If this year were a normal year, I would be reveling in the whirlwind that was my 1-year term as President of AICP. But, as we are all aware, 2020 is anything but normal. Most of us are still working from home and spending the majority of our time there. I know for certain none of us attended our annual conference, originally scheduled for October 4-7th in Washington, DC. This typically would have been, for me, the culmination of a years’ work and my opportunity to pass the torch to the next AICP President. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many changes. For me, it means I have the distinct privilege of being the only person in AICP history to serve 2 consecutive years as President.
I’m going to be honest, being President is hard work! We are a complex organization. The moving parts never stop. It means countless meetings and phone calls, considering things we’ve never had to think about, juggling and adjusting priorities, and lots of extra hours to get it all done. Just when we think we might get comfortable, something changes and we have to reconsider decisions or change course entirely to adapt. We are a 100% volunteer operation. AICP is what it is because the people doing the work have enough passion to commit the time and energy it takes to move us forward. To each and every person that has given their time to AICP, I say Thank You.
Now, just because it is hard being President, doesn’t mean it isn’t amazing! Almost every day I get to work with some of the best people in our industry from across the entire country. While my day job has me in the weeds of regulations, filings and policy language; with AICP I get to think about our work in an entirely different way. I get to pull myself out of the weeds and think about how we can serve the insurance compliance community with the best educational and networking opportunities we can provide. I get to work with a team of brilliant leaders to shape the future of AICP. On top of that, I have developed strong and lasting relationships with people I never would have met if it weren’t for AICP.
While 2020 has continued to prove it wants to be anything but normal, I am hopeful and excited for 2021 and all it has in store for us. Through strong commitment from our entire leadership team, we have adapted to everything 2020 has thrown at us. With our leadership team remaining largely the same, we will keep on a consistent path to make AICP the leading provider of compliance education and networking opportunities. Even if they are all delivered virtually.
I encourage you all to get involved in the work we are doing by joining a committee or running for office next year. These are just a couple of the ways you can make the most out of your AICP membership by volunteering. Keep your eyes on your e-mail to register for our first-ever virtual conference: 2020 Virtual Compliance Checkup. It promises to be a unique and worthwhile experience.
Brianne Dahl
