this year. We began service on the Corporate Board the same year – in 2003. I know her to be a passionate, committed and extremely capable member of the organization. She is a great leader and one that will guide us well. Her motivation as a servant leader is evident. It will truly be a privilege to serve this organization with her.

I am thankful for each member of this Corporate Board, for the talent they bring to their respective positions and their commitment to EWI.

Wendy will direct the planning of our next Leaders Summit to be held in Philadelphia in April 2007. In addition, she will be deeply involved in the strategic planning effort we will conduct in the coming months.

Karen Kuhn, in the new Marketing and Public Relations Director position, will focus on the development of a comprehensive program to secure sponsorships and partnerships to increase our non-dues revenue. Success in this area can also translate into increased memberships. Deb Clouser of Allstate talked yesterday about the partnership between EWI and Allstate. We want EWI to be the partner of choice in long-term relationships with member firms and sponsors.

Louise Anderson and Carolyn Summerlin, Membership and Membership Priority Program Directors, bring their enthusiasm and knowledge of EWI together to support the efforts of our Chapters, to guide the work of our Membership Advisors, and our efforts to grow this organization. Our Chapters are the frontline of this organization. It is there that we prove out our mission to deliver value to member firms, benefits to careers and service to communities.

Peggy Quinn, Education and Professional Development Director, will guide the planning and coordination of our 2007 AOL Road Tour. Responses to surveys indicate the idea of delivering our Academy of Leadership modules in three to four Chapter cities next Spring holds great potential for success. The Alumni module would be planned for Philadelphia so that the new class of Alumni could also participate in the 2007 Leaders Summit.

Audrey Puko, Secretary/Treasurer, will work with membership to communicate activities of the Corporate Board and will make herself available to answer any questions Chapters may have with reference to her board position.

For the next few minutes, I want to talk about two things: 1) a primary focus for the coming year and 2) leadership in this organization.

That primary focus is the strategic planning effort that will be conducted through the coming months. This “grass roots” effort is intended to engage as many members of this organization in a process that will result in strategic initiatives for the next two to three years. Why would we want to do this?

I want to answer that with something we heard this week in a Disney Institute session. We want to answer the questions: What is our vision, what are our goals, what are our values, what are our behaviors. Asked another way this week: what do we want to achieve, eliminate, preserve or avoid for EWI?

The process we are conducting is what we heard described as a “time out” or a pause to formulate the answers through a series of exchanges with our Chapters.

Why would we want these questions answered and why would we go about it in this manner? Well, here are some more things I heard this week that I think answer that.

• Think of ourselves as EWI cast members…we have heard so much this week about how cast members are involved in everything that happens at Disney.
• We heard about a collaborative culture and goals to produce the most and best ideas to be acted upon.
• A collaborative culture is about building genuine relationships where ideas can be expressed honestly and openly.
• A collaborative culture is about passion for the purpose, shared values, communication, trust, variety of perspectives.

Can we do this? Will it work? What are the risks?

I believe we can – and I believe it will. The greatest risk, I think, is silence from you or members in your Chapter. This is an opportunity for each member’s voice to be heard, for every member to have input. Once again, something heard this week comes to mind...that is Byrd Baggett’s statement that the easiest thing to do is nothing. We can involve ourselves in this effort and be better for it, or we can be silent, we can do nothing and miss the opportunity to have a voice in the effort. If we miss the opportunity, I think we would experience the “pain of regret” that Byrd Baggett also mentioned.

What do we expect the outcome to be? I again go back to things I heard this week, because I think it was right on and so rich.

• To create a shared and meaningful purpose for EWI.
• To develop a plan that will guide our decision making and strategy.
• To maintain, respect, replenish the old and move it forward.
• To determine what sets us apart.
• We want to push the envelope of EWI creativity. Disney’s former leader, Michael Eisner said: stay within the envelope, and it’s safe and others pass you by. Push the boundaries to succeed.
• And Byrd Baggett told us: you’re either green and growing or ripe and rotting.
• And I guess you could apply another of Byrd’s witticisms to the process…we can also identify where we need to “flush it and move on!”

The second thing on my mind today is leadership in this organization. If you were to read the applications for service on the Corporate Board, you will find a common phrase. That is: I want to give back to this organization.

So, who are these people that sit in front of you today that have said just that. We are you. We are EWI. Like many of you – or I hope all of you – we are representatives that have a strong love and passion for this organization and who are motivated to contribute to its successes and preserve its relevance to business professionals for years to come. We have stepped forward from among you to lead you, to guide you in the next year. We ask for your trust in us and your support of us.

We learned this week that the leader’s role is to demonstrate a commitment to the organization’s identity, to take responsibility for the structural systems, and to provide inspiration for that collaborative culture. Committed, responsible, inspiring leadership will lead to a creative culture that will generate innovative products and services and gain a competitive edge for the organization.

And one last thing that I heard this week is this. Every leader is telling a story about what he or she values. This is what I want you to see in me. I value EWI. I value you. I want to make a difference. I want to focus on the people of this organization. I want to do the right things. I want to respect others. I want to be a good steward of the resources entrusted to this Corporate Board.

You are exactly who the members of this Corporate Board and I want to partner with for the good of this organization in the next year. We are together at this particular time for a particular purpose. EWI’s success depends on us working together on EWI matters because EWI does matter!

Thank you.