Celebrate the profession. (From the President).

ARMA's, 47th Annual Conference--that's a lot of educational sessions, exhibits, and, of course, networking for the RIM profession over the years. No wonder this year we have chosen to Celebrate the Profession!

If you are not able to attend the conference in New Orleans, check the ARMA Web site for information on how to access some of the events online, and be sure to order the Conference Proceedings through the ARMA Bookstore when it becomes available in October. It is a treasure trove of RIM information from leaders in our field.

Also, watch the Web site for the transcript of the Town Hall Meeting, which will be published a few weeks following the conference. The Town Hall Meeting gives members an opportunity to interact with the ARMA Board of Directors, to ask questions, and find out more about what ARMA is doing to advance our profession.

Check also to find out who the winners were in our annual chapter and individual member awards. The Chapters, Newsletters, and Web Sites of the Year illustrate the continued vitality of our association. We can look proudly at those honored with the Distinguished Service Award, the Britt Literary Award, as well as the new inductees into the ARMA Company of Fellows as outstanding examples of the quality work done by professionals in our field.

This year, for the first time, the Iron Mountain Award for Excellence in Records and Information Management will be announced on Monday morning at the first General Session. We felt this was particularly appropriate this year because this is an award that truly Celebrates the Profession.

Admittedly, the fall conference is a very busy time. There are many and varied educational and specialized preconference sessions. Committees, regions, and ISGs meet, and there are special programs for our government and international members. This year, the exhibit floor features more exhibitors than ever before and special events like the Technology Application Briefings offer myriad opportunities to find out what's new and what's upcoming for our profession.

World events dictate that we use the information generated by the coming together of some of the best minds in our profession to continue to expand and explore what we do. As custodians and managers of the knowledge and information assets of our organizations we must continually search for better ways to maintain, disseminate, store, and protect those resources.

For those not able to be in New Orleans, I encourage you to use the many avenues available to share the flurry of information that comes out of this world-class event. The ARMA Web site, your local chapter and chapter members, as well as your vendors, will all be able to pass along this vital information. And let's not leave all that spirit and energy in New Orleans. Now, more than ever, we need to show pride and professionalism in what we do, who we are, and the importance of good records and information management. Let's continue to Celebrate the Profession!

Juanita M. Skillman, CRM, FAI
President
[e-mail]