An investment in yourself

Let me be one of the first people to welcome you to 2010. As I assume the role of ASHE president, I feel humble and somewhat overwhelmed that you have entrusted me with ASHE's leadership.

I am thankful for the support and guidance I was given over the past year and I look forward to working with a board of directors who share my passion and commitment to work with you and other health care facilities management professionals to optimize the health care physical environment. This is no small task but I know that all of us are up for the challenge and we will do whatever it takes to make sure that we provide a safe, functional, efficient and effective environment for all who walk through the doors of our facilities.

This is the time of year for new beginnings and a time for all of us to reflect on the past as we look toward the future. We wait with anticipation to see what the new year will bring. I know that 2009 presented many of us and our colleagues with challenges in our personal and professional lives. No matter who we are or where we live and work, we had to learn to make adjustments as we discovered ways to work smarter, not harder, when faced with the prospect of having to do more with less. I am grateful that I had a professional organization to provide the support I needed to succeed and thrive. I always know that no matter what the issue, I can look to ASHE for help, guidance and support.

In this day of shrinking budgets, the investment I make in ASHE with my membership dues gives me access to a world of resources. Being able to share information with other ASHE members on the listserv provides insights on ways to respond to day-to-day issues. The Web-based resource library and other members-only documents enable me to keep my staff informed and up to date on the issues that impact us all. The advocacy advisories and advocacy alerts keep me knowledgeable about today's trends and their potential impacts.

For those of you who are ASHE members, I encourage you to take advantage of the members-only benefits that ASHE offers. For those of you who are not ASHE members, take a few minutes to visit www.ashe.org and see the world of resources and support available to you without your ever having to leave your office. I know that you will see that an investment in ASHE is really an investment in yourself.

As the 2010 ASHE president, I look forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to contact me at Terry.Martin@mcsaeldo.com.

Terry L. Martin, CHFM, SASHE
Director of Engineering
Medical Center of South Arkansas
El Dorado, Ark.