Last year is behind us and we start this new year, 2010, with a fresh outlook for our economy to turn around.

If you missed our Christmas party, you missed an exciting event that your chapter provides to you free of cost.

Hopefully, all of you have taken advantage of the rebate program that your chapter is providing for you on your dues for 2010. Everyone should have received a letter and an email announcing the incentives that your Board of Directors elected to do to show you that the chapter is willing to provide something back to you for your commitment and dedication towards the chapter. Your ICAP dues of $50 are being paid for. As well as a dues rebate of $150 for Designated members, $100 for Associate and Candidate members and $50 for Associate/Affiliate and professional members. If you have not paid your dues, you have until March 1, 2010 to do so to take advantage of these rebates.

The Board of Directors also elected at a recent meeting to offer our 7 hour continuing education classes at only $79 and the 7 hour USPAP Update class for only $99. There should be no reason this year that you should not fulfill your educational requirements with all the incentives we are offering.

If you have not been asked to serve on a committee or to get involved with the board of Directors or membership of your chapter, please step forward and contact one of the board of directors or myself and indicate your interest in what you would like to do. We are always looking for someone to assist in working on a membership drive to increase our membership as well as trying to get new educational programs that are of interest to our membership. In order for our organization to continue to be as strong as it has in the past and the future, we need the commitment of all members.

Hopefully everyone knows that this past fall we had 2 of our chapter members get elected to be National Directors with our National Association and they are Lee Lansford and Mike Harris. With these 2 gentlemen on board with the National Association, we will hopefully have a better foothold in trying to introduce and get some new direction and programs for our National Association.

Your 2010 Board of Directors is basically the same individuals who served you this past year, except for the Treasurer’s position, Tom Hubberts, who elected not to serve another year and was replaced by John Wittert.

We had 3 candidates for designation this last year and we are hoping that those 3 individuals and some additional associate members will step forward to earn their designation this year. We have members who help mentor you as well as National did offer a rebate program to the end of the year, but we are hoping that this rebate program will get initiated for this year also.

In getting committed to help serve your association is a major criteria for any organization to continue to survive and be a success. Please step forward and help your organization in whatever way you can.

Douglas O. Biederstedt, IFA, CIAO

Chapter President 2010