The Right Choice at the Right Time
Hola Familia! Miguel Alemany, here, coming to you solely as your Board Chair once again. As you know, two weeks ago I relinquished my duties as Interim CEO as the Board officially appointed Dr. Chris Wilkie to the position. He immediately became fully operational in the role, and the transition was instantaneous!
You might be thinking, “Wow! That is quick.” And you’d be right. But that is also the point. Because of Chris’ broad experience as SHPE’s COO, there was no need for a brain dump or State of the Organization evaluation. We didn’t have to do staff introductions or a financial audit. No one had to give him the “lay of the land.” Chris just hit the ground running, and that is exactly what SHPE needs right now.
After an extensive search, resulting in over 140 candidates, Korn Ferry (our third-party executive search firm), vetted all the candidates, and ensured that we assessed each applicant based on their skills and track record. And Chris immediately rose to the top.
Chris understands the intricacies of our organization, our strengths and weaknesses, sensitive topics and points, and our fantastic capabilities. He is poised to execute the newly revised Board strategy and take us to where SHPE needs and wants to go – continuing our 6 years of record-breaking growth and impact.
Chris is beloved by the staff, and respected by the IPC and industry leaders. And he has the support of the Board who knows him well.
For the last four years, Chris has worked extensively with the Board and its members’ different leadership styles. So, as we prepare to work with our new Board this year, I am confident that he will successfully manage the Board interface and create the synergy we need between Board and staff.
As you will see soon, a new Strategic Plan will be unveiled during the Convention at the National Meeting. And while it is not a dramatic departure of where we are going but an extension of the goals and objectives we’ve been striving for throughout the last 6 years, it is still ambitious. Chris will have his hands full taking us to new heights! But his built-in understanding of SHPE will make it possible as he capitalizes on a momentum of growth. In fact, he already has a few new records he plans to break this fiscal year (keep your eyes on membership and budget!).
So, as you can see, I am thrilled that we have such a passionate, capable, and accomplished leader at our helm. He knows how to deliver on our mission and strategy. I can’t wait to see what SHPE does over the next 5 years with Chris at the helm!
Onward,
Miguel Alemañy
Board Chair