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 ASTD
is good for business.
I first joined national ASTD 22 years ago. I was in school at BYU and I got involved with the student chapter there. It was a great experience. We organized a regional conference that attracted executives from IBM, Motorola, McDonalds, Hewlett-Packard, and many other impressive organizations. For a bunch of college kids, that was pretty cool stuff!
A year later I graduated and moved to the Portland area. I again became involved in the local chapter. I quickly developed relationships with people who have remained wonderful friends and colleagues for two decades. It’s hard to believe that so much time has past.
I must admit that there have been several years along the way that, although a member of ASTD, I found myself “too busy” to attend chapter events. Fortunately, I have rediscovered the value that can come from chapter involvement – ironically, at a time when my life is perhaps the busiest it has ever been. Likewise, you’d think that after twenty plus years in the field, it would be hard to learn anything new at a chapter event. However, that has not been my experience. I feel that I am learning so much and meeting such bright and talented people that my involvement is truly worth the investment.
I am thrilled to be serving on the ASTD-Cascadia Chapter Board this year as the VP of Marketing. As a chapter, our marketing goal is three-fold:
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Help the business community see value in the training and development field.
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Help the training and development community see value in ASTD membership.
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Help ASTD members gain value from chapter events, programs, and services.
It’s easy to sell something that you’re sold on yourself. I am sold on ASTD. I have seen how ASTD has influenced the workplace. The field of learning and workforce development has progressed to where is has become an essential part of business success. ASTD has played a major role in that progress. ASTD truly is good for business.
I hope to see you at an upcoming chapter event. I hope you are planning to attend our annual conference in November 2005. Above all, I hope that you find your experience with ASTD and with the Cascadia Chapter to be personally and professionally rewarding.
Mark Christensen
VP of Marketing
mark@learningpointinc.com
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