Hello Fellow OREIO Members!
I wanted to take a moment to clearly articulate what I would like to bring with me to the Executive Team should you elect to have me as your President.
The best way I can summarize my vision is this:
I would like to bring the “Member First” Philosophy back to OREIO.
I believe that somewhere in the last 6 years the membership has taken a back seat to the glitz and glam of International Speakers and Celebrity. I want to be clear that I believe these types of speaks can bring great value to an organization when used effectively, however, having a parade of speakers that don’t deliver what the membership is looking for is not benefiting this organization. I know there are many who will disagree with this view and that’s expected, disagreements are what allow us to grow as individuals. If we all agreed with everything we heard we would never be pushed to explore a new viewpoint, and would never have an opportunity to grow.
So, how do I believe we can create a “Member First” organization? To start we need to listen to our members and understand their needs. What do they want to see? What topics to they want to hear about? What challenges are they currently facing? Once we understand these needs we then need to deliver!
Here are a few changes I would like to see…many of these are in line with what other candidates have stated and this really is encouraging to see:
- Get organized. We have an Executive handbook as well as detailed by-laws, but these need to be reviewed and updated to reflect the changes we need in order to remain current and allow us to evolve within the rapidly changing environment we are in.
- Implement a proper operations structure to allow for additional volunteers to assist in growing this organization. Our leadership team needs to be able to encourage the participation of our membership by creating an environment that is inclusive and FUN!
- Implement statistics tracking so that we can collect and compare real data that will drive the decisions and changes we make
- Implement proper financial planning and budgeting so that we can start spending on the things we need to help our organization grow in the direction our membership wants
- Communication and transparency between the board and our members.
- Highlight the incredible talent in our room! We have members with amazing successes, experience and relationships. We need to create an environment that allows us to work with and learn from the very people who make this organization great.
- Create a member’s resource area on our website where members can download important and relevant tools and resources needed to run their REI businesses ie: Standard Ontario Lease Agreement, Additional lease clauses, Rental Applications, Screening Checklists and Tools, Basic Property Analysis spreadsheet, the list goes on!
- Educate the membership about the advantages and disadvantage of keeping an informal non-incorporated structure vs a legally registered Not-For-Profit. A membership cannot be expected to make decisions without facts and data.
- Collaborate with other organizations, groups, and businesses. While it’s great to be a 1 stop shop we need to remember that we are currently trying to serve a Keg dinner on a McDonalds budget. Our goal as an executive is to deliver the MAXIMUM content, tools and resources to our members so that they can continue to take action, and the fastest way to do this is by aligning ourselves with others who are already doing the things we want to do
- GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. I would like to see OREIO giving back. I would love to put together Team Builds for Habitat for Humanity with our members, as well as give back to the members of our community who are most in need. Again, these organizations will be identified through proper member surveys.
If you made it all the way to the end of this list I thank you!! I appreciate your time and I hope that the vision I have is one that is in line with the OREIO you wish to see.
Whether you vote for change or not I know you are choosing what is right for you, and that is all that any candidate can ask for.
