Vice Views

Fellow members of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter:

Greetings to all and welcome to August! The months are flying by and your Executive Council is already thinking well ahead into next year. As some of you may have heard, Ken Fauth, CPP, who as the 2002 Chapter Secretary, has been keeping us all informed on what has been happening in the Chapter through his very thorough and concise minutes, has elected to pack his bags (and his furniture) to head for warmer territories. Ken will continue to perform in his current role until the end of the term in December, and for that, we are very appreciative. It is not an easy job, and Ken is always on time with all of his deliverables.

In addition, our Chapter Chair, Ms. Connie Vaughn, who has presided over what I would consider one of the best years for the Chapter, will also be leaving us at the end of the year to relocate to another position outside of the Bay Area. She has spent countless hours arranging for and coordinating some of the highest quality meetings and events, and we have experienced some of the best participation by members that we have seen in quite some time. I want to be the first to say how much I appreciate their dedication and service to the Chapter and the Society. They have both done excellent jobs for us and will be dearly missed here in the SF Bay Area. We hope they will continue to participate with us and visit us when they can.

At our Executive Council meeting earlier today, on the agenda prepared by Connie, were a number of forward looking issues, such as preparation for the nomination and election of the 2003 Chapter Officers and Committee Chair. I would like to take a few moments to explain the process and encourage your participation.

As outgoing Chapter Chair, Connie Vaughn is also the Chair of the Nominating Committee for 2003. We will be, very soon, soliciting members to volunteer their time to fill some of these positions. They include Chapter Secretary and Chapter Treasurer, both Executive Council Positions. Based on past Chapter practice, Patrick Sharkey CPP will move to Vice Chair and yours truly is slotted to assume responsibility as Chapter Chair.

Then we have our committees and committee chairs, and these are some very big shoes to fill. I will not name them all, but they are things like the Law Enforcement Appreciation Event (in which planning has already begun for the 2003 event), the Golf Tournament, and the Security Officer Appreciation Event. Plus others like Legislative Liaison, Membership Chair and Placement. I can go on and on, but you get the idea. We do a ton of stuff, besides having fun at places like the Annual Seminar and Exhibits, which by the way, had two or three chair people, besides all of the volunteers.

These are not jobs where you sit at meetings and that’s all you have to do, either. All of the council members and volunteers work very hard to bring quality programs to the membership and to support the ongoing security education and development of our members. Many put in very long hours, and their rewards have been in the increased participation and enthusiasm, which we are currently enjoying. Now we need to ensure that the trend continues.

We cannot do this, of course, without dedicated professionals who are willing to give up some of their valuable time in support of the profession and the association. When I was told that “volunteering” for the Executive Council meant a 4-year commitment, I have to tell you I was depressed. But I did it, because I needed the points to maintain my CPP certification. When I joined up though, I was committed to trying to make a difference and to improve the quality of the programs. Now, in my second year, I am very thrilled to be here, and to be participating in what I view to be a renewed sense of mission for the Chapter, and also a renewed energy, because everyone else around me feels the same way as I do. We have donated significantly to the Bay Area and the Country, through contributions to local charitable organizations, and post 9/11 to the September 11th fund. We were fortunate to have a Chapter member receive support for her CPP endeavors, have a CPP study group in progress, and we are a significant contributor to the ASIS Foundation. Our website has received awards, and consistently wins the Newsletter of the Year award.

We have BIG shoes to fill, thanks to those dedicated people who preceded us but we also have an incredible opportunity in the current world situation to make real contributions to the security of our companies and our communities. Plus we have the funds to back it up. None of this would be possible by ourselves, and of course, none of it will happen unless more of YOU take the time to make the difference.

I have been very impressed by the new faces I have seen get involved this year, and I am constantly encouraged by the number of emails and comments I see and hear from people who want to be more involved. The time is now to do just that – there is still much more to do and much more to become involved in. I have many ideas, and want to hear yours.

Please express your interest in becoming a leader and contributor to the Chapter and our members, and encourage your peers to become involved as well. There is a place in the Chapter for all who wish to participate, and as far as I am concerned, the more the merrier. The only criteria is that you have to be committed to making a difference, and not afraid to be involved. Persons who are interested or who would like to nominate someone, should send an email to chair@sfasis.org.

I look forward to seeing you at the 9th Annual Larry Marshall Golf Tournament next week at the Spring Valley Golf Course in Milpitas. I also look forward to working with you all in the very near future. As always, your feedback and comments are appreciated.

Sincerely,
Brad Minnis CPP
Vice Chair SFBA Chapter
vicechair@sfasis.org