Two upcoming events provide the topic for this month's President's column: the midyear AERC board of directors meeting and this fall's election of regional directors. We, the AERC, are a healthy organization. We have a great sport with increasing participation. Our recent membership survey indicated AERC is serving you, the members, well in many ways -- although we certainly have areas to work on. We have a healthy balance sheet and positive cash flow. We are growing modestly. So we can look to our future.

The board will be sharing the results of our "Focus on 2006 and Beyond" (see below) with the membership in the coming months. In some areas we are likely to focus on specific actions to move us forward while in other areas we will inviting the membership to engage in vigorous dialog on future directions. This dialog should take place among the members and the board "over the campfire" and in cyberspace via the AERC members forum discussion group.

I invite all of you to take part in this dialog as this is your chance to shape the thinking of the board members and the directions of AERC. For example in the last few nights I have read well over 100 e-mails on the topic of growth for AERC that will be input to the session on growth at the mid-year BOD meeting. To join in the cyber discussion, just browse to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AERCMembersForum/ and join the AERC discussion group. I hope all of you reading this column will participate in the dialog about our future directions.

I also hope some of you will run for AERC regional director and others of you will serve on AERC committees. See page 5 for how and when to submit nominations to the AERC office.

Being a board member is like doing an endurance ride: a significant commitment of time and energy and a real feeling of accomplishment when the job is well done. Note that if you are considering running for the board, the time commitment is real. The board has a one-hour conference call about once a month, two half-day meetings during the annual convention and a day and half midyear meeting. There is preparation time as well as follow-up action items.

All board members are expected to serve on one or more committees. Many BOD members chair committees. Those committees have specific functions to perform. Typically they meet in person at the convention and by phone during the year. The board and each of the committees have their own very active electronic discussion groups.

For those you considering running for the board I recommend that you review the AERC web page and specifically the by-laws which are at http://www.aerc.org/upload/2003Bylaws.pdf. Note that board members serve without compensation while some travel expenses are reimbursed.

As a board member you have a duty to represent the broad needs of the membership; effective board members do so. Ideally you should understand the needs of our members and our sport and to be able to translate that into action plans and financial plans.

I recommend that you not nominate for the board if you have a single "axe to grind." People who have done so are usually not effective and usually are frustrated. On the other hand, taking a broad view and then championing an area of special interest such as trails advocacy, education or research can really move AERC forward and be tremendously satisfying.

So does serving on the board mean you are sometimes fulfilling your board duties when you would rather be riding? Yes. Is it a great way to serve the sport that is an important part of your life? Absolutely! If you are willing to make the commitment and want to help shape the future direction of AERC, now is the time to consider nominating for the board.

Midyear board meeting agenda

Most of our midyear BOD meeting will be devoted to a session entitled "2006 and Beyond." Here are the session plans:

Update on the AERC mission, vision, and objectives as a framework for the entire meeting including proposed revisions Ð Stagg Newman

Financial report; state of current finances and trends Ð Patti Pizzo

Strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis Ð facilitated by John Parke

Committee presentations; each committee will present the summary of their 2005 work, their plans for 2006 work programs and their proposed budgets

Longer-term plans for trail work and advocacy Ð Jerry Fruth and Roger Taylor

Longer-term plans for AERC education program Ð Susan Kasemeyer and Dinah Rojek

Longer-term plans for the AERC research program Ð Bob Morris

AERC operational excellence Ð continuing improvement of the day-to-day operations of AERC, with emphasis on the continued expansion of electronic support of the membership Ð Mike Maul and Kathleen Henkel

AERC and growth. Randy Eiland and Nick Warhol will lead a session on growth of AERC that will examine whether (the pluses and minuses) and in what ways we should try to growÑfinancial growth, membership growth, and growth through affiliations. John Parke will lead a discussion on the implications of planned giving program.

2006 financial plan Ð Patti Pizzo and the Finance Committee

Synthesis Ð the BOD.