President's Message: We've Come a Long Way Atlanta By: Michael Stephens, AALA President

Looking back at ALA's 33rd Annual Conference and Exposition, I can't help but think how far the Atlanta Chapter has evolved over the last seven years. When I first joined the Chapter in 1997, we didn't have a Web site, our membership numbers were around 150 (currently 225), our vendor luncheon paid all the bills and our newsletter was being published by the Daily Report. Since this time we have elevated ourselves into one of the premier chapters in the country. As I rode back on the plane from Philadelphia, I made the following notes outlining some of our shining moments at this year's conference. Here goes:

Sunday Notes:

I started the conference by attending the Vendor Relations Idea Exchange where chapter leaders share ideas on their successful vendor programs. It didn't take me long to realize that Atlanta's Vendor Sponsorship Program is one of the most successful and productive programs in the country. Yes, some other chapters raise more money, but I doubt few are as efficient and well-managed as Atlanta thanks to our Vendor Relations Chair, Jeff Hamrick. After the meeting I had several chapter leaders come up to me and tell me they have modeled their own programs after Atlanta.

My next stop was the Region 2 Council meeting where we celebrated and thanked Atlanta's Susan DeVore for serving four years as Region 2 Director. However, Susan's work goes back much longer than four years. She also served on the Region 2 team and was the Atlanta Chapter President in 1996. Amy Webster also serves on the Region 2 team, giving our Chapter excellent representation at this level. It's interesting to think we are only a couple years removed from Susan serving as Director of Region 2 while Marshall Fletcher was serving as ALA's President.

Monday Notes:

Monday evening brought the annual ALA Awards Ceremony. It was great to see about twenty members rush to get tables and sit together for what has become a big night for AALA. As usual, this night would be no exception. Atlanta won another first place award and continued it platinum status for the Presidents' Award of Excellence. The chapter was awarded the best electronic newsletter in the country under the direction of Debbie Goldman. This is the second time our newsletter has won a first place award. Under the direction of David Lee, the Chapter won first place for the most improved newsletter in 2001. Atlanta also received honorable mentions in the categories of Community Service, Vendor Relations and Recruitment & Retention.

I was thinking how this award has really set our chapter apart when it comes to technology. The combination of our e-Newsletter, Web site, e-Exchange and Member's Area software, in my opinion, has made Atlanta the most technology advanced chapter in ALA. Our Chapter has won either first or second place in the Web Site or newsletter categories every year since 2000. Pretty amazing!

Wednesday Notes:

Finally, Atlanta's Cathy Benton took the stage during Wednesday's general session to discuss Alston & Bird's dramatic rise to No. 2 on Fortune® magazine's "The 100 Best Companies to Work For"™. This was another proud moment for our Chapter and another Atlanta member making an impact at the convention.

In closing, I hope everyone will join me in sharing a sense of pride in being a member of the Atlanta Chapter. Clearly, AALA was well represented in Philadelphia this year thanks to a few dedicated members. Let's have the same impact at the Regions 1 & 2 Conference in Orlando and the ALA National Convention in San Francisco in 2005. I encourage everyone to plan on attending one of these great conferences and be a part of our success. This has been an incredible year and I'm confident things are only going to get better.

Editor: Todd A. Wiggins (twiggins@cpmas.com) (This publication is the property of the Atlanta Association of Legal Administrators. Reproduction or reprint without prior permission is strictly prohibited. Click here to request reprint permission.)

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