Message From The Chairman
Hello A-PLUS Members and Friends!
To begin, I would like to salute the Washington DC Metro and the Baltimore Chapters for hosting our recent 38th Annual A-PLUS National Convention. What a memorial event it was! From meeting First-Timers, to seeing familiar faces, the marvelous speakers, the food, fun, and fellowship, it was a convention to remember!
Reflecting on our recent gathering, we had over 35 First-Timers to register to attend the national convention. What a magnificent number of fresh eyes into our organization. We look forward to pouring into these individuals, showing them the way as they continue to develop their future, not only for the U.S. Postal Service, but also for A-PLUS. These individuals will be the leaders we look to in years to come, they will carry the torch our founders lit nearly forty years ago.
We also officially launched the “Focus Forty” group. Congratulations to our National Executive Vice President, the newly acknowledged Dr. Brenda Blue (congratulations on your accomplishment), for leading this initiative. This new group was just that, focused; focused on becoming tomorrow’s leaders. Many of our First-Timers are participating in this group as well. With this initiative, A-PLUS is placing itself with a succession plan; working to continue on a path that generates strong leadership, provides an opportunity to maintain a seat at the table and have a voice.
I wish to take a moment to thank our National President, Debra Clayton, for how she represented us during the convention. With President Clayton at the helm, we have developed stronger partnerships with NAPS and UPMA. There were additional relationships initiated among other invited guests and groups, we look forward to having our president continue to represent our fine organization strongly and firmly as she engages in relations with these organizations in the future. Continue to make us proud, President Clayton!
Congratulations to our very own Nikki Lowe, our most recent Dr. LeGree S. Daniels Heritage Award recipient, the highest honor that A-PLUS awards. Ms. Lowe continues to be the definition and picture of success, both professionally and in her personal life.
So, as we have been recharged and we start this new quarter, we must continue our focus on membership. This is what we rely on as an organization; it is vital to sustain our growth. As many recruitment strategies have been shared over the weeks, let us all work to stay focused. My Pastor has adopted this “I2 Initiative”, and I too would like to challenge each of us to do the same – INVEST and INVITE. INVEST in your chapter legacy and INVITE someone to an A-PLUS national convention, regional conference, chapter meeting, local training, or network connection event to learn more and offer them a chance to grow as a professional and enhance their career through an exclusive membership. We each have the responsibility to manage the growth, we need not to sit idle and be satisfied, let us flourish today, tomorrow, and the decades to come.
In closing, do not forget those who laid the foundation before us. Let us continue to keep each other in prayer as life continues to bring its challenges.
Be blessed,
Alan C. Lewis
A-PLUS Chairman of the Board