Reflections from our 6th President – Shelly Underwood

Wow! Ten years?!?!  As the old adage goes, “time flies when you’re having fun!”  I’m excited to share with you a bit about my SoACE journey thus far and how, you – its members, continue to inspire me.

As a new professional, I was fortunate to have been encouraged and supported in my interests to get involved in SWACE.  When news of the planned merger with SACE was announced, I remember feeling a strong sense of excitement and enthusiasm for new opportunities that would be afforded given the diversity of the proposed new membership and each association’s rich history.  The extraordinary efforts of the strategic planning and merger team committees laid the foundation for the association we derive so much benefit from.

San Antonio was the destination for the inaugural SoACE Conference and “Synergy” was the theme!  I had the privilege of serving alongside three talented members, Patsy Hammett, Sue Martin and Woody Wentworth, to chair the planning of this much anticipated event.  With the support of Karen Thompson, our President, the board, and a brilliant conference committee, more than 900 SoACE members gathered in the Alamo City to network and grow within the profession we hold so dear.  In this role, I began to realize our shared challenges and opportunities and I remember thinking the “synergy” is real and we have a lot we can accomplish together.  It’s also important to note I learned a few new line dances that year and till this day, I can’t help but crack up when I hear Chubby Checker’s Twist!

Beginning in 2011, I was extremely fortunate to have the experience of serving on the SoACE board for a three-year tenure starting with President-Elect.  This was a challenging, but also exciting time, as I was making the transition professionally from career services at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio to university recruiting at Tesoro, now Andeavor.  Whether we were introducing a new web platform via SoACE Connect, reviewing by-laws to ensure they enabled our work, looking to grow membership, exploring collaborative opportunities with other regional associations, or preparing for a successful conference experience (on the magnificent beaches of St. Pete), I was continuously amazed by the commitment of our SoACE volunteers.  From board members and conference chairs, to committee leads and members, the passion they lend in addition to time and energy is invaluable empowering the association at large to fulfill its mission.  I grew as a professional so much during this time – each board member I served with brought unique perspectives and abilities that strengthened both me and the team.  In the midst of busy days, that just get busier with time, I relied (and continue to rely) on this network for advice, best practices, and motivation.

Here we are, ten years later. SoACE, driven by its membership and supported by a wonderful team at CMC Global, continues to evolve and remains a resource for those both seasoned in our profession and new.  I count my blessings that I have the opportunity to work in the company of such amazing professionals that positively impact our profession and the students and stakeholders we serve daily.  I’m excited to celebrate all that has been achieved in the past decade in my home town of San Antonio this December, alongside you and my Andeavor team.  The “Synergy” is more real than ever and opportunity lies ahead to leverage the talents brought together years ago into one super association!

Reflections from our 8th President – Jay Killough

My first ever SWACE conference was back in 2002 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I wanted to get involved in the organization, so I volunteered for the Registration Committee in order to meet people. I worked the check-in table and handed members their name badges and bags for a couple years. From there, I volunteered with the Technology Committee. We were the people in charge of building and maintaining the SWACE website. There was a lot of turnover that year and I remember going from a committee Member, to committee Chair, to Board Director for Technology within a year. Things happened FAST. I remember feeling out of place at board meetings, so I stuck to what I knew which was web design. During summer of 2005, our president, Randy Wilson brought to our attention that SWACE would possibly be merging with SACE. The next year, the vote passed and the transition began, merging the two associations. Through this transition and some intense board meetings, I was able to see the talent involved in making such crucial decisions to merge the two associations.

 

I can remember it like it was yesterday. November 12, 2012. I was at home sitting at my desk working on graduate school work when my phone rang at about 9:00 p.m. Toni McLawhorn had emailed me earlier in the day asking if we could talk. I was curious why Toni would be calling me at my home on a weeknight. She cut straight to the point and asked me if I would mind being nominated for President Elect for SoACE. Stunned, I began asking many questions. Normally, I wouldn’t have a problem saying yes to new opportunities, but this was a big deal. All I could think of were the Presidents before me, Karen Thompson, Donnie Brown, Norma Guerra-Gaier, Eric Pearson, Toni McLawhorn, Shelly Garcia, and Tim Harding. There’s NO WAY I could be President. I’m thankful Toni was as patient, kind and understanding as she was, because after answering all my thousands of questions over a few days, she assured me it was the team that made things work for SoACE, and was she ever right. I was, and remain, impressed by the talent involved with SoACE.

As President Elect, Matt Berndt and I had a wonderful conversation in St. Pete that I will never forget. To reference City Slickers, Matt looked at me and said, “Focus on one thing in your presidency and put all your energy into it.” The next year, as an organization, we passed new by-laws that made the organization more inclusive (thanks to Tim Harding’s futuristic strength). The next step was to follow up on that inclusiveness and provide a group option for membership so whole offices could participate in SoACE. This was our one thing that year. An executive committee made up of some of the most powerhouse thinkers diligently and deliberately thought through all the potential pitfalls and gains that could possibly come from a group membership. Stacy Ballinger, who headed the committee, presented the group membership option to the organization, which went to vote at the New Orleans conference in 2014 and passed unanimously. Since then, our numbers have increased and we have broken the thousand-member mark. A huge thanks to Jeff Cummings, Corinne Earle and all the folks at CMCglobal who keep us organized and running efficiently.

I smile thinking of SoACE. I smile as I reflect on my years on the board and the presidency, and I think of the unforgettable conferences, the wealth of knowledgeable and inspiring people, and the relationships I have been so fortunate to build. I smile. I look back on the countless hours I spent questioning what decision to make (right, Tim?), but now

realize that being surrounded by a wonderful team is how decisions get made. Through the nearly 10,000 emails in my SoACE email folder and all the conversations with the best people in the world, I am grateful for all the wonderful people involved with SoACE who put their time and energy into making it function. I smile ear to ear.

 

 

I am continually excited to see the up and coming talent that is being produced in SoACE. Each year the conference gets better and better, and I look forward to all the new and exciting offerings SoACE is delivering. KGs, the Employer Relations Summit, the webinars, and consultations are just some of the excellent resources SoACE provides year-round.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Reflections from our 3rd President – Norma Guerra Gaier

When I stop and think about SoACE and all of the incredible colleagues and friends I’ve been blessed to meet and work with over the years, I immediately find myself in my happy place! Dating back to the very beginning of our association’s existence, I vividly remember serving on the board for SWACE on the day that both SACE and SWACE sat at the table to solidify our existence as SoACE! That was only the beginning of a highly collaborative and spirited movement that has paved the way for fruitful conversations and great memories at conferences, hot topic discussions at board meetings, and new initiatives that have helped us realize great success for our membership and for those we serve. While each group brought their own identity, conviction, traditions and passion for our work, we realized that by merging together as SoACE, we would become one of the strongest and most impactful regional associations in the country.

That year, I was excited to welcome new friends to the Alamo City, San Antonio, Texas, which was my home at the time, for the inaugural SoACE conference. It was at this conference that my candidacy for SoACE president-elect was announced on the slate with other phenomenal nominees, and it was also at this conference that I met folks from other states in our newly expanded regional association who are now longtime friends.

My time as president of SoACE, during the 2009-2010 term, is an experience that I will always hold very dear to my heart. I was surrounded by amazing leaders on the board and within our organization, who taught me so much about leadership and life. I can only hope that I did the same for them. One of the stand-out memories that I have is our conference at the Gaylord Hotel in Nashville. If you know me, you know that I have a deep appreciation for music, so hosting the SoACE Live and In Concert Conference was perfect! We had a special appearance from “Dolly” that was quite entertaining, but the biggest treat of all was a special SoACE Unplugged session that featured some of my all-time favorites performed by SoACE volunteer musicians, Charlie Wilder, Mike Phillips and Darrell Easley! That is a performance I will never forget! I wonder if we can get them to do an encore in San Antonio this year?!

Aside from my fond memories, there are a few strong pillars that I believe define SoACE:

Strength – SoACE is solid! We are strong in our membership and our contributions to the field…too many to name!

Opportunity –We provide our membership with every opportunity to network, learn, and lead. If you have served our association, THANK YOU! If you haven’t yet engaged, I highly encourage you to do so. There are countless ways you can contribute, so contact a board member to learn more.

Action – Take the initiative and share your thoughts and ideas. Many of the incredible initiatives, services and programs that are part of SoACE originated because a member spoke up and shared their thoughts…we want to hear your voice!

Connections – Reach out to others and benefit from the tremendously diverse talent that comprises our membership. Ask questions, find common grounds, challenge each other, and learn along the way!

Energy – Contribute to and feed off of the high voltage energy that defines SoACE. As our association continues to expand, I am excited to see all of the great things we will realize over the next 10 years!

I hope that our paths will cross again soon, and I definitely look forward to welcoming y’all back to San Antonio, Texas in December for our 10th anniversary SoACE conference!