By Ted Sheridan, RBEC, RRC, REWC, RWC, PEng, President
On the list of things I have in common with IIBEC immediate past president Scott Hinesley, the only one I regret is this: that my term as IIBEC president has started and ended under the cloud of COVID-19. Scott, along with Bob Card, Mike Clark, and Mike Williams before him, prepared me well for this role. And, over the past year, from this slightly foggy and often virtual vantage point, I’ve learned even more. I’ve learned not to make optimistic predictions about a pandemic I know nothing about. I’ve learned (or maybe relearned) how to rely on others in the face of adversity, and how important and wonderful it feels to reach out and support others in their difficult moments. I’ve learned how to be a bit more human when the situation might have caused anger and frustration but instead required listening and understanding.
Some of these lessons have been hard. But even Mr. Spock might struggle to make sense of our current reality.
Nonetheless, I feel hugely enriched by my time as your president. I got to work intimately with a fabulous executive committee that is as tuned in to the needs of IIBEC members as it is business-savvy and technically astute. I’ve learned a lot about how associations are propelled to greater heights by a wonderful chief executive officer and a talented, dedicated staff. I’ve been repeatedly reminded, firsthand, how eagerly and how hard IIBEC member volunteers work, sometimes even in the face of disappointments and goals not met, to keep playing the “long game” and giving back to an organization that has become a professional home to them.
So, how is the table set for IIBEC’s future? Maybe this is recency bias or my fading memory, but I can’t recollect a time when IIBEC has had a brighter outlook. We’ve successfully morphed into an association representing all building enclosure consultants, including those dealing with commissioning. We’ve achieved early success with attracting and engaging younger people in our industry, including students and emerging professionals. We have begun our journey to be more mindful of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organization. We have commenced the reorganization and updating of educational offerings, and we continue to expand their scope. And, for possibly the first time, IIBEC is investing significant resources in a project with the specific goal of improving the visibility of and trumpeting the value of our consultant members to prospective clients. Finally!
And if that weren’t enough, the path to the 2023 IIBEC International Convention and Trade Show will be as special as it will be busy. Your new president-elect, Chris Giffin, is a perfect fit for the captain’s chair. Plans are already underway for a 40th anniversary celebration for IIBEC, and new ideas are brewing on the convention education front!
The blur of my year at warp speed is settling back into focus. My term must be over. Wow! It’s been a great voyage, yet the IIBEC mission still fills my ship’s viewscreen.
Sheridan out.
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