A difficult lesson learned
For more than a quarter century, Patti Jo Baber had been the glue that held the American League of Lobbyists together. She started as our executive director when the League was but a handful of men and helped grow it to over 1,300 members. Suddenly last December, we were without Patti Jo, a victim of a fast-spreading cancer.
As shocking as this tragedy was, it proved to be part of a perfect storm of troubles. We had no succession plan…why should we? Patti Jo was always there. I was coming on as the newly elected president, and the League’s records were housed in a computer on its last legs and boxes waiting to be moved to our new office.
With the approval of the League’s board, I formed a transition committee composed of former presidents and board members. They put in many hours developing recommendations regarding what we needed to do right away to keep the organization running smoothly. The committee recommended Gina Bancroft, a former board member, to serve as acting executive director. Together with Teresa Jamison, my office administrator, we went through every box and had my IT consultant pull data off the computer. The League has several bank accounts and CDs, but only one former treasurer remained as an authorized person to sign checks. To this day, we are still unraveling the remaining tangles of information and processes.
Thanks to the transition committee, we held a thorough search for a permanent executive director with solid association experience. Since Aug. 1, Danielle Abe has been working with Gina to transition into her position on Jan. 1.
Patti Jo’s position expanded as the League expanded, though she had no association experience. She knew where the records were located, and she knew her own system of records, but no one else had any knowledge of this information. We have learned a difficult lesson the hard way. Best practices are being implemented as are good membership and financial systems. The board has been very involved with all of these changes and is well aware of its fiduciary need to stay on top of the management of the League. Early next year we begin a series of facilitated strategic planning sessions. Still to be undertaken is the development of a succession plan.
Unfortunately, it took the passing of Patti Jo to make us realize how much needed to be done. The good news is that we have made great strides and are a stronger and better-managed association today than we were last fall.
Details: Marlowe is the elected president of the American League of Lobbyists, Washington, www.alldc.org.
