From the CEO
UCP President/CEO at this year’s Annual Conference in Las Vegas.
First in-person UCP Annual Conference in three years earns broad praise
As president and CEO of UCP National I admit I’m a little biased when it comes to critiquing our first in-person conference in three years. I believe it was a resounding success.
But it’s also my job to listen carefully to those who attended the event to gauge their satisfaction. I’m proud to say the feedback I’ve received thus far has been very positive.
The best measure of our success, of course, is whether we achieved our primary goal: to gather a representative and substantial contingent of the UCP Network’s affiliate leaders for an informative and thought-provoking conference, while building on the shared vision of our association.
Based on what I’ve heard from a wide array of attendees I think we met that challenge.
My deep gratitude goes to the team that made it all happen. Namely our conference coordinator, Carrie Cantrell, and the rest of our 2023 steering committee: Joanne Dorn (CP Alberta), Kelly Piacenti (UCP Board of Trustees), Lori Opiela (UCP of Seguin), Diane Wilush (UCP of Georgia/South Carolina), and UCP team members Anita Porco, James Garcia, Michael Ludgardo and Alexis Sanchez.
I also need to thank the generous sponsors who helped make this conference possible: Waymo, Mass Mutual, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, CP Alberta, Tarrytown, Stassim, Mutual of America, Bolton, Graystone Consulting, iCare Manager; CARF International, and BMO Wealth Management.
And my heartfelt congratulations go out to this year’s UCP award winners: Kathy O. Maul Leadership Award recipient Mark Shaffer, executive director of UCP of San Luis Obispo; Chair Award recipient Geoff Haxel, a former senior vice president of Circle K; and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington State, this year’s pick for our Legislative Award. You can read their bios here.
We also paid tribute to three retiring affiliate executives for their long and distinguished service: Marybeth Fitzgerald of UCP of Minnesota, Greg Wetmore of UCP of Inland Empire, and Diane Wilush of UCP of Georgia and UCP of South Carolina. We wish them all the very best in the years to come.
UCP 2024 Annual Conference
As well as things went at this year’s conference, UCP National promises next year’s event, which will help mark our 75th anniversary, will be even better.
UCP’s 2024 Annual Conference and Members of the Corporation Meeting happens April 7-9, 2024 in Orlando.
We look forward to seeing you there, though we need to let you know that because of a last-minute scheduling snafu by next year’s conference hotel management the dates for UCP’s 2024 conference overlap with ANCOR’s 2024 national conference. Because UCP invests in ANCOR membership on your behalf, we recognize the overlap in timing is not ideal, so UCP and ANCOR are discussing ways to collaborate or share insights that offer limited participation in both events.
On May 8, the Board of Trustees approved our new Strategic Plan, which was developed over several months with major input from our affiliates leaders. The Trustees also welcomed the election of two new appointments to its board by the MOC: Dr. Jennifer Luebke, senior vice president and chief workforce office at Pride Industries, and Bradley P. Boyer, a partner with Kutak Rock LLP and former chair of the Epilepsy Foundation. Luebke and Boyer start their first terms June 1.
The Board of Trustees also ratified the appointment of UCP of Central California Executive Director Roger Slingerman. He was approved to serve a full term as the West RAC representative on the board.
Thanks again to everyone who attended this year’s conference.
For a complete list of this year’s featured speakers click here. Photos galleries of the event can be found on the UCP National Facebook page.
We’ll see you next year in Orlando.
With warm regards,
Armando Contreras
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