In my new role as APPA's Executive Vice President this past year, I have enjoyed the opportunity to meet a great number of members at regional, state, and local chapter meetings. I continue to be impressed with the quality of the people that have chosen to actively engage in their growth and development through their professional association affiliation. This direct contact continues to give me valuable feedback and insight on your needs and issues, and a clearer understanding of the direction of the profession.

I was also pleased to see your active participation in our most recent Member Opinion Survey. Indeed, you reconfirmed the fact that over your many years of service to the profession you have remained loyal and dedicated members of APPA because of the educational opportunities, the opportunity to network with valuable colleagues, and the availability of and access to quality research, data and information about the profession. These reasons are certainly in alignment with an association's overarching purpose to provide education, research and recognition. In this regard, I would like to highlight a few of APPA's past accomplishments, present activities and future directions.

Education

The positive response to the redesign of the Institute for Facilities Management through burgeoning attendance and excellent evaluations has been tremendous. Yet as more members complete the Institute, which serves to deliver the body of knowledge for the practice of facilities management, it has become essential in today's fast-paced, rapidly changing world that our members seek the skills for effective "leadership" as well. Luckily we are ahead of the curve. Much work has gone into the development of APPA's new Professional Leadership Center (PLC) academies which consists of three, one-week programs beginning with Individual Effectiveness Skills, moving to Organizational Leadership Skills, and the capstone, Professional Leadership Skills. And, if you so choose, the Individual Effectiveness Skills program can be delivered locally at your institution for all of your supervisory, management, and leadership staff. We have done this successfully at two institutions thus far.

The Speaker's Bureau (formally the PETS program) is now up and running on APPA's website (www.appa.org). A number of nationally renowned speakers are available across a myriad of topics, all searchable by keyword(s). Take advantage of the opportunity to develop a locally delivered, low-cost seminar by using this service. Know anyone who should be listed as a speaker? We would love to hear from you to add names to the list.

Utilities deregulation is upon us. APPA/ NACUBO/ DOE-RBA/EPRI successfully sponsored a state-based Executive Briefing on Resource Reallocation-Utilities Strategic Assessment (RR-USA) in Ohio this past April. Please let us know if an RR-USA Executive Briefing would be of value in your state. Look for programs available soon on the same topic to be delivered regionally/geographically. In addition, we are pleased to announce the publication of the first in a planned series of books on energy and utilities management—The Metering Guide for Managers, written by Dr. Mohammad H. Qayoumi of the University of Missouri/Rolla.

Research

Costs and staffing guidelines tops the list of needs expressed by the membership time and time again. Our desire is to create a "trilogy" of staffing guidelines for these core maintenance management responsibilities: custodial operations, technical trades, and grounds maintenance. The second revised edition of the custodial staffing guidelines is already in print. Both the Technical Trades and Grounds Maintenance task force members have been appointed, meetings have been held, and progress is being made for a future publication in both these important maintenance management areas.

The 1997 98 Comparative Costs and Staffing survey (CCAS) was available on APPA's website as a downloadable file for you to fill out and return to the APPA office. As a special incentive, we offered the printed version of the final report "free" to all participants. We will also make the data and information available on disk so you can generate your own reports.

The Strategic Assessment Model (SAM) has been rejuvenated and a new book has recently been published. This publication resource will provide you with immediate information to apply to your institution's strategy for continuous improvement.

We have also worked with several business partners to deliver on-line surveys for statistical data collection on such topics as capital renewal/deferred maintenance, outsourcing, and construction and renovation projects. Look for articles in Facilities Manager or on APPANet for updates and a summary of current findings.

Recognition

We have reformatted the criteria and evaluation processes for both the Facilities Management Evaluation Program (FMEP) and the Award for Excellence in Facilities Management (AFE). A new section has also been added to recognize innovations and effective practices.

For the first time, this year we have introduced a new award, the Pacesetter Award, that was presented to "up and coming" facilities professionals at the Cincinnati annual meeting. Look for these award recipients at your regional meetings, congratulate them, and consider whom you might nominate next year.

Detailed criteria for the final component of the Professional Leadership Center's (PLC) long-awaited "Fellow" designation has been approved by the APPA Board. We anticipate that a brochure describing this new form of recognition will be available at the fall regional meetings.

So where do we go from here? You helped us recognize that it was time to revisit the strategic/long-range plan for APPA to provided needed direction for our programs and services that are clearly in direct support of the facilities profession as we enter the 21st century. In essence, you began the process of reevaluation and update of APPA's strategic plan when you responded to the Member Opinion Survey last year. Clearly, your overarching expectation of APPA is to increase the awareness, visibility, and credibility of the facilities profession with senior institutional officers and across the industry as a whole.

To do this we must: 1) deliver high-quality information and education (experiences) concerning the present and future of the profession; 2) provide access to knowledge that stems from quality research grounded in comprehensive data collection and information derived from effective practices in the industry; 3) establish legislative ties with the federal government and its regulatory agencies; 4) stay abreast and informed of the newest/emerging technologies; and 5) continuously improve communication to and between members. This feedback and more to follow will form the basis of our planned review and update of APPA's strategic plan this coming year.

In closing I want to emphasize that I am most appreciative of the opportunity to serve you, the members of this fine association, and I look forward with renewed vigor and enthusiasm to the opportunity to do so in the coming year.