California Council Director
Alison Holmes, CPIW, AIS, AINS
Insurance ASSOCIATES OF FRESNO
ajholmes277@yahoo.com
https://caciaip.org/
CA Council Director Message
For the remainder of this year and into next year, my goal, together with our Public Relations and Membership Development teams, is to bring us back to the basics while continuing to look forward.
Those basics have always been the backbone of our association and the California Council. As we move forward, I want us to build on that strong foundation while embracing new ideas, new opportunities, and new ways to strengthen our organization.
The key word for my term is FUTURE.
F – Fundamentals
The Council Team will build upon the efforts of previous Council leaders by continuing to share information, communicating more frequently, and keeping an open mind as we invite members to bring their ideas forward.
One of the ways we are doing this is through our California Council website, which is still a work in progress. Our goal is to create a site that provides a clear primary action for our members, makes important information easier to find, refreshes our branding, and brings a more modern look and feel to the California Council.
At the same time, we don’t want to lose sight of the fundamentals. The website will continue to provide the educational, professional, Council, and membership information our members need. The goal is not simply to make things look different—it is to make the website more useful, easier to navigate, and a better reflection of who we are today and where we are going.
Kim and I collaborated on ideas and our vision for the website, and Kim has done an awesome job of putting those ideas into action. As I said, it is still a work in progress, so I hope you will continue to check it out as it develops. And, just as importantly, we welcome your feedback and ideas.
You may have also noticed our new California Council banner and logo. This refreshed branding works together with our website to give the California Council a more current and consistent identity.
The new banner and logo recognize our history while giving us a fresh look for the future. As you see them at our meetings, on our website, on social media, and in Council communications, I hope they become a recognizable symbol of the California Council and the renewed energy we are working to create.
We will also continue using our Facebook page, and we will count on our members and local associations to share Council-related information and content with us. By working together, we can extend our reach, improve communication, and make sure information gets to all of our members.
U – Unity
We are all members of IAIP, and we share a common purpose. We will continue to follow the Comprehensive Manual, which is available to all members, while maintaining open communication with our RVP.
I will do my best to keep our members informed about Executive Committee decisions, ideas, and plans as we move forward.
Unity means eliminating unnecessary competing processes and finding common ground around the shared interests that bring us together as an association.
We may belong to different local associations, work in different areas of the industry, and bring different experiences to the table, but ultimately, we are one IAIP.
T – Training
Training and professional development have always been important parts of IAIP.
Our Council Membership Development Chair and her Liaison will be working with the IAIP Task Force to explore new training ideas and assist members who are working toward professional designations and building their résumés.
We are also discussing the possibility of bringing back an updated version of the old ICC meetings in Northern and Southern California.
I would especially like to hear from our members about this idea. During breaks, social hours, or whenever we have an opportunity to talk, please share your thoughts with me.
I want our training opportunities to be about our members and the needs of our members.
Some of us are retired, some are approaching the end of our careers, and others are still building their careers. Wherever we may be on that journey, there is always something new to learn.
Training and learning give us power.
U – Understanding
Understanding means recognizing that everyone has ideas and opinions, and those ideas will not always be the same.
I will listen with an open mind, and I ask our members to share their ideas with that same spirit of openness.
The Council Team will also strive to communicate information about the new IAIP website so that all of us have a better understanding of how it works and how we will use it moving forward.
This is especially important as we learn the membership portion of the website and adjust to changes in how we access information and accomplish tasks that may have been handled differently in the past.
I will also continue sharing the Executive Committees vision regarding changes within IAIP so that our members can better understand not only what is changing, but also why things are being done differently.
Communication leads to understanding, and understanding helps us move forward together.
R – Respect
My wish is that we continue to respect IAIP, the California Council, and—most importantly—each other.
Our organization provides us with common ground where we can come together in the spirit of “Building Futures Together.”
Respect does not mean that we will always agree. It means that we listen to one another, value each members contribution, and remember the common purpose that brought us together.
E – Everyone
Everyone is needed.
Every member has a role in helping our association grow and prosper.
Without our current members advocating for IAIP, inviting others to participate, and sharing what this organization has to offer, we cannot grow.
And growth is necessary to keep our association strong, relevant, and able to continue providing the education, professional development, friendships, leadership opportunities, and connections that IAIP has offered its members for so many years.
Every one of you has something to offer.
What I need is for you to share those ideas, talents, experiences, and thoughts with me and with each other.
So, with all of that said, I am asking each of you to join me as we GO BACK TO THE FUTURE!
Let’s return to the fundamentals that made our association strong while embracing the opportunities that will carry us forward.
F – Fundamentals
U – Unity
T – Training
U – Understanding
R – Respect
E – Everyone
My hope during my term is to inspire a renewed attitude, encourage greater participation, strengthen communication, and help keep the California Council moving forward for many years to come.
The future of our Council isn’t about one Director or one leadership team. It belongs to all of us. Together, let’s continue Building Futures Together.
Thank you.
