It is hard for me to believe that in a matter of weeks the iconic “blue bear” will be peeking into the Denver Convention Center watching over the AIR Forum! I am excited to be returning to the Mile-High City with its gorgeous Rocky Mountains, public art, and wonderful dining. And I’m even more excited for my annual opportunity to catch up with long-time friends and make new contacts, to learn, and to be inspired.

You’ll have lots of opportunities to connect with the Board at this year’s Forum. We’ll once again be staffing a table at the AIR Booth in the Exhibit Hall. I encourage you to visit with us and let us know what’s on your mind. We use the Forum as an opportunity to gain insight about what we need to attend to in the coming year. We will also have several sessions on the Forum program this year. Two address leadership in AIR: AIR Needs You! Leadership Opportunities in AIR (8 am Thursday), Let’s Talk Policy Governance: Essentials for Potential AIR Leaders (10:15 am Wednesday). Please check your Forum schedule for room numbers.

I want to call particular attention to two discussion sessions on Ethics 4.0: Refining Our Code for Today’s IR (11:15 am Wednesday, repeated at 9:45 am Thursday, both in room 202). The Board is using these sessions to gather feedback on our draft Statement of Ethical Principles. We will be finalizing these principles later in the summer and welcome your feedback. For those who can’t attend the Forum - we’ll be sending this statement to members later this month with an invitation to provide feedback.

Finally, I encourage you to attend the Annual Business Meeting at 1:45 pm on Wednesday in room 102. In addition to the usual business, we will be voting on a change to our bylaws which will allow members to renew their memberships based on an anniversary date. This change means that members will have access to a full year of benefits, regardless of when they join.

As I prepare for traveling to Denver, I recall the advice I got from a former boss. A successful Forum doesn’t mean that every moment was productive - it’s really about finding a new idea or two and meeting a new colleague or two. And, I’ll add, since we are in the high desert of Denver, staying hydrated and rested.

Safe travels, and I hope to see many of you soon!