 After two years serving at the helm, NATM President Patrick Jennissen says his goodbyes to the NATM Membership Thank you to everyone that attended the recent NATM Convention & Trade Show! For those of you unable to attend the NATM Annual Membership Luncheon, I recently stepped down from President to Past President, and I am entrusting Owen Shelton in my stead. I would like to use this chance to reflect on my time spent on the NATM Board of Directors and attempt to thank the many people that made this experience great. The mission of NATM is to promote trailer safety and the success of the trailer manufacturing industry through education and advocacy, and I am proud to say that the current performance of our Association is meeting those goals. There are many reasons that I am proud of what NATM accomplished over the last two years, including the first Trailer Safety Week that took place across the nation and online June 3-9, 2018. Although 2018 brought new challenges because of tariffs, NATM still made great strides in our government affairs efforts with productive meetings on Capitol Hill, and a record-breaking seven legislative plant tours in which NATM members hosted members of Congress to visit their facilities and discuss the issues facing the light- and medium-duty trailer industry. I believe in what NATM is trying to achieve, and because of that, I became involved on various committees and eventually joined the Board of Directors. I spent enough time volunteering on the board to become familiar with the Association, its mission and its members that once it was my time to serve as president, I realized the position of president of NATM was not intimidating, but instead rewarding. In addition to the Association’s successes, I would also like to note that I have had a gratifying experience personally. Working with the board and committees and serving with such an impressive group of leaders has helped me to grow both personally and professionally. Volunteering on these committees was not only about what I could contribute but was also a learning experience for me in association management, strategic planning and regulatory issues and I look forward to continuing as past president and serving on the executive, finance, convention and government affairs committees. I would like to encourage those that have reservations about getting involved to go ahead and join this great group of volunteers and serve on a committee or on the NATM Board. Each committee requires varying commitments of time and draws on expertise in a wide range of subject matter, from technical to education. It’s a great opportunity not only to support the industry, but also to grow professionally and learn more about the industry. NATM staff and board members are more than willing to coach new volunteers and help them settle into their role. Although committees have been set for 2019, if you are interested in getting involved, please reach out to NATM Executive Director Kendra Ansley at Kendra.Ansley@natm.com or at (785) 272-4433. I am proud to be a small part of the accomplishments that the Association made during my tenure. Throughout my career, I have utilized the NATM’s conventions, meetings and publications to increase my knowledge of the trailer industry and have applied that knowledge to improve my company in ways I never could have imagined. I am pleased that NATM continues to be “the premier” Association for our industry. I would like to thank the many people that made this experience gratifying. Thank you to all the members that make this Association a possibility. If it wasn’t for all of you, the compliance program and our work to improve the safety of the industry would not be possible. Those that took a step further to attend the convention, volunteer on a committee or attend the Regulatory Roundup also deserve recognition. It is only with your commitment and support that we will raise awareness of our industry and continue to improve trailer safety and the success of the industry. Very little would be possible without a strong staff to keep the day-to-day operations running smoothly. Executive Director Kendra Ansley, and the NATM staff have continued to serve the needs of members and improve benefits and services. The NATM staff has evolved into an extremely dedicated and dynamic unit that is capable and enthusiastic about adding value to your business through regular communication, new and updated resources, and beyond. I encourage all of you to be active in the Association and to provide additional input so that NATM is strong and of value to you. Thank you for a wonderful two years, Pat Jennissen
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