Wow, what a year 2009 was…a year that challenged many of us to achieve a higher level of professionalism and knowledge. The Board members of SVBTA knew in 2009 that we had to be a part of that challenge and took our duty to our members very seriously. We quickly developed a plan of action that immediately went into play.
While many organizations began cutting back on spending, we increased our budgets for quality speakers and educational programs. The board knew that in order to increase membership we must deliver now more then ever, quality programs. We added a new Government Liaison position to our board which in turn keeps our members in touch with how legislature is directly affecting their job responsibilities. While many organizations wondered if they should be a part of the new social networking and media, we developed a program that would embrace it. Our website was sorely lacking the content that would invite traffic for educational purposes. Now, you can view past meeting content, ask questions via a public forum, receive updates on critical government issues, and enjoy a more interactive environment all on our site. (www.svbta.org). Our PR Director and her team began a campaign that improved our visibility within our community and our industry. All Directors had to be a part of the commitment and work diligently as a team and all rose to the challenge.
So, how did all of these changes make a difference? We increased our membership during a time when enrollment was down in many other organizations and we maintained our bottom line while increasing our budget for speakers and technology. The final results; we met our goals!
As we put into place our 2010 action plan, I am once again excited about the possibilities. Instead of wondering what might happen, we on the Board of the Silicon Valley Business Travel Association will think of ways to make it happen! As Ogilvy was quoted as saying, ‘Don’t just bunt….aim out of the ballpark!’
Here’s to another winning year!
LaDonna Whitaker LaDonna Whitaker
President, Silicon Valley Business Travel Association
2009-2010
