Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/873536
4 FEDA News & Views Joe Schmitt President Rapids Wholesale Equipment jaschmitt@rapidswholesale.com T he FEDA leadership transition is well on its way. Effective September 1, Executive Vice President Ray Herrick has confi dently and without hes- itation (ok…maybe just a little), turned over the keys of the FEDA machine to Deputy Executive Vice President Tracy Mulqueen. Ray will continue to support Tracy in some of the convention plan- ning activities but the balance of the day- to-day operational activities have been turned over to Tracy slightly ahead of our initial plan. Ray has done an amazing job during his 34 years at the helm of FEDA, and his pride of ownership is evident in all that he's done for our Association. While "letting go" was a challenge, his willing- ness to turn over the reins to Tracy on an accelerated schedule is a testament to his confi dence in her capabilities and capacity to lead FEDA into the future. As FEDA's president, I've had the opportuni- ty to experience the transition fi rsthand and Ray has handled the passing of the baton with incredible dignity and grace. We all owe him a huge "thank you" for his tireless commitment to the organi- zation and, as always, for putting FEDA front and center. Under the direction of Tracy and the board of directors, we have a clearly- defi ned plan that will play an important role in shaping the future of FEDA 2.0. The key drivers of this new path for- ward include a board governance plan, a strategic plan and an operational plan. The board governance plan will allow for more oversight and strategic engage- ment. The goal is to have a more active board at all levels, ensuring we are more in touch with our membership and bet- ter prepared to be more proactive in our long-range planning. Board governance will include devel- opment and approval of mission-driven strategic goals, along with budgetary and operational plans. In addition, the execu- tive committee and board will focus its energy on the Association's legal, fi nan- cial and strategic priorities on a policy and planning level. The next tier in revolutionizing FEDA is the development of a strategic plan to create a truly united dealer voice by strengthening member engagement, retention and recruitment. Also of great importance, expanding FEDA's advocacy efforts, which will include the forma- tion of a Dealer Advocacy Council that will guide the Association toward inno- vative ways to strengthen dealer-based distribution. The council will be charged with developing a point-by-point dealer advocacy agenda that includes goals and strategies for 2018. The third and fi nal leg of this all- encompassing plan is the operational plan, which will align our operations and human resources with the strategic plan. Noteworthy goals include stabiliz- ing FEDA's fi nancial and human resourc- es management processes, as well as the annual operating budget. In addition, we plan to structure FEDA staffi ng to support the work outlined in the strate- gic plan, and ensure the full use of our IMIS software to carry out a compre- hensive marketing and communications program. This is an aggressive plan and I'm con- fi dent the three "legs of the stool" will serve us well. Although, it's important to note that future successes also hinge on our persistence in attracting, retaining, and developing young industry talent to grow our next crop of leaders. With a strong vision and a keen eye toward execution, FEDA will prosper for many years to come! FEDA Aligns its Vision with a New Strategic Plan The President's Message "Ray Herrick has done an amaz- ing job during his 34 years at the helm of FEDA, and his pride of ownership is evident in all that he's done for our Association. Thank You, Ray, for a job well done!"