As reported in the last issue, the AIRROC Board welcomes two new members, J. Marcus Doran and Peter Scarpato, and bids farewell to Keith Kaplan and Glenn Frankel. We are confident that Keith and Glenn will continue their support and active involvement in AIRROC. Peter and Marcus bring lengthy experience with the organization to their new roles. Examining both sides of the evolution, we asked the departing members to look back and the new members to look forward. Here is what they told us.
Glenn Frankel and Keith Kaplan look back
1. What qualities and skills did you find you used most in your tenure on the AIRROC Board?
Keith: The unique thing about AIRROC as a trade association is that its membership and Board are a diverse group with diverse, and even oppositional, interests. Consequently, the ability to collaborate and relate to folks with a different frame of reference than your own is particularly important. On a practical level, all I have really done is just apply general business acumen and experience to the committee work as well as to the broader strategy and planning exercises undertaken by the Board as a whole. Finally, and while this might seem trite, we all have significant day jobs, so time management skills are essential to keep up with deadlines and provide a quick turnaround on various requests, reports and projects.
Glenn: The AIRROC Board is comprised of enormously talented professionals and high-quality oriented individuals. It was truly a pleasure and a privilege to work with an easy, fun, and talented group for the past four years! It may sound somewhat simplistic, but time management is perhaps the most critical skill set, as all Board members have full time jobs. It is enormously important to diligently and methodically carve out time to dedicate specifically to AIRROC work. In addition, it is imperative that a Board member be creative and imaginative. The runoff world is ever changing, and if AIRROC is to continue providing quality service to its members it must constantly evolve.
2. What were the most important accomplishments or initiatives undertaken by the Board during your tenure?
Keith: As a founding Board member, I can point to many things. Right out of the gate, we made a decision that “membership has benefits,” meaning unlimited free admission to membership meetings (which include education seminars) and regional events plus one free admission to the flagship October event. The October event itself began in our first year with some uncertainty as to how it might be received; yet it was a smashing success from the beginning and has proven to be a very valuable forum for the attendees over the years. Also, early on, we began producing AIRROC Matters on a quarterly basis, which continues to be one the best publications of its kind in the industry. More recently, we expanded membership categories and created the DRP process. As I left the Board, we announced a Mediation program and a Certified Legacy Professional designation to be launched in the near future.
Glenn: During the last few years, primarily under Carolyn Fahey’s unrelenting leadership, energy and guidance, AIRROC has moved forward on a number of key initiatives. I think that the creation and implementation of the AIRROC DRP and Mediation Procedures was particularly critical. The Board identified a gap/need in the marketplace and created these Procedures to provide professional, efficient, cost effective services to the industry.
For the full article, refer to page 20 in the Spring 2015 issue. https://www.airroc.org/assets/docs/matters/airroc%20matters.%20vol%2011%20no%201%20spring%202015.pdf
