What an honor it is to be able to serve CCBO and you, my colleagues, my friends, as President of our great organization for the coming year. Since the very first time I became in involved with CCBO in 2012, beginning with the Leadership Academy, I have known this Organization is special, because it is the only national/international organization that serves exclusively the specific needs of Community College business officers. As the chief business officer of a small community college, I am privileged to interact directly with our students daily, so our mission statement really "fits" for me: "We transform lives by empowering community colleges with the knowledge and skills essential for collaboration and sustainability." I get to see the lives we, as community colleges, impact and transform into more skilled, educated, and productive citizens. As business officers, we are, or should be, the leaders our campuses rely on to grow our institutions, and I am not speaking only in financial terms. Thank you for serving your institution. 

And thank you for being involved in CCBO. One thing I have learned through my CCBO connections is that "together, we’re better." Being involved in CCBO has created a feeling of synergy for many of its members, a feeling that has been spoken time and time again by active members of our great organization. I would like to encourage you to be more involved during the coming year. The Board of Directors have set goals of increasing our membership, participation in the Leadership Academy, and participation in the Annual Conference. Please reach out to your peers in your state and/or region (or anywhere you have contacts) and encourage them to become a member and get involved with our great organization.

If you are new to CCBO, there are numerous ways to become involved, such as volunteer for a committee or to work at the annual conference; participate in a webinar; present a webinar; attend the Leadership Academy; or present at the Annual Conference.

I am excited to see what this year has in store for us all, and am sure the experience will be a memorable one. As business officers, it is our duty to not only guide our institutions in the short-term, but also to guide them into the future. I can think of no better way to help with this than to be involved with CCBO and the colleagues and friends we gain. Don’t forget the 2018 Annual International Conference and Leadership Academy, which will be held at the Sheraton Grand Phoenix Downtown Hotel in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona September 29, through October 2, 2018. I look forward to seeing you there!