From the President                                                                              December 2005

Dear Members,

Last month, Debra Quinn, Christine Barber and I attended SHRM’s annual Leadership Conference in Washington, DC. Imagine the energy in a room filled with 1000 SHRM volunteer leaders from across the country (and some international visitors, as well)!   

It was an exciting and educational event. In addition to sessions focusing on the roles each of us fulfill in the chapter, we were able to network with our peers to talk about best practices and problem solving. Sue Meisinger, CEO of SHRM, reported that your national association now numbers, including students, over 210,000 members and 76,000 certified professionals. She also highlighted some of the association’s achievements and plans.

Please take the time to check out the annual report at www.shrm.org/annual. I think you will be amazed.

One of the key messages of the Leadership Conference was the importance of volunteers to the success of SHRM, both nationally and in our chapters. Volunteer members are the heart and soul of HRM. What can you gain from volunteering? What’s in it for you? Volunteering offers opportunities to:

• Develop leadership skills
• Expand speaking and communication skills
• Build a reputation and credentials in HR
• Increase your opportunities for networking and professional contacts…

...to name a few. Why not resolve in the New Year to share your time and talents with the chapter? Any committee would welcome help, but now the Program and Legislative committees are especially in need of additional members. Just let any Board member know of your interest, or contact us through this site.

Over the next few weeks, watch for two important communications. The first will be a ballot to approve a revision of our by-laws. It has been several years since the by-laws were updated, so this is a long overdue administrative task. The second will be a member survey which is the initial step in our marketing program. Each communication will include more details about the items, so please give them your attention.

As we close out the year, the members of the Board join me in wishing you and your family a joyous holiday season and a peaceful and prosperous New Year. See you in January,

Lynn P. Watterson, SPHR
President, Human Resource Management Association of Rhode Island
lynnwatterson@msn.com
(401) 738-3359
 

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