Abstract
“We have done due diligence and worked hard to anticipate our next steps, but we will need to be flexible and respond appropriately to unexpected challenges and opportunities.”
You, the ALA members of 2010, have established a place in history! For years to come, you will be remembered for recognizing and embracing the value and advantages that a merger with the Society for Bio-molecular Sciences offered. Your consent speaks to the innovative character of our community and our ability to see an opportunity and embrace it with both hands… The consistency of your consent reflects the unity we feel as like-minded professionals. In fact, more than double the bylaws-required number of ALA members voted, and more than 94% of the ALA members and SBS members who voted said yes!
We have much to look forward to in the coming months. A shared strategic vision and solid Plan of Merger will guide the members of our Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening Board of Directors, Biomolecular Sciences Executive Council, and Laboratory Automation Executive Council. With professional association management leadership from SLAS CEO Greg Dummer and his team, we have a great back office to deliver the smooth merger of the two organizations.
Thomas Edison once said “opportunity is dressed in overalls and looks like work,” and he was right. Since your approval of the merger, operational and administrative details have taken center stage. Our team has been busy filing legal documents, consolidating behind-the-scenes management systems, and preparing for a mission-critical member database management technology transition. The next 12 to 18 months truly will be a period of transition and adjustment. We have done due diligence and worked hard to anticipate our next steps, but we will need to be flexible and respond appropriately to unexpected challenges and opportunities.
Next on the leadership agenda is a comprehensive strategic planning meeting focused on the goals and objectives of our new organization and its two sections. This plan will pave our path through the near future and place us on a trajectory that will benefit each and every one of us. In the meantime, preparations continue for LabAutomation2011, JALA continues to publish in print and online, LabAutopedia's scope grows richer, The Market Place for Laboratory Automation becomes more and more robust, and the ALA Career Connections program continues to put prospective employers and employees in contact. Do not forget to keep returning to the Web site www.labautomation.org to keep up to date on all the new information on the services that ALA offers its members. We will watch for these initiatives to grow and get stronger as new members from the screening community become aware of them and begin participating in them. Likewise, we encourage you to explore the Journal for Biomolecular Screening, short courses, conferences, webinars, global symposia, special interest groups, and online directories offered by the Biomolecular Sciences Section. Plus, we look forward to sharing details about our upcoming international initiatives in Shanghai, China, and Mumbai, India, as soon as dates and details are confirmed.
As we move forward with SLAS and our ideas and expectations take tangible shape in the real world, we may find ourselves making changes and adjustments. When that happens, you will be kept 100% informed, and we will strongly encourage your continued input and feedback. The other board members and I need to hear your questions, suggestions, ideas, and concerns. The board and advisory councils are here to implement your views and ideas for the future. Please help us get there. Please continue to participate in the process.
Sincerely
