Each of the candidates for the upcoming STC election were invited to submit a blog post to STC’s Notebook in support of their candidacy. Below is the post submitted by Brian Lindgren, candidate for Treasurer. Click on his name to take you to his election page, or visit the main STC election page for information about all candidates.
I’m Brian Lindgren and I’m running for STC Treasurer.
I am a good candidate for STC Treasurer because I understand STC and I understand the complexities of business in the fiscally lean 21st century. I have been a member of STC since 1990 and a Fellow since 2011, and have seen STC’s peaks and valleys over the years. I can help drive STC forward by refocusing some areas that could make the Society more economically viable.
From a documentation standpoint, not everything needs a full rewrite; sometimes a good edit can revitalize a document. Paralleling this to business, there are times when minor adjustments can improve the financial bottom line. In the years leading up to 2009, STC’s International Technical Communications Competitions (ITCC) had been losing money. Starting in 2010 I reworked a few scheduling details to enable resource sharing with the STC Summit. The 2010 ITCC stopped the loss, and the team that ran the 2011 ITCC made a few more adjustments and turned a profit. In another of my trade organizations we were facing the possibility of a food vendor doubling our costs for a quarterly symposium. Through discussion I made minor adjustments to the menu to retain the same price with no loss of value to the end-users. The key to these fiscal successes, not coincidentally, was communication.
As a business developer for a government contractor I helped refocus my company’s capabilities to win multimillion-dollar contracts as the contracting world shifted from single-award contracts to much more cost-competitive, multiple-award contracts. My technical communications skills played a big part in that success and I would like to invert the equation and use my business skills to help STC.
As a businessman, I understand the costs and nuances of doing business, but as a technical communicator, I understand what is truly essential to advance our profession. I can capably synthesize these areas to be fiscally responsible to STC. I understand that not every situation is black-and-white and welcome the opportunity to analyze the different shades of grey (going beyond “50 shades of grey” if necessary) using logic and, if compromises are necessary, striving for true win-win negotiation to help navigate the group toward decisions that truly serve our constituents’ best interests.
Over the past 30+ years I’ve touched on a wide array of technical communication, having worked as a technical editor, writer, artist, and website developer, and have synthesized different facets of technical communications through various career reinventions. Because of my long-term involvement as a board member of various volunteer, nonprofit, and not-for-profit organizations in addition to STC, I am well aware of the associated fiscal responsibilities.
As a former business owner, I was directly responsible for the financial impact of all decisions and initiatives and as an STC Fellow I understand the need to be responsible to as many members’ needs as feasible. In board meetings I listen to others’ views but can also “think outside the box” to lead discussions regarding the prudent use of funds.
I believe I am a strong candidate because my background combines business savvy with technical communications prowess. My professional career has spanned a gamut of technical writing/communication and management responsibilities that have included developing, growing, and managing business. I have been a leader at the STC chapter level (President, Vice President, Webmaster), at the International Level (International Technical Communications Competitions, Associate Fellows Nominating Committee), and in various nonprofit organizations (Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, Charleston Defense Contractors Association, Charleston Musicians Association). I remain a strong promoter of STC, encouraging colleagues, coworkers, and students to join.
I want to follow the excellent trend set by the outgoing Treasurer Aiessa Moyna and continue to drive STC forward to new successes.