 |
| Jason Brandt |
After a 32 year career in association management, and a
terrific experience it has been by the way, I will be retiring in October. The
decision to do so was made after a great deal of thought as I truly enjoy my
job. It is an honor to represent ORLA’s members as I very much admire their
passion for the industry, the jobs that they produce and the communities that
they positively affect every day. Working to protect their rights, represent
their positions on issues, provide them with needed information and educate
their workforces made every work day something I looked forward to with
enthusiasm. That is a gift that many don’t receive in life and one I value
greatly.
However, there does come a time when you know it is time to
move on to another chapter in your life. That time arrived for me last year. I
came to grips with the fact that the energy level I’d always tapped to meet all
my work obligations was much lower that it had been. I finally decided, or more
truthfully knew, that it was time for ORLA to have a new CEO to lead the
association in the challenging and changing times ahead.
So, working with ORLA’s Executive Committee, we developed a
succession plan last summer. That plan laid out the search process, the type of
person the board wanted to replace me with, and a timeframe for getting all of
this done and the replacement hired. The search began in September of last year
and culminated in the selection and hiring of my replacement in February of
this year. A contract has been signed and your new CEO will start his new
career on August 10, 2015.
Your new leader will be Jason Brandt who is currently the
CEO of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. Jason has worked for the Salem
Chamber the past 11 years beginning immediately after graduating from Pacific
Lutheran University. Jason grew up in Salem and lives there now with his wife
Natalie and their two daughters. He has served as CEO of the Salem Chamber for
over four years and is a leader in the chamber world in Oregon and the Western
region of the country. He brings with him a thorough understanding of
association management principles and law, nearly five years of association
management experience, experience in the government affairs arena both at the
state and local level, and an enthusiastic, people-oriented can-do attitude
that will mean great things for Oregon’s hospitality industry.
I’ll be working with Jason getting him familiarized with all
things ORLA through September. You might watch for us as I’m sure we’ll be
traveling about the state introducing Jason to ORLA’s thousands of members (see ORLA Convention).
Serving as CEO of the association is a demanding job and Jason’s skill set will
serve him in good stead as he moves into his new position.
I can’t tell you what a joy and honor it has been to be
allowed to lead the association. I know what a great job the ORLA team does
every day representing your interests. The ever-changing, challenging times the
industry has been through have certainly left you with an experienced team of
professionals who know how to produce results. That will serve you and Jason
with excellence in the years to come. You’re sure to see new ideas, innovative
solutions and a fresh, new look at industry challenges from Jason – all good
things that are healthy for ORLA. If you’re not already a member, please consider
joining ORLA and supporting what will be another great era in ORLA’s long and
distinguished history of representing the industry’s interests. Jason and your
business need and deserve that support and participation. | Steve McCoid, President & CEO
