Convention Blog Message from Pat May CPS

Convention Blog Message from Pat May CPS

The one aspect of my first IAAP Convention that impressed me and still does even now, is the professional orderliness of the Business Sessions that highlights the administrative skill of organization that moves meetings along to satisfying and logical conclusions. And even more impressive is the amount of networking that takes place amongst and between administrative professionals from coast to coast and across international boundaries. These two things alone are worth the effort of attending an IAAP International Convention. I hope all members will have an opportunity to attend a Convention at some point in their professional careers. It should be listed as one of the top ten things that need to be accomplished before “retiring.”

Report from Sunday's Business Session

Good afternoon, everyone.

Just a quick update from today's business session which began with the delegate & alternates briefing before the formal session opened.

But let me tell you first.. at the opening ceremony today, the gentleman that sang the National Anthem--gave THE most stirring and phenomenal rendition of our National Anthem that I have ever heard.

It really set the tone for the rest of the function... the Session was opened by Sandra Chandler, Int'l President.

The official credentionals report of international officers and authorized proxies at 10am was 486 and toltal number of registered alternates- 215, Total number of registered attendees-1,446.

I'm out of order (in order of things happening) here..but the International Board of Directors were introduced along with Don Bretthauer, Exec. Director of IAAP.

Just like last year, candidates for the various International Board of Directors each had two minutes to present their case to the attending delegates, alternates and attendees--to earn their vote. Tonight, these same candidates will be available to speak to us at the Evening of Welcome.

I must say..this year's presentations were far more professional and less hokey than last years. Of course, there were many more candidates for office last year.

One other item of note (and I'll cover this in more detail in this blog later, and also my PERSONAL thoughts on it on the SuperPPN blog)- was the item brought before the convention floor on restoring the "Good of the Order" portion of the convention.

It really is too much to write about here.

And Yes! It is still very hot, humid and lots of quick thunderstorms..

So tonight -- off to dinner, then the Evening of Welcome.. and hopefully an earlier night to bed. One thing I have certainly learned is ... rest when you can.

Also-- we'll have an update on the web community soon.

Now...that's a Rally...

Good morning everyone. Pat and I are up early and ready to head over to the Convention Center. We already feel like we are at home (the humidity here is oh-so DC in August)...

The convention center is large and set up very nicely for us.

The flight from National packed... and I tried to talk this plant engineer from Tampa Electric into sending his admin over to our sessions this week on the flight.

I actually have notes from the flight.. but they will have to wait until break..
Sorry I didn't get a post on last night.. Pat May and I met up with the Division president for Massachusetts, Jean Cusato (from Boston)... and went to the Red Sox game here in Tampa. It went so late..that we left in the 11th inning. We were all quite tired. nAhy o

Good news... the sessions kick off this morning at 9am.. it's our delegates briefing where Pat & I are briefed on the protocol for voting.

More soon... And... I do have pictures.