The end of a year and the pending new year are always exciting and hopeful times. These are also times of supreme gratitude. We are thankful for all the good things that transpired and the relationships we made or nurtured during the year. This year has been personally rewarding, and while challenging, it felt like a transformational time for AME. I am grateful for the tremendous work our AME home team, staff, volunteers, management team, regional and international boards, and members have contributed. We will continue into the new year with this same momentum and energy knowing there is so much more we will accomplish together.
It has been a remarkable year in so many other ways, as well. We had a wonderfully engaging, fun and informative international conference in Cleveland that received glowing reviews. We hosted the Southeastern Region annual lean summit, virtual and in-person workshops, a Southern California lean tour, and numerous other webinars and sessions – all with successful outcomes. Our AME Emerging Leaders cohort was truly inspirational, and the AME Champions Club hosted world-class in-person events. To complement that, the AME Consortia went back to benchmarking and training in person again. It was simply a sensational year!
As I reflect on 2023, I want to thank you for your continued loyalty to AME. We continue to honor your devotion by helping you work through the challenges you face. And we already have new ideas for 2024 — stay tuned!
To our volunteers — those on our national and regional boards, those who volunteer at the conference or other events, and those who present and share their knowledge: I am forever appreciative that you have dedicated your time and talents to serving our continuous improvement community.
To our members: I am grateful that you have entrusted us with your training and development needs and have come to us to find a network of like-minded practitioners eager to help you share, learn and grow. Our events and offerings honor your commitment to pursuing excellence, and we are dedicated to helping you on your journey.
To those who read my messages or attend our events but have not yet joined AME: I encourage you to become a member. We appreciate that you turn to AME to fill your training needs, but there is so much power in the knowledge sharing that takes place in the AME network. Join us and see how our network can help you now and in the future. I appreciate that you seek knowledge from AME, and I hope we can serve you long into the future.
Lastly, to the AME home team — Desiree Dolecki, Denise Engwall, Sara O’Hara and Barb Clayton, as well as Meghna Kamboj, Jessi Elder, Amy Powers and Joy Huebner: I am constantly in awe of your dedication to getting the job done and serving our members. Your passion, knowledge and commitment to continuously improve and innovate are inspiring and a true testament to your professionalism. Thank you for your work on behalf of our members.
The AME offices will be closed Friday, Dec. 22 - Monday, Jan. 1, so this will be my final CEO message for 2023. While the office is closed, you will still be able to register for events, including the AME Atlanta 2024 International Conference, at incredibly discounted rates. There are also so many other events on our Events page, including the AME Nashville 2024 Lean Summit and the ever-popular virtual AME Back to Basics Lean Summit.
How ever you celebrate this season, I hope it is a time of joy and peace. Merry Christmas, happy New Year and happy holidays to all!
As always, please stay safe and keep looking out for one another.
