Deploying the expertise and experience of AACRAO Consulting, the AACRAO Board is in the final stages of a year-long process of developing a new strategic plan.
Most recently, consultants Stan Henderson and Tomikia LeGrande spent the summer gathering feedback via focus groups with various AACRAO stakeholders, including AACRAO staff and leadership (i.e. PAC Chairs, Program Committee, task force and committee chairs, caucus chairs, and state & regional leaders), and will report their findings to the Board next week.
“The Board has intentionally distanced ourselves from the focus group process so we can all receive this information at the same time and in the same manner,” said Tim Amyx, AACRAO Vice President at Large and chair of the Board’s Strategic Planning Committee. “We’re very excited to hear what came out of it.”
“We’ve really tried to have as much member engagement in this process as possible and given many opportunities for grassroots feedback to incorporate into the Board’s discussions,” said AACRAO President Jack Miner.
“Data-informed visionary process”
Once the Board has reviewed and digested that information, they will hold a webinar to update the membership on the feedback received and next steps in the process.
“I think of it as a ‘data-informed visionary process,’” Amyx said. “Our job is to set goals at the highest level, which we hope to have firmly established by October. Then, AACRAO staff and leadership will build the strategies and tactics to reach those goals.”
Timing with the new Executive Director
The planning process began before AACRAO Executive Director Mike Reilly announced his intention to retire in 2021, timing Amyx described as “serendipitous.”
“Our new Executive Director will come in with a clean slate as far as strategic planning,” Amyx said. “So Mike will close out the strategic framework he’s been a part of, and the new director will come in and operationalize this plan with her or his vision for AACRAO’s future.”