Season’s greetings
Pictured above: members of the 2018-2019 IABC international executive board (IEB)
Happy holidays from the international executive board and IABC staff! We hope that wherever you are, and however you celebrate, the season is full of fun, family and friends.
 
The holiday season is magical. Anything feels possible. For an instant, the world slows its pace and you can take a moment to reflect, to feel more connected.
 
Our wonderful staff has compiled a Spotify playlist of songs they loved in 2018. As the new year approaches, download or stream it for fun and listen to the past as you prepare for the future.
 
And whether you're surrounded by snow, palm trees or something in between, Happy New Year! The coming year is going to be great for our members, and I’m so excited about what is just around the corner.
 
Take care, safe travels and thank you for the opportunity to serve.
Time is almost up to enter the new pop-up awards for Leadership Institute
The last day to enter the brand-new pop-up awards for Most Instagrammable Event and Best “Lazy Leader” Implementation is 31 December, at 11:59 p.m. PST. Entries will be voted on by attendees at the 2019 Leadership Institute (LI) in February.
Have you registered for #IABCLI yet?
The 2019 Leadership Institute is heading back to Long Beach, California, on 7–9 February, and the hotel block is selling out three times faster than last year. Don’t miss these important registration deadlines:
●       Register for LI (online registration deadline is 16 January) 
●       Book a room at the Hotel Maya at the IABC group rate of US$224 per night (deadline 16 January)
 
Certification exams at LI
The Global Communication Certification Council (GCCC) will be offering the Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP) and Communication Management Professional (CMP) exams at 9 a.m. PST on 7 February at LI. The deadline to apply to take an exam is 9 January, and the deadline to register for an exam is 30 January. Learn more about how to apply and/or register on the GCCC website.
Finance reports due 15 February
Each year, IABC chapters are required to submit a finance report to be included in the IABC group tax return. Please submit the following to leader_centre@iabc.com by 15 February:
 
●       2019 finance report form


●       PDF of your 31 December 2018 bank statement with balance shown
What’s happening at IABC?
Upcoming events
7 February 2019
Long Beach, California

7 – 9 February 2019
Long Beach, California
11 – 12 February 2019
Manama, Bahrain

9 – 12 June 2019
Vancouver, British Columbia
Ginger D. Homan, ABC, SCMP
IABC Chair