Where Your Journey Begins
Beginning on April 1, 2020, applications
will be accepted for 30 days, closing on
April 30, 2020. Each verified applicant
will participate in a first-round inter-
view, to take place in May, conducted
via video conferencing. Those appli-
cants who move forward will receive a
second interview in July with the entire
Nominations Committee present in
one location, also via video conferenc-
ing. Upon final selection the Nomi-
nations Committee will announce the
recommended slate of candidates to
the ISPA membership. At that time, the
slate of nominees will then be available
for voting by the ISPA membership.
The Nominations Committee, made
up of active ISPA leaders, will guide
candidates in this process to bring for-
ward the spa industry’s most strategic
thinkers. The 2020 ISPA Nominations
Committee is composed of Co-Chairs
Frank Pitsikalis (ResortSuite) and Todd
Shaw (Technogym) serving alongside
Sharilyn Abbajay (Mattison Avenue
Salon Spa Suites), Jean Kolb (Hutchin-
son Consulting), Jane Segerberg (Seger-
berg Spa Consulting), Michael Tomp-
kins (Hutchinson Consulting) and
Deborah Waldvogel (ResortSuite.) The
ISPA Chairman, Garrett Mersberger
(Blue Harbor Resort & Spa), and ISPA
President Lynne McNees also work
with the committee in an advisory role.
Once elected, directors are required
to attend three in-person board meet-
ings annually (over multiple days) in
addition to attending the annual ISPA
Conference & Expo. This includes a fi-
nancial commitment to cover ex-
penses. In addition to the in-person
meetings, directors participate in a
minimum of two conference calls each
month.
Directors should also expect to
spend one to two hours each month
on ISPA business and communications.
Overall, directors should be available
as needed while working a full-time
position.
The Room Where It Happens
You might be curious: what is on the
agenda of a typical board meeting?
What is discussed? What decisions are
made?
During each of the three annual
board meetings, there is set business
that the board must discuss. This in-
cludes reviewing and approving mem-
bership dues, ISPA Conference & Expo
rates, the annual association budget
and event speakers, as well as han-
dling the standard fiduciary responsi-
bilities of the board. During each
meeting there is also time devoted to
strategic discussion. Therein, the
board focuses on issues and trends
within the industry and how ISPA can
best service its members.
Throughout each and every board
meeting, the board filters discussions
through two questions: first, “does it
strengthen the industry?” Second,
“does it help our members?” Doing so
ensures proper focus. In addition to
ISPA business, the board strives to
connect with members in the local
area and devote time in the evening
to team-building.
The current ISPA Board of Directors engaging in discussion at a board meeting in January.
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