ASA Winter Meeting Continues Association Planning Process

ASA leadership discusses the association’s strategic plan at February’s ASA Winter Meeting

ASA leadership discusses the association’s strategic plan at February’s ASA Winter Meeting.

Associations operate in ever-changing environments. As a result, association leadership is continually challenged to meet the emerging needs of members. To achieve a greater focus, ASA uses the strategic governance approach to planning for the future by identifying an organizational mission, goals and strategic outcomes to better serve the members. Driven by a strategic plan that clearly defines expected end results (outcomes) using a sufficiently plan-focused, flexible and depoliticized governance structure, the American Supply Association has been successful in regaining its leadership position and “relevance” within the PHCP and PVF industry.

Five years ago, ASA began the move toward strategic governance by establishing the long range strategic plan during the ASA Winter Meeting in Tampa, Fla. Every year since, ASA’s Board of Directors, along with divisional and committee leaders, have gathered to review and revise ASA’s strategic vision to keep ASA focused on the future. Building on the success of the curriculum-based five colleges in ASA University, expanding the association’s outreach to both allied groups as well as external customer groups and building a stronger bridge to the next generation were all prime areas of focus for more than 70 volunteers who recently met in Fort Myers, Fla., in early February. This process has been one of the driving reasons for the rapid success enjoyed by the association today, and will continue to drive ASA’s resurgence.