Corporate Office Update 

As we embark on a new year in EWI, I am excited to bring the membership up to speed on the many changes and initiatives that were presented at LCAM 2013.  

• LCAM and Spring Conference - As Ronwyn mentioned, Tulsa, Oklahoma was announced as the site for LCAM 2015 and Spokane, Washington has volunteered to host Spring Conference 2014. There was some confusion around the LCAM 2016 site - this location has not been determined. However, EWI of Honolulu expressed interest in hosting during our Closing Gala so we expect to see a Site Selection Application from them when we begin the process for our 2016 LCAM location. 

• New Corporate Website - We are pleased to announce that we have moved ewiconnect.com to a new platform. This move has allowed us to review the information and resources available on the Corporate Website and look at ways to make them more readily available and easier to find. With this goal in mind, the site content has been redesigned so that most resources and information is available within three mouse clicks. There are a few areas still "under construction" but the majority of the information and resources are available. If you can't find something or find an error, please let us know. 

• 2013 Annual Meeting - During the 2013 Annual Meeting the business of the organization was conducted. I am pleased to report that all but one proposed bylaw amendment passed. The individual membership proposal was referred to a special committee - to be appointed by the Corporate President - who will research the viability of an individual membership classification for EWI. The Corporate and Chapter Bylaws have been updated and are now available on the Corporate Website or by clicking here.
  
  The proposed 2013-2014 budget was approved and the new Board of Directors duly elected and installed. We thank all the delegates for their service. 

• Strategic Partnership with International Literacy Organization - The Corporate Board and Office are pleased to announce a strategic partnership between the EWI Foundation (B/C/DP dba) and Room to Read. This partnership was announced during LCAM with its founder John Wood who shared the mission of Room to Read and its focuses on literacy and gender equality in education. They work in collaboration with communities and local governments across Asia and Africa to develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the life skills they'll need to succeed in school and beyond. For more information on Room to Read click here.
  
  This partnership will allow the EWI Foundation to expand one of its core tenets, literacy, to reach a global community. Watch for more information about the launch of this initiative, including ways your Chapter can get involved and a Corporate challenge in upcoming EWIConnects.

At its final meeting, the 2012-2013 Board of Directors approved updates to the Chapter Resource Guide as well as all of the other procedure manuals. These updates are being made and will be posted to the Corporate Website by the middle of October.

The 2013-2014 Corporate Board also met in San Diego for a board orientation session, a review of the Strategic Plan, and began their initial work on identifying the initiatives they will work on to support the Strategic Plan. They are a very experienced and engaged group of EWI members and I am excited to work with them in the coming year.

Chapters are in the process of transitioning to new boards as well. I met many Chapter leaders during the Leadership Caucus session in San Diego. It was a very interactive session with lots of lively discussions. Everyone came away very enthused and with new ideas to share and implement. I know EWI is going to have a great year and I am grateful to be a part of it!  

Wendy H. Cowley

Executive Director, COO 

2013-2014 Officers & Directors

President

Ronwyn Anderson
Soft-Lite Windows, LLC
EWI of Nashville

Vice President

Darlene Banogon
North Island Credit Union
EWI of San Diego   

Secretary/Treasurer

Diane Barber

Capital Region Benefits

EWI of Harrisburg

Director

Director

Cortney Ewald-Ihde
Ewald Automotive Group
EWI of Milwaukee

Director

Cheryl Hawkins

American Clinical Laboratory Association

EWI of Washington DC

Director

Dianne Luckett

Irby Electrical Distributor

EWI of Jackson

Advisor