HIGHLIGHTS ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | MAY/JUNE 2023 65 FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK Honing Leadership and Governance ASM International, like most professional societies, is a not-for-profit charitable organization, which means it is organized and operated exclusively for tax-exempt purposes according to IRS code Section 501(c)(3). None of our earnings may benefit any individual and we may not participate actively to influence legislation and campaign for or against any political candidate. The Board of Trustees of ASM in coordination with Executive Director Sandy Robert is responsible for ensuring that ASM International acts in accordance with its nonprofit role. Many of our current and former trustees, while successful academics, businesspeople, and leaders within our Chapters and Affiliate Societies, have not had prior nonprofit board experience. I feel that this is a shortcoming in our governance, so Sandy and I decided that incoming vice presidents (VPs) and senior VPs (SVPs) will receive appropriate training. Accordingly, SVP Pradeep Goyal accompanied Sandy and me to a recent two-day CEO symposium organized by the American Society for Association Executives where we joined the directors/CEOs and board presidents/VPs of 27 professional societies as diverse as the Federation of State Medical Boards and the National Pest Management Association. It’s impossible to sum up two days of intensive learning and shared discussion, but we covered perspectives on leadership, the lifecycle of organizations, current trends, and distinguishing value propositions. We learned that ASM’s owners, customers, and workforce are the same populations. We also learned that unless we change with the times, we’ll disappear, and that our structure and communications must help rather than hinder such change. We discussed what competent leadership means, particularly managing trust between the board, society staff, and members—and managing ourselves by knowing our own strengths and weaknesses. We learned that the board has one employee (Sandy) and that we stay out of day-to-day society operations. We learned that we speak with one voice when we have made a decision, even if individual board members disagree. I believe that ASM can improve its current governance structure, so I have created a Board Task Force to focus on this initiative. Current VP Navin Manjooran will chair this effort along with trustees Amber Black, Ann Bolcavage, James Saal, recently elected VP Liz Hoffman, current student trustee (and soon to be young professional) Jaime Berez, and myself. Sandy Robert and ASM’s executive office manager Leslie Taylor will serve as ex-officio members and staff liaisons. This task force will first examine our nominations and awards as well as related board processes. We will report on our progress at our next board meeting during IMAT in Detroit. Much more to come on this important board activity. ASM President David B. Williams, FASM david.williams@asminternational.org Nominations Sought for 2024 ASM/TMS Distinguished Lectureship in Materials & Society Nominations are currently being accepted for the ASM/ TMS Distinguished Lectureship in Materials & Society. The lecture was established in 1971 and is jointly sponsored by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) and ASM International. The topic of the lecture shall fall within these objectives: • To clarify the role of materials science and engineering in technology and in society in its broadest sense. • To present an evaluation of progress made in developing new technology for the ever-changing needs of technology and society. • To define new frontiers for materials science and engineering. Qualifications of the lecturer include: • A person experienced in national or industrial policymaking in the field of materials science and engineering. • An eminent individual who has an overview of technology and society in which technology and society are affected by development in materials science and engineering. • A person associated with government, industry, research, or education. Nominations may be proposed by any member of either Society. Submit your nominations by September 1 for consideration. Recommendations should be submitted to the headquarters of either Society. View sample forms, rules, and past recipients at http://www.asminternational.org/membership/awards/ nominate. To nominate someone, contact christine. hoover@asminternational.org for a unique nomination link. You may also contact Deborah Hixon at TMS Headquarters, hixon@tms.org. Williams FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK
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