As I started my year as Chair, I shared with you three areas of focus: chapters and affiliates, the ISPE Foundation, and continued execution of our Strategic Plan.
During my tenure, I have attended and spoken at chapter events in the Greater Los Angeles area and the Carolina–South Atlantic region, and at affiliate events in the Philippines and Singapore. I have attended face-to-face meetings of the European Affiliate Council and Asia–Pacific Affiliate Council. I also had the pleasure of meeting with representatives from the China Center for Food and Drug International Exchange office in Beijing, where we were hosted by Mr. Bin Xue. At each of these events and meetings I have relished the opportunity to connect with chapter and affiliate leadership and members and learn what is most important to them as ISPE members.
I established a work group in North America to identify and implement some quick wins that would benefit local chapters and strengthen their connections with our international committees, such as our Communities of Practice. I am highly encouraged by their progress and I look forward to sharing the output of this group at the Annual Meeting in November.
Our foundation board, under the leadership of Mike Arnold with strong support from our ISPE staff, has been very active this year in establishing the foundation. Fund-raising is well underway, and we expect to identify the recipients of scholarships for full attendance at and travel to the 2018 ISPE Annual Meeting & Expo.
I have provided updates throughout the year on the progress of executing against our strategic plan. While we have achieved much success, we are always looking for areas to improve. Next year is the final year of our 2016–2019 plan, and as such we have started the process to update the plan for the next 3–5 years. We have engaged with many stakeholders to get a broad spectrum of input. We have connected with industry leaders who are at the forefront of leading innovation and change. We have reached out to constituents from our chapters, affiliates, committees, and communities. Our board, along with our ISPE staff, will meet in mid-September to assess the input from these channels. We expect to deliver a new strategic plan by the end of this year.
It has been a true honor and privilege to serve as Chair of ISPE this year. I have so many to thank for that I risk leaving some out—but here it goes: To our ISPE staff, you are dedicated, professional, and fun to work with. Thanks for all you do for our members and our society. To my fellow board members (past and present), I hold all of you in such high regard. I’m humbled to sit among you, much less serve as your chair. I have learned much from each of you and look forward to staying connected with each of you for years to come. To all of the volunteer leaders throughout our organization, your commitment to the society and your passion for what you do is remarkable. ISPE would not exist without you. To Bob Chew and Commissioning Agents, who have supported me with time and treasure to serve on ISPE’s board for the last seven years, I am forever grateful for the unwavering support you have offered throughout my tenure.
Finally, to my wife Ashley and children Carson and Bradley, thank you for allowing me to be away on weekends, miss family events, and for doing so with genuine support and robust encouragement.
