plan was recently presented on a historic sea cruise convention to Alaska. That convention was historic in more ways than one.

Club delegates voted overwhelmingly in favor of accepting that business plan. In so doing, they were the last club delegates to vote on association business. The reason they are the last is they voted (among other things) to; allow a member elected Board of Directors to henceforth look after the business of the association. At first glance this may seem radical, but in reality, we as citizens don't vote on every issue our elected civic or national representatives discuss. We elect them to look after the day-to-day business of state. If we don't agree with them, we vote for someone else.

Our association will now be run in similar fashion. From now on, every single member will have a say in how our association is run as opposed to one delegate from each club.

There are many changes planned for the coming months. Here are just a few:

• Our districts will be reorganized into regions
• Our clubs will now be called Chapters
• The international association will now be communicating directly with all of our members
• We will offer many new products and services like "peer groups" and new networking opportunities, certification programs and even web-based seminars
• We will be setting up strategic alliances with other trade associations
• We have struck a committee to rewrite our policies and bylaws
• We are reinventing how we run our meetings and how we run convention's

It is an exciting time for our association. We have a large group of enthusiastic members ready, willing and able to work in accomplishing these far reaching goals. The end result of these changes will be that you, as members, will be getting more for your membership, and as members, you will be proud to belong and enthusiastic about inviting your friends and peers in the industry to join your chapter and your association.

As of this moment we exist to connect and educate our members and the Global graphic community fostering their growth and success. We will provide our members with Connection, Information, Personal
Growth and Association Development.

You are now members of the IAPHC, The Graphic Professionals' Resource Network.

I wish our new Board of Directors, our new Vice Presidents, all the committee volunteers, all of our Chapters and all of you, the members, a productive and successful year. I will have regular progress reports for you in the coming months.

Yours in Craftsmanship,
Norm Belanger
IAPHC International Chairman
Email: njbcomm@candw.ky