The nomination period for regional director positions on the TAMIO Board is upon us, and I want to encourage anyone attracted by this opportunity to throw their hat into the ring and be part of the process.
Yes, You Can
If you have any apprehensions or hurdles of self-doubt preventing you from submitting a self-nomination, then let me build you up and let you know that this is an opportunity for you. Whether you work for a large city or you’re a one-person shop for a small or medium-sized town, you have something that you can contribute for the good of our organization.
Serving on the Board is also a little self-serving. For me, it has been one of the most personally and professionally rewarding experiences that I’ve had. I am honored by the time I’ve had interacting with the other leaders in our association who serve to help develop and educate all of us in this field. It has given me a sense of being a part of something important, and I have a greater appreciation for the work we all do in our respective agencies.
What You Can Expect – Role of a Regional Director
The next hurdle that may be giving you second thoughts is the time commitment. Yes, it is a volunteer position and you will have to put something into serving, but that’s what it’s all about, right?
TAMIO’s regional directors are depended upon to communicate with members throughout the year. All regional directors contact new members when they join the association, but our TML representative will keep you updated and let you know how to contact them.
Some of the regional directors also coordinate quarterly regional newsletters or setup regional luncheons to network and meet other members. Once COVID-19 becomes less of a part of our daily lives, regional directors may also soon help to host half or full-day workshops for their region.
This is all a lot of work, but, here’s the trade-off – you get to work with other dynamic people in your profession and be a part of the decision-making process. For anyone with a passion for our profession, this is your chance to expand horizons and gain experience.
Nomination Process
Nominations open May 3 and are due by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 11. Regional Board members elected this year will serve two years, with terms expiring at the close of the TAMIO Annual Conference in 2023.
Again, don’t be afraid to nominate yourself, but please also take the step to nominate someone you think would be a good fit. It may be the vote of confidence they need to take on a leadership role.
For those who do wish to be candidates, there’s one more step and that’s the application process. Each nomination needs to include the following:
- Explanation why the candidate wants to serve on the Board.
- Background and experience serving on a board or in an association.
- Participation in TAMIO, such as attending TAMIO conferences, planning conferences, and serving as a speaker or in any other capacity.
- Participation, if any, serving as part of the TAMIO awards program, including serving as a judge or similar experiences.
- List any other related experience.
All applications need to be sent to our Affiliate Association Manager Lauren Grossman at laureng@tml.org.
The Election Process
Once nominations are closed, the Nominating Committee will propose a slate of candidates for consideration. Each region votes on their director. If there’s only one candidate for a position, the candidate will be automatically inducted into the position at the adjournment of our annual conference this August. If nominations are not received for a particular office, the Nominating Committee will attempt to nominate candidates.
I do wholeheartedly encourage you to participate in this process if you feel that you would like to take part. Even if you do not win, you will be identified as someone who is interested in serving, and you may be called upon to take part on one of the various committees that help to guide the direction for our association. It doesn’t hurt to try, and as the old saying goes, “nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
If you have questions, please feel free to contact me. My information is below.
Sincerely,
Greg Sowell, MBA, CPC
Immediate Past President, TAMIO
Director of Communications, City of Richardson
Office: 972-744-4218
Cell: 972-897-2762
E-mail: greg.sowell@cor.gov