Council Speaker Speaks to the Membership

CoR Speaker Tony Smith

Ladies and gentlemen of ASHI,

I’m Tony Smith from The Great State of Iowa, and I am honored to be serving you and ASHI as the 10th Speaker of The Council of Representatives (The CoR) for the years 2013-2014.

First and foremost, I want to thank each of you for being an ASHI member and for your continued time and service to ASHI in your individual chapters and meeting groups; on committees and task forces; on the council, and on the Board of Directors. Thank you very much. Thank you also to our staff for its hard work, time and service.

ASHI MISSION STATEMENT
To set and promote standards for property inspections and to provide the educational programs needed to achieve excellence in the profession.

It’s a good mission. ASHI sets and promotes the ASHI Standards of Practice and our educational programs, indeed, are needed to achieve excellence. It’s a good mission. Could it be a better mission? Perhaps that will be for another article. Nonetheless, our membership is asking for more.

Our membership is asking for more even at a time when several challenges face our society and the real estate industry today. Our membership is asking for more even at a time when ASHI is about to ask the membership to approve a bylaw change in its membership categories. What does all this mean for ASHI? And what does all this mean for the Council of Representatives, one of whose stated purpose is ‘to act as a two way conduit of communication between the Board, chapters and members’?

Your Speaker and the Council; your committees; and your President, Bill Jacques, and the Board of Directors; and your staff have heard your voices, and are working together. We already have started to act upon your needs for continued success. Your President, Bill Jacques recently stated that “Better communication with our members is a key priority as we continue to maintain the high bar for excellence in our industry and help our members succeed.” I would not go so far as to say communication today is unprecedented. I will say, however, that it is at one of the highest levels that I have seen in my 17 plus years with ASHI. We will provide you with the necessary tools to market and grow ASHI and your business, and to make money and save money.

One of the initiatives that will be reviewed by your Board of Directors at its April Board meeting is: ASHI staff will work with the Membership Committee and the Public Relationship Committee to develop a recruiting plan to grow ASHI membership 5% as of December 31, 2013 as compared to December 31, 2012. A very achievable goal in my humble opinion.

The upcoming bylaw changes that we, the voting members, will be asked to approve soon is in my opinion a good thing for ASHI and for you the membership, and a key component in the initiative mentioned above.

Your Council, your Board, and your staff are in favor of these membership bylaw changes, and I want to strongly encourage ALL voting members to VOTE, and to VOTE YES in favor of the changes. Four highlights of the changes are:

• ASHI core values remain unchanged.
• No changes to ACI.
• Addresses licensed state inspectors.
• Increases the exposure of ASHI in the marketplace.

Today, I am confident that our membership will overwhelmingly approve the changes. I also feel confident that ASHI will provide you with the necessary tools needed to market ASHI and your business, in order for you to make and save money. And, working together we will overcome the challenges that face our society and the real estate industry today.

Walk good, work safe and maximum respect.