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As 2017 comes to a close, it is a time both of reflection and of looking ahead.
Most recently the chapter held its Year End Celebration and Sponsorship Thank You event. This annual event wraps up our year with professional fellowship and special recognition of our chapter and event sponsors. In addition to our year end event, looking back over the past year I am very proud of all that our chapter has been able to offer:
Victor Stanley Lecture Series: Wes Michaels of Spackman Mossop Michaels
LARE Prep Course
Maryland Chapter Happy Hour at the National Annual Meeting
Hometown Habitat Screening
Golf Tournament, fund raising for our Scholarship program
First Maryland Chapter Annual Meeting
Annual Awards Gala
Job Shadow Week
Sponsored AIA Lecture Series: Gena Wirth of SCAPE
Advocacy Day
We accomplished quite a lot in 2017! And for that we owe great thanks to you, our members and sponsors. Looking ahead, we are aiming for another great year in 2018, with some familiar events as well as some new or improved. Just ahead in January: a networking happy hour during MANTS, National Public Awareness Summit, and our chapter retreat and strategic planning effort. As always, watch your emails for the event updates and registrations.
To keep all of these programs going - and to grow the chapter to offer new opportunities to our members - we need your support. In that vein, the year end is also a good time to remind everyone of their upcoming membership renewals. Though each individual membership renews at different times throughout the year, the year end is a fitting time for the reminder. Please renew your membership when the time comes, and encourage friends and colleagues to join. We cannot continue offering great programs without your membership, and we cannot expand them without expanding our membership!
Finally, reflecting back and looking ahead, the biggest thanks goes to our executive director and our all-volunteer board and committees. They are the people behind the scenes, making all of these events happen and keeping this chapter moving forward in such a positive way.
Thank you sponsors. Thank you members. Thank you volunteers. Cheers to a great 2017 and another great year ahead. Wishing you all a joyful and peaceful holiday!
Sincerely,
Larissa Torres, PLA
Maryland Chapter President