I would like to thank the members of IFMA Atlanta for the opportunity to serve as your President for the next year. You have my promise that I will work diligently to continue the progress made by Christy Lowell, our outgoing President, who we all owe many thanks for her selfless work to an organization that she is very passionate about.
Your new Board of Directors have been working since April on making sure that there is a smooth transition between the outgoing and incoming Boards. I am very excited about the quality of Board Members who will be serving with me and the vast experience that they bring to the table.
We have taken a hard look at the membership survey that Christy conducted during her tenure and we discussed a lot of issues at the Strategic Planning Meeting that was held at Milliken in May. As a result, we are revamping our calendar of events to better meet your needs and interests. We are going to a quarterly rotation that will focus on tours, social events and educational opportunities that meet your specific needs. We had seen a decline at our normal monthly luncheons and felt that we could still provide exceptional educational topics that focus on IFMA’s core competencies, but do it a manner that maximizes your time away from the office without jeopardizing the quality that you have come to expect from IFMA Atlanta!
We will not be meeting in July and our first meeting of the year will be the much anticipated tour of the Porsche Facility in Hapeville. Tom Haslach and Jason Haner have done a wonderful job putting this event together. Attendance is limited so please register early. This event is limited to Facility Managers and you can go to the website to register.
Another area that we are focusing on are more opportunities for networking events for our members. I strongly believe that one of the greatest benefits of IFMA Atlanta is the relationships that are built by being actively involved in our association.
I have also streamlined our organizational chart so that the Board of Directors and Committee Chairs can be more responsive to the membership. I would like to encourage you to get involved in a committee if you are not already serving. This is the best way to get connected and learn what IFMA Atlanta has to offer. I know you hear that serving is the best way to get more out of IFMA Atlanta, but it is absolutely true.
In closing, I would like to thank you all again for the opportunity to serve as President of an organization that represents some of the finest industry professionals that you will find anywhere. Working together and sharing ideas is one of the best ways to make all our jobs a little easier, stay on the cutting edge of new trends and having some fun while we are at it. See you at the Porsche tour.
Machelle Pellegrini
President
IFMA Atlanta
