2003 has been a year like no other for ASHI. The launch of The ASHI Experience has been the greatest organizational change the Society has ever undertaken. The concept of The ASHI Experience was born during strategic planning in 1999 and adopted by the Board in 2000. The Experience
For the past two years, ASHI’s Board of Directors, committees, and task forces, as well as the staff, have been intensely involved in bringing forward each detail and component of The ASHI Experience. Each meeting of the Board of Directors brought decisions making it possible to launch The ASHI Experience at last month’s InspectionWorld 2004.
The ASHI Experience is a project of tremendous importance for the profession. Extremely simple in its fundamental design and intent, it is at the same time complex in its ramification for change for the organization and the Membership.
ASHI has for 27 years successfully advocated for excellence in conducting home inspections. Through these years, ASHI has been the leader in developing inspection standards, in hosting home inspection educational opportunities, and in fostering a profession based on the diligent pursuit of consumer protection.
The ASHI Experience honors, embraces and includes these long-held ASHI values, and adds customer service to the ASHI system of values. The ASHI Experience acknowledges that the home inspection service must include a quality of care designed to provide an experience that is outstanding and memorable.
The 2003 addition of an outstanding and memorable experience to excellence in defect identification creates a product for the home buying public that will raise ASHI inspectors to the position of dominance in the field—a place that cannot be equaled by others in the marketplace. This was launched at InspectionWorld 2004.
The Plan
At the same time, the Board of Directors continued to consider a new Strategic Plan. With the 2000 Strategic Plan substantially fulfilled, a new Strategic Plan has been created to take ASHI through the next three years. It involves a broad range of objectives to implement The ASHI Experience, to improve our organization, and to enhance our relationship with the community we serve.
The Code
ASHI has relied on its 1976 Code of Ethics since its inception, without change. During the last two years the Society has undertaken a long, soul-searching process of examining our Code, and considering the many changes in our society and changes in the real estate community in which we work.
The Code of Ethics has been examined internally and externally, and a new version drafted and redrafted based on feedback from the Membership. This exercise has proven valuable in re-creating an improved and continually relevant Code of Ethics both for ASHI and for the profession. The revised Code of Ethics was presented to the Board of Directors. With approval by the Directors, it can go before the Members for a democratic vote. This process of examination marks tremendous growth in the professionalism of ASHI.
Our Presence
Through the last several years, ASHI leadership has visited Washington, D.C. These visits to HUD, the GAO and with legislative staffers culminated with a meeting of the Board of Directors in the district in July of 2003.
In 2003, ASHI had audiences with both the GAO and HUD to provide insight into the role of home inspection in the real estate process, and ASHI leaders provided written recommendations for changes to HUD documents. ASHI has achieved a mature, significant and important presence at the federal level, and is recognized for its role in protecting the home buying public.
2003 has found ASHI strong, on the eve of tremendous positive changes. ASHI is larger and more significant than ASHI ever has been in its 27-year history.