By Liz Herman, PhD | STC President
Writing about the past for a future issue of Intercom, this issue, is an interesting writing dynamic, but one I look forward to acclimating to over the course of my year as Board President. It’s as if I’m starring in my own version of Back to the Future. I am just back from STC’s Summit and would like to share my reflections with you—many pulled directly from conversations held with those in Minneapolis in May.
Greeting current and prospective members is always a highlight. The opportunities for both formal and informal networking were numerous. Ninety-one attendees were at Summit for the first time! It is important that STC turn first-time attendees into multiple-time attendees while also providing a program that is attractive to its long-time attendees.
Attendees appreciated the conference layout, where both sessions, ceremonies, and food stations were near each other. There were great reviews about the food included in the registration cost (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, and dinner-sized evening hors d’oeuvres). Meeting our attendees’ dietary needs is a continued area of focus for our conference planners and selected venues, as is accessibility.
Thanks to a variety of programming, attendees had multiple sessions from which to choose with the schedule embedded in the conference app. Reducing overlap, publicizing start and end times, and arranging ample time to transition between sessions will be addressed.
The new Annual Business Meeting (ABM) format allowed us to look back at the accomplishments of the past year, share STC’s current financial position, introduce STC’s 2024-2025 Board of Directors and Nominating Committee members, and share the areas of focus for the future including a refreshed website and marketing strategy, better member pricing, bundled education offerings with certificates of completion, and providing additional community support. The ABM transcript is available on the STC website at http:www.stc.org.
Celebrating our honorees and awardees in two distinct events was a hit and we look forward to continuing that format next year. Congratulations again to all of those receiving accolades.
Thank you to conference co-chairs Kelly Schrank and Amanda Patterson whose work within an accelerated schedule was extraordinary. Thank you to our speakers, vendors, and exhibitors who also worked within a compressed timeline and ultimately delivered an outstanding program with support from the STC staff.
Although I write this less than 24 hours since I said goodbye to the 2024 Summit attendees, planning is already underway for next year. By the time you read this, our 2025 Summit dates and location should be announced with the call for proposals slated for the fall. Know that we value your feedback and will work to ensure continuous improvements to this keystone event. My goal is that STC becomes and continues to be your professional home and I can’t wait to welcome you to the next Summit. See you in the future, but thank you for letting me go back in time.
Liz Herman, PhD, is a knowledge management practitioner and is certified in project management and technical communication.
