Over the past few months, your Advisory Groups are preparing for our Alliance 2022 Conference in Seattle Washington. After two years of virtual Alliances, we are back in person and even though we may have some apprehension due to current events there is an excitement of being able to come together and network in person. The ability to share our successes within our institutions, learn new tricks from our peers, and greet a friend to catch up in person, is what makes Alliance the place to be in March 2022. Even with the excitement, there is also a sadness as we know several of our peers are not going to be in attendance due to budget restrictions and travel limitations, we are going to miss their presence.
Over these past several years our Advisory Groups have encountered many changes and yes obstacles along the way. From the consolidation of Advisory Groups, elimination of the Advisory Group in-person Summit, the requirement of a matrix of the early tasks, to the cancellation of two Alliance conferences. In each of these obstacles, your Advisory Group members pulled together as professionals and endured to maintain their mission of Education and Advocacy for you the member. In the past several years Advisory Groups embraced a monthly engagement process in which they put on additional webinars, asked seeded questions to the listserv, engaged in Coffee Breaks for virtual networking sessions, and even a virtual Birds of a Feather sessions.
As my Board term ends March 2022, know it has been an honor to serve as the facilitator of our Advisory Groups over the past several years. Advisory Groups are a dedicated team providing HEUG members with their knowledge, skills set by providing and facilitating global support and educational webinars to your institutions which in turn provide efficiencies to you and your students. Thanks to Lew Conner and Steven Hahn for seeing potential in my skills to be a member of this global Board of Directors, to Mario Berry, Jane Broad, Jason Wenrick, and Mike Russell for their faith including me as a member of the HEUG Executive Team and to facilitate the Advisory Groups. Thanks to the team at Oracle who help guide our teams over the years Susan Beidler, Nicole Engelbert, and Rebekah Jackson it is a great partnership. Thanks to all past and current Board members, without your guidance these past several years would not be as successful.
Thank you to all current and former Advisory Group members, your dedication to the HEUG is unparalleled. Grateful for your time and effort over these years as we have gone through many opportunities and know you and your teams will continue to provide HEUG members with education and advocacy as we move into this new era.
With gratitude and honor
Buddy