Phil Graybeal, Jim Hyatt, and Sue Radwan (Chair)

It has been six months since you have heard from us.  We want to keep you up to date with our work. 

But first we want to address the immediate future of IPGA.

IPGA's 2010 Conference: Unleash Your Board's Potential

The annual conference has historically been our primary vehicle to achieve IPGA End #3. "Policy Governance® practitioners engage in supportive interaction with international peers."  The annual conference creates an event where practitioners and consultants come together to have meaningful dialogue and advance their understanding of the practice of Policy Governance®.  It provides up to date tools and resources for the effective practice and implementation of the Policy Governance® model.

We believe that IPGA's ownership has a vested interest in the success of this annual event.  We encourage you to think about people and boards who would likely benefit from attending the annual conference.  Please invite them personally to attend.  All supporting information is on our website at www.policygovernanceassociation.com.  Registration is now open!!!

Having a summer board retreat?  Consider holding it in Las Vegas in July...

We are asking you directly to participate in a Whole Board Challenge.  IPGA knows that the best possible benefit that can be derived from our conference is when your whole board can attend together.  Hearing different viewpoints from presenters and then considering them as one board creates a deeper and shared understanding of the governance model you practice.   CEO Sharon Boesen is happy to create a customized conference experience for whole boards, including special group pricing, booking a meeting room for a formal board meeting, arranging for a consultant to observe you in process and give you feedback, or even creating specialized workshops for your board based on your specific needs.  Pre-conference and post-conference days are available to book your whole board meeting.

Annual General Meeting (AGM)  New Time and Day

Our 2010 AGM will be held this year on Thursday, July 22, prior to our Opening Reception.  The Board believes that this timing will allow more of our ownership to attend and participate in the proceedings.  We hope you agree.  Please make your travel arrangements to Las Vegas so that you will be able to attend a mid-afternoon AGM to launch your conference experience. 

IPGA Leadership Experience

This year, there will be at least two Board seats open for election.  Please consider this unique opportunity for a significant learning experience in model-consistent practice.  IPGA is ready to launch a new stage of development.  We've been working hard to lay the groundwork this year; your energy will help accelerate this process.  We invite you to consider whether this time is right for you to take a leadership role with the Board.  Nominations will be solicited in April-May.  Our bylaws require that only those who have attended the Policy Governance Academy^(SM) serve on the Board.

State of the Association Report

Since July, 2009, the Board has been meeting monthly, either by teleconference or face to face, to develop a culture of rigorous monitoring and Ends development informed by ownership. We are also revising our Governance Process policies to codify the new culture of our Board.  

Rigorous Monitoring

As you may know, at the beginning of this year, the Association was in critical shape.  Recognizing this, the 2010 Board stepped up monitoring on all financial policies.  Additionally, the Board saw to it that our new CEO received specific training in writing interpretations with "validation tests" (operational definitions) that can be re-created when monitored by Direct Inspection.

To be more specific about the critical nature of our situation: In July, IPGA was in significant debt due to unpaid bills from prior conferences.  In the course of monitoring, the Board has become painfully aware that the organization has been operating on a "float".  Correcting this situation will take time and will leave the Association vulnerable for the near term.   Thanks to negotiations by our CEO, Sharon Boesen, we have been making steady progress to pay off all outstanding past debt.  We expect to achieve that goal by Spring 2010.  This situation raises the larger question of whether our Ends as currently stated are realistic and whether or not they are appropriately prioritized. The performance of our 2010 annual conference will be a good indicator of decisions that must be made in advancing the Ends of IPGA.

Ends Development

The Board received a great deal of feedback saying our Ends were too "consultant" focused.  The 2010 Board has taken that concern to heart and has pursued reconsideration of the Ends at their core.  We have been rethinking who the target beneficiaries ought to be and what the Association should be delivering.  The primary debate is whether IPGA should focus on serving existing practitioners or on promoting the model internationally.   Of course we should do both, but with limited resources, we have to choose our priorities.  This is an active Board conversation, involving significant research, linkage and development efforts.  We'll announce our findings once we complete this stage of our inquiry. 

Governance Process Policy Revision

At the 2009 Annual General Meeting, we promised that we would complete a revision of the Governance Process policies in 2010 to address the board culture that contributed to our recent crisis.  We are currently on schedule to complete that process prior to the next AGM meeting in July, at the start of our conference in Las Vegas.

Relationship with the Authoritative Source

In October, three members of the Board travelled to Atlanta to meet with John and Miriam Carver to discuss how to repair a badly damaged relationship.  The meeting was very productive and cordial.  The full Board looks forward to meeting with John and Miriam prior to the 2010 Conference in Las Vegas. 

Activity on End #4: "Boards have information about the availability of Policy Governance Academy^(SM) trained IPGA member consultants."

You may want to share this news with your peers who might be interested in contracting for an Academy trained consultant and member of IPGA.  The IPGA website now hosts an RFP process where the interested party completes a Request for Proposal online.  The RFP is distributed to members of IPGA with Academy training.  Recipients then send a proposal if they see a fit with their consulting practice.  This process minimizes the "shopping around" time for people who are serious about finding a qualified consultant. 

Thanks for your support of IPGA.  Your passion for the benefits of Policy Governance® practice and your input are invaluable to our work.  Please stay connected and we promise to do the same. 

We hope to see you face to face at the 2010 Conference in Las Vegas!