I can scarcely believe that I’m uttering that statement. Where have the months gone? Technically speaking, it is still spring for me — but you will be reading this in the summer and wondering where the first half of the year has gone. Some stayed or worked from home, most pressed forward as essential businesses, and all battled the unseen and high-risk enemies of virus and fear.

As your association, we mobilized to provide as many opportunities and reasons to dig into your membership as possible. Over the course of COVID-19, we produced eight weekly webinars with critical risk management and challenging business improvement education; we hosted more than two dozen online meetings of CFA mixed groups, which we called “Virtual Mixed Groups” (or VMGs); and we unveiled a completely new membership website that gives you more power over your account and better access to your peers.

When I think back at this time, what comes to my mind more than anything else is a quote offered by the incoming CFA vice president, Jason Ells of Custom Concrete: “Be here, wherever you are.” This is what our focus has been throughout and really what I believe has defined the intentional development vision of this association over the last decade. Your association is finding ways for you to connect and be supported, no matter where you are.

This cannot be more strongly demonstrated than through the biggest news release we have made this year: Concrete Foundations Convention – Virtual 2020. While it is easy to be disappointed, skeptical, or frustrated at yet another online meeting, it is important to understand the underlying decision and overriding value.  

Convention is first and foremost about interacting with others. The data for our convention show that roughly 20% of the membership companies attend in any given year. That means 80% of you have family conflicts, too much work, limited travel funds, or have not decided to invest in this opportunity. A physical event this year would be compromised by numerous necessary protective measures and therefore would be viewed from the perspective of what it wasn’t instead of what it was. We did not want to risk your health, and we did not want to disappoint you.

Therefore, let me introduce you to the one event that every single member can and should participate in. We have carefully chosen and crafted an experience that will deliver surprisingly natural and effective social networking. We have also tripled the normal amount of education material and expanded it so that a broader range of departments in some of your companies can effectively and efficiently get involved. I am issuing you a challenge to commit to Convention 2020 and truly “be here, wherever you are!”

James Baty