Impress, Inspire, Ignite is New Mantra For Next IASA President

It's Wednesday, and by this time in a conference I have been going full-throttle for a few days, learning a ton and having a blast. But now I find my energy flagging, my attention wandering and my feet aching. In fact, it's about the time in a conference when typically many of us may hit the proverbial "wall," right?

Please note I said "typically" we have all hit the wall. This year, in spite of my desire to trade my heels for sneakers and my wishing for a longer attention span, I am powering through to recognize all the great benefits this year's conference has brought — new perspectives from my colleagues in different disciplines, tips on easily incorporating social media into my business life, and insights into ways an ERM program might help evaluate and mitigate risk more effectively. I especially identified with the "notice, lead and disrupt" message from this morning's keynote speaker, and I definitely understand why this year's IASA President Louise Ziemann choose knowledge and innovation "@ work" for her theme!

However, there is another reason I am feeling especially inspired on this particular Wednesday (I'll admit, for somewhat selfish reasons). As many of you may know, I am the incoming IASA President for the association's 2013-2014 fiscal year. What does that mean exactly? In the coming months, I have the opportunity to influence and direct the initiatives undertaken by IASA in an even greater way than in my time as a volunteer over the past 15-plus years.

In my view, it's time to give back. My time volunteering with IASA has provided me with a deep network of friends and colleagues on whom I can call for assistance or information. It has made me a better manager and heightened my overall knowledge of insurance by enabling me to get a bird's eye view of other individuals' and companies' best practices, and bring that thought leadership back to my day job. It has made me a more well-rounded individual and employee by allowing me to participate in and lead projects which are not my typical professional fare. I mean seriously, how many CPAs get the opportunity to direct an entire marketing campaign for an organization that will appear in mainstream industry trade publications?

The opportunity to extend your networks and learns new skills are among the benefits that you can realize from volunteering for IASA. And while my voice was one among many, I truly value the respect with which my opinion has been considered and incorporated on so many occasions. In the coming year, my goal is to try to enhance areas of the association which are already providing benefits to members and associate members, and to grow those that are just getting off the ground, such as e-Learning and our social media strategies.

I am looking forward to taking you on a journey of discovery in the coming year. The things you discover will be unique and personal depending on your perspective and professional discipline, but the collective lasting impression I want you to take is one of positive, forward motion…in your career, and in your personal relationships. At the end of the day (or the year as the case may be), I want you to be impressed with who you've met and what you've learned, inspired to continue your volunteer efforts for IASA, and ignited to achieve things you didn't think you could.

And that's exactly why I chose that as our theme for 2014: Impress. Inspire. Ignite. For me, it's more than the theme for next year's conference in Indianapolis, it's a mantra, and it's the way I have always tried to approach challenges in my life and career. So, this Wednesday, I hope you will join me in taking a well-deserved few relaxing minutes to reflect on what has been a fantastic conference experience here in Washington D.C., before we all head home with ideas about how to jump start another year.

If you have specific ideas about areas of the association you feel are underserved, educational content that needs focus or development, or initiatives which IASA has yet to undertake, reach out to me ASAP. I am looking forward to collaborating with all of you in the coming year.

Beth Mercier is Vice President, Personal Lines, Travelers. She can be reached for further comment or information via email at emercier@travelers.com.