Aloha All,

I echo many of the posts regarding the upcoming Conference and concerns regarding ARMA...

I particularly liked Patrick's eloquent description and point of view on the ARMA Conference and the dynamics involved.  Like Patrick, I've attended 25 conferences in my 27 years in ARMA...That's no small feat coming from Hawaii and the costs involved.  I've attended many conferences on "my own dime" and had many ARMA friends graciously share their rooms with me.  That being said, I'm in the same boat as Patrick in that I will likely miss the upcoming conference due to the costs, distance, and ROI...

I proudly consider myself a member of the "tribe" aka "RM Minions" who find have found value at the conferences in either Chapter/Region events, Society gatherings (RM Listserv, ABA Records Group), Vendor Expos, and sessions.  ARMA appears to be moving towards a "different audience" in many respects and RIM practitioners have to take a "hard look" at whether the conference offerings truly justifies their attendance versus going to alternative conferences such as AIIM, MER, PRISM, etc.

The concerns over "transparency" and "communication" to the membership are definite issues...I've asked others who've had the "passion" to serve on the Board and other leadership levels as to what "is going on" in ARMA-ville, but we find ourselves with ever-growing "shrug"...

Will Chapters eventually disappear???  I think that would be a drastic mistake by ARMA, as it is the chief networking tool which has made ARMA so attractive.  Participation in chapters are a concern, but it may be due in part to changes in our profession and overall apathy.

I wonder at times, if ARMA is the "place to be" for Records and Information practitioners and whether one of the larger chapters or countries (e.g. Canada) may be bold enough to create their own Association.  That path was how ARMA was originally developed and I could foresee that occurring if you have too many disenfranchised RIM folks.   

I'll miss the camaraderie of ARMA conferences and networking with my fellow tribe/minions...I guess I'll have to be content in seeing some of the tribe members in my other conference visits (e.g. PRISM) and grabbing a mai-tai to reminisce on how ARMA used to be.

Live Aloha Everyone!

Brian


Brian A. Moriki
AVP & Manager - OSD Records Management
First Hawaiian Bank

***THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE STRICTLY "MY OWN" AND IS NOT ENDORSED OR APPROVED BY MY EMPLOYERS OR ANY ENTITY THAT I PARTICIPATE OR REPRESENT.***
-----Original Message-----
<snip> For the first time in over 25 years, I do not anticipate attending the conference. My role has changed and the value that I take away from ARMA is not the same as it has been in the past. <snip> I would suggest that I have attended for a number of years out of a sense of duty to the profession as well as for the networking and sidebars with friends and colleagues.  <snip> I think those of us who are dedicated to the Association and the profession fall into the "tribe" category. We are part of all the "secret societies", having our various pins and whatnot. We've been leaders at various levels of the organization. Awards have meaning to us. But times change.

<snip> For many of us, the opportunity to see old friends is a major part of why we go to conference. For those of us who are now the "old hands", the education is secondary to the networking. And yes, I'm sure that there are still a few folks who come to party, but I think those numbers have diminished. In some respects, it is the friendships and networking that have kept me coming back and one of the important takeaways that I have had over the years. But those relationships have been cultivated over many years, through many roles and encounters with people over the years. If we are a tribe, it is the tribal knowledge that we value. But to many, I suspect that "tribe" equals "clique" and they want no part of that.



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