Our first ever virtual conference is behind us now. It could not have gone better! I hope everyone was able to attend at least one day, but preferably all three. We had some tremendous educational sessions, great speakers, and vendor time. As with any event like this, the possibility of a technical glitch is always of concern. However, we had no such issues and it was smooth for all three days. I learned very quickly that I did not have what it takes to keep up with the expo quest leaders. Thank you to everyone who attended and made it a success.

Our Board of Directors met for the annual strategic planning meeting in September. This meeting usually takes place earlier in the summer, but was deferred for several reasons. One of our main topics of discussion was – you guessed it – the 2021 Annual Conference. Believe it or not, it’s only 7 months away. We have every intention of moving back to in-person events, provided that we are allowed to do that and remain safe. One piece of information that will guide us in making that decision is our members. More specifically, now that our new fiscal year has started, do you have the budget to attend the 2021 Annual Conference? 

Over the coming weeks, we will be sending out a survey to our membership that asks about your annual travel budget, travel restrictions, and the feasibility of your attendance at an in-person conference in April 2021. It is extremely important that you complete this survey, as it will have a major bearing on how we plan for the event. Look for an email from TAGITM with more information.

The last thing I’d like to mention is our regional member groups. My group in North East Fort Worth has not met in several months, due to the pandemic. I would assume that’s the case for most, or all, of the others across the state. I want to encourage everyone to stay in touch throughout these challenging times. Maintain those connections with your neighbors, even if it’s a quick email to check on your peers in the next city down the road.

I hope everyone has a great October!

Scott