Our organizations will work hand-in-hand to capitalize on opportunities in a rapidly changing business environment.
The decision was not a slam dunk. Our main competitor made an aggressive push to replace us as ASA's publishing partner. We owe them a debt of gratitude. That's because we believe in free enterprise and the power of competition to propel organizations toward improvement and innovation. Without someone else contending for this honor, it would have been easy for both ASA's and our staff to get complacent about our partnership. Given that we've had a relatively trouble-free first five-year term, we could've routinely signed a renewal agreement, shaken hands, and gone back to business as usual. Instead, an ardent suitor forced both of us to examine the nature of our relationship, what we both expect to get out of it, and search for ways to strengthen the bond to mutual benefit.