The CoR Corner
The council speaker, group leaders and council representatives will contribute to the Council of Representatives Corner.
Let’s Get Started
I wasn’t around in 1994 when the CoR was formed, but I know prior to the council, members from all the chapters represented their respective chapters and the general membership by serving on the ASHI Board of Directors. I understand there were some 50 plus directors. Although such a large board worked to some extent, it was decided to visit new pathways. Thus, the current board and council came to be.
The dedicated individuals who have served as council speakers deserve our thanks.
Bill Sutton, 1995-1996
Mike Casey, 1997-1998
Peter Seirup, 1999-2000
Tom Lauhon, 2001- 2002
Larry Cerro, 2003-2004
Kurt Salomon, 2005-2006
Scott Warga, 2007-2008
Some of their tenures were smooth and some had “rocky roads,” but all worked for the betterment of ASHI.
In 1994, it was decided that the CoR would have one main purpose — to be the conduit between the general membership and the ASHI board. Also, the council is charged with electing fellow members to serve on two important committees, the nomination committees for both the officers and directors of our organization, and with appointing Web site task force members. The CoR can also submit motions to the Board.
ASHI chapters and non-chapter-affiliated member groups are represented on the council. There are 100 plus representatives, 10 sectional representatives known as group leaders, a speaker and an alternate speaker.
Representatives review current goings-on within ASHI, conduct discussion dialogues with the members they represent, and gather thoughts and opinions to forward to their group leaders. The group leaders continue the upward trend to the speaker for formal presentation to the ASHI board. As a member of our organization, it is your right to have appropriate representation. You should feel at ease in contacting any council representative. Or, you can simply pick up the phone or e-mail the speaker or any ASHI officer or director to express concerns. Their contact information appears in the ASHI Reporter, as does contact information for the CoR speaker, alternate and group leaders.
Council representatives are instructed to attend the annual CoR meeting held in conjunction with ASHI’s InspectionWorld. At this meeting, they elect the group leaders and the speaker. They also discuss the current issues pertinent to ASHI, as well as future considerations. They plan direction. During the meeting, members are appointed to assist the various standing ASHI committees and assigned task forces. The representatives also hear from current and future leaders of ASHI as to how the council can work for the continued betterment of ASHI and the membership.
Each year, ASHI has elected to host a leadership training conference to increase source awareness for the betterment of the organization’s new and potential leaders. During the conference, there is time allotted for council representatives to discuss chapter needs and concerns from individuals, and to spend with ASHI board members, learning how the CoR can assist them. It is an open forum for all concerns to be expressed. The Chapter Relations Committee (CRC) organizes the conference. Recently, the council has been working with the CRC to gather information from, and put together programs for, ASHI chapters. This last year, the CoR handled the chapter viability survey, and we got the highest response rate ever. Currently, we are looking at chapter programs that could be shared with other chapters. This is being discussed in the council section of the online discussion board.
The council has an assigned discussion slot on the ASHI forum. On the forum, there are discussion slots devoted to the various components we inspect. There are also slots assigned to groups, such as the CoR, that require the ability to communicate their assigned tasks. Council representatives use this slot to discuss issues and concerns. It is imperative (required) that representatives use this forum. Actually, all of the ASHI membership should be regularly checking and participating in the many discussion topics. It can only help, both individually and professionally.
This column will be used to discuss the issues the council is authorized to address. Presently, there is a Governance Task Force, a Certification Task Force and an E&O Task Force, all working to provide solid information and direction for the betterment of ASHI and, most importantly, the members.
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