The blog entry below was written while our organization was operating as ASA-Midwest. Effective September 14, 2018, ASA-Midwest became the Midwest Auto Care Alliance.

I’ve just returned from the ASA-Midwest Leadership Summit at Old Kinderhook Golf Club and Lodge at the Lake of the Ozarks, and am I pumped! Our first order of business on Friday was finalizing the training schedules, speakers, and a long list of other details for VISION 2018. We do this every year, and every year I’m in awe of the people in the conference room. The dedication, knowledge, and attitude of the VISION committee continues to establish our conference as the one against which all others measure themselves.

Saturday all day and Sunday until noon was spent reviewing, planning, and learning about how a volunteer not-for-profit association works and how we can make it even more successful. In attendance were chapter officers from throughout our six state area. Again, I was thrilled to be a part of the excitement and dedication of these twenty-some members that are willing to take on extra responsibility to make our association the best around. We had chapter report-outs, then broke into committees where we planned the association’s activities for the next year.

One highlight we experienced was the new members getting involved in our association. Welcome to all of you “new guys” and “new girls” too. We elected Summer Guerrero to the affiliate secretary position Saturday afternoon. I look forward to working with Summer.

They say that “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”, so Sheri, Heather, and Raschell made sure that there was play. We had an ice-breaker game Saturday morning, and an audience participation murder mystery Saturday evening while wearing super-hero costumes. You really had to be there, though I expect that before too long there will be photos and videos all over the internet. Watch for them. Here they are! I knew it wouldn’t be long.

Finally, I want to sing praises for our executive director Sheri Hamilton and her staff: Heather Sebben and Raschell West. There is no way mere words can describe the feeling that I get when everything I want or might want to make the meeting a success has already been thought of and implemented. Thank you, ladies, from the bottom of my heart.

If you are an ASA–Midwest member and want to get more involved in your association, give Sheri or me a call. You don’t have to start out as president; you can join a committee and participate, then gradually get more involved as you are able.