News Detail

"Thank You!"

3/1/2005

This is my final column as your President, and I would like to take the opportunity to look back and ahead. For me, the past year has been a real learning process. I have learned a lot about ACI-its operations, strengths and weaknesses, and its presence in the global concrete community. It has been enlightening, rewarding, and humbling, and has left me with many impressions, of which the following three stand out:

• First, the commitment and dedication of our members, especially those who serve in leadership positions, are absolutely amazing. That so many knowledgeable and busy individuals are willing to contribute their time and talent to ACI is a true validation of our core purpose of providing knowledge and information for the best use of concrete. And when I refer to members, I include those individuals active in our local chapters who actually may not be members of ACI. To all of our "members," thank you for your continuing contributions!
• Second, the respect and recognition that ACI enjoys around the world is simply overwhelming. Last year, on behalf of ACI, I visited Australia, China, England, France, India, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand. Without exception, the warm receptions we received reflected an extremely high regard for ACI programs and products. This is a tribute to our members and the foresight of past leaders of the Institute who viewed ACI as an organization open to global participation. ACI can truly be the catalyst that fosters a worldwide community of equal partners working together to provide knowledge to use concrete to its fullest potential. To all of our international partners, thank you!
• Third, the capabilities, professionalism, and dedication of our ACI staff are exceptional. This past year has clearly demonstrated to me how fortunate we are to have such a strong team at headquarters. They are creative, knowledgeable, and responsive. On a personal note, they were invaluable in helping me throughout the year, whether in providing information, assisting with travel arrangements, planning meetings, preparing President's Memos, or assisting with countless other tasks. It really made the job much easier. To all of our staff, thank you!

Now what about the future? What I have learned has reinforced my commitment to the goals I established for this past year, and provided new insights on where we need to focus our efforts. We need to:

• Expand ACI's Student Fellowship Program. Now that our Centennial celebrations are behind us, we can focus more energy on fundraising for supporting students. I know that this will be a primary goal for future ACI Presidents;
• Support our international programs and partnerships. Continued attention is required to broaden and strengthen these relationships;
• Expand our use of technology to deliver our products and services globally and cost effectively;
• Improve our responsiveness to industry needs and our market relevance. While we are a technical organization, we cannot ignore the concrete industry marketplace. We are all in the "concrete business." Let's take advantage of our chapter network, contractor members, sustaining members, and Strategic Development Council to help us define the needs;
• Take advantage of the capabilities of our staff. We should be member driven, especially in defining needs, setting goals and strategies, and developing technical content. But we should give more responsibility and autonomy to staff for implementation of strategies and for conduct of operations; and
• Continue to work on coordinating technical, educational, certification, and convention programs. Our Board committees have taken on a more strategic role, and are communicating more than ever before to coordinate efforts-this is a great start to breaking down silos within our programs.

These are just a few of the challenges we have before us. But as I have repeatedly stated, our members and staff have the knowledge, resourcefulness, and dedication to meet these challenges and to provide added value to our Institute.

It has been a privilege and an honor to serve as your President. Thank you for the opportunity!

Anthony E. Fiorato, President
American Concrete Institute
fiorato@CTLGroup.com

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