Letter from the President: happy New Year! Let's toast our success!

As we ring in the New Year, I'm delighted to share exciting news about TAPPI's recent successes. We've made great progress toward our three key initiatives:

* Professional development of members

* Industry service

* Financial sustainability

Virtual Seminars are the newest professional development opportunity from TAPPI. In these brief programs presented live over the telephone and Internet, members around the world have access to relevant, timely and immediately useful information without leaving their workplace. In fact, we've found that our members outside North America particularly like the Virtual Seminar format. With Virtual Seminars TAPPI delivers the information you need when you need it, wherever you are. They're even available on CD-ROM or by special private presentation to your work group at your convenience.

TAPPI Virtual Seminars have been the forum for expanded TAPPI offerings on important maintenance and safety issues this fall. Industry experts presented four Virtual Seminars on results-oriented reliability and maintenance management and on critical safety topics including Confined Space Entry Teams: Are You In Compliance? You'll continue to see new professional development opportunities in maintenance and safety over the coming months.

In March, TAPPI brings world-renowned maintenance experts from IDCON to "Maintenance Management Week", a series of four hands-on workshops demonstrating how you can maximize productivity through improvement in maintenance and operations. Then in May when the entire industry comes back to Atlanta for TAPPI's Paper Summit and Spring Technical Conference, you won't want to miss the "Safety Training for Non-Safety Managers" tutorial. This in-depth workshop will illustrate what we can all do to create a safe workplace.

Speaking of workshops, the four hands-on workshops at the Corrugated Packaging Conference in October were an amazing success. Hundreds of attendees sat down with industry experts to discuss immediate solutions to specific technical and operational problems. I believe that's TAPPI's greatest strength--bringing people together to share resources and find solutions.

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We'll also be bringing the industry together this spring as TAPPI co-hosts the Agenda 2020 Technology Summit II, an exclusive gathering of the best and the brightest thinkers to set the industry's future technology direction. Co-sponsored by AF&PA, CPBIS, IPST, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy, and the U.S. Forest Service, this industry-wide collaboration will have profound influence on the direction of research, development, and deployment for years to come.

TAPPI Test Methods also have profound influence. The process for establishing and maintaining TAPPI Test Methods, the basis for commerce in our industry around the world, was recently reviewed. This independent evaluation confirmed what we've known all along--TAPPI Test Methods have earned their long-standing reputation as reliable and accurate standards for the industry.

Through these impressive initiatives and the dedicated efforts of the thousands of members who share their knowledge and expertise with others for the good of the industry, I am confident that we will achieve our final objective, financial sustainability. TAPPI has made great strides by slashing expenses in half, even as we've developed and delivered new value to the industry. The operating budget deficit is steadily narrowing and the balance sheet remains sound with sufficient investment reserves and no debt. So, let's toast to our success and continue to strive to improve the Association and the industry.

I thank you for your continued support and I welcome your thoughts and ideas. Please contact me at [e-mail] or through the "Talk to TAPPI" button on www.tappi.org. I look forward to sharing more success stories with you soon!

Kathleen M. Bennett, TAPPI President