My last five years on the IMA Board of Directors have been a tremendously positive learning experience.  Along with my fellow board members, I have developed an understanding of how to keep going in the face of tough times, how to recover from missteps, refocus our management group and our executive team, and most recently, how to build on success and stretch to reach even greater goals.  Having served on the Board during these different environments, I can tell you that managing positive outcomes and progress beats the heck out of managing catastrophic issues, crisis, and worst of all, entropy.  In short, it is a great time to be a member of IMA - a time of prosperity, possibility and fantastic opportunity.

We are in the process of establishing an intensely positive forward-looking vision of how to optimize our effectiveness for our industry, our SIGs, and each individual member in the coming year and beyond. I am delighted to invite you to be part of our current opportunity to Dream BIG about where we want to go, and how we want to get there.

There are a number of ways you can participate.  If you would like to see your particular area of the industry grow, volunteer to work on a project, serve on a committee, or stand as a candidate to serve on the IMA or a SIG board of directors. If you want to better understand how your segment of the incentive industry is interwoven with other areas, consider attending the upcoming IMA Summit July 24-26. Register RIGHT AWAY to enjoy our tremendous deal for Disney Resort room nights at a fraction of normal rates!  Better still, come in to the Summit a little early to take the Principles of Result-Based Incentives course, and the exam for the Incentive Professional certification.

There is another, VERY IMPORTANT contribution that ONLY YOU CAN MAKE!  Your board of directors is currently updating the IMA Strategic Plan, and needs your input on the elements and strategies that will be included in the Strategic Plan design.  To understand your personal perspective and what is or is not working for you that we might address as part of the new plan, I am asking every member of IMA to take a moment to fill out the IMA Member Survey that you recently received.  Your answers will be a major contributor in guiding the discussions of focus groups and the board of directors as we identify how to capitalize on strengths and address weaknesses within the association to produce more of the results that will best serve our members.

I have a few reminders for you:

• Registration for the Summit is moving forward at a record-breaking pace, and availability of rooms at the fabulous Disney's Grand Floridian Hotel and Spa for the tremendous rate of only $209 per night will be sold out soon; this rate is ONLY valid for people registered to attend Summit, so get registered for the Summit and reserve your room as soon as you can!
• If you are interested in serving on the IMA Board of Directors, your nomination form must be received at IMA offices by the close of business on April 28th.

I wish each of you a prosperous Spring!

Sean Roark, CPIM
Vice President, Incentive Programs
PromoPros/IncentPros, Inc.
President, IMA

About the Board of Director Position:
Board members serve a three year term and are eligible for reelection after that period. A board member must serve one year before they are eligible to serve as an officer.

Director Responsibilities & Expectations:

• Attend three to four board meetings per year
• Participate on a committee or task force
• Attend the annual Summit
• Spend the average four hours per month on IMA related business

A newly elected board member will be invited to attend the July board meeting just before the Summit, and will be sworn in during the conference.

To nominate yourself as a candidate, fill out this Director Candidate Form.

Deadline to apply is Friday, April 28, 2017.

It will also be distributed at a variety of trade shows including the IMEX show, ASI show, and PPAI Expo, reaching hundreds of potential customers.

Click here for more information and to reserve your ad space today!

Development of the education line-up is underway and the full schedule will be released in early May.  See a teaser of the education offerings with our Disney Keynote: Disney's Approach to Quality Service.