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President's Message
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Hello FLASLA Members!
Hard to believe that we are heading into summer already. Before we know it the kids are out of school and the steamy summer heat of Florida rolls in (depending on where you are in the State it’s already here). And with summer comes our annual conference and expo, this year being held at the beautiful and tranquil Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo July 24th through the 26th. Online registration is now available at the State Chapter website www.flasla.org. Early bird prices are in effect until June 13th.
With the tag line ‘Reeling in at the Reef’ your conference committee has gone to great efforts to provide a terrific three-day program that not only offers the outstanding continuing education courses that accompanies every conference, but a terrific slate of local tours as well. Enjoy bicycle and kayak trips and garden tours. Using wheelchairs and sight reducing glasses, learn what the effects of the built environment are to those with accessibility challenges through an ADA accessibility tour. And get those law courses complete with a unique introductory experience to mangrove trimming with various types of trimming design found on site at Ocean Reef. But don’t worry about a packed schedule of in-class courses, there will be plenty of time to enjoy the grounds and spend time with colleagues and vendors throughout the conference, like the Thursday night pub crawl, design awards, cocktail and expo receptions (not to mention the fishing and scuba diving).
Many thanks has to go to the dedicated volunteers of our Conference Committee led by our Conference Chair (and Miami Section Chair) Deena Bell-Llewellyn. Make sure you buy her a margarita when you see her there in July!
Prior to the conference in July, I also wanted to let the membership be aware that President-Elect Dave Ferris, Trustee Emily O’Mahoney and myself will be traveling to Washington DC in May to represent the Chapter during Advocacy Day on Capital Hill. This is a forum by which we have the opportunities to speak to our national legislators in regards to policy issues facing the landscape architecture profession. During their congressional visits, landscape architects strive to raise the visibility of the profession with legislators and key staff and educate them on the many ways that landscape architects provide solutions to a myriad of problems facing our nation. In addition, the annual Chapter’s Presidents Council meets at the same time in DC whereby leadership from across the country can meet and discuss issues facing our individual Chapter and share ideas on how to make them provide the most value for members.
Lastly, when the Chapter Executive Committee met for our quarterly face-to-face meeting in Orlando, we had the privilege of having Barbara Drobins, the Director of Member and Chapter Services from ASLA National visit with us, where she facilitated the beginning stages of developing a new strategic plan. During the next few months, we will be receiving a report based on the findings from the planning session and begin a restructuring effort to allow for a more efficient and focused Chapter Leadership Structure, one focused on strengthening the value of membership. I’ll outline our progress and new framework in coming editions of the newsletter. Should you have any questions or want to offer additional input on this issue, please contact me at president@flasla.org.
See you in Key Largo Parrotheads,
Jeff Brophy, ASLA, PLA
FLASLA President