Farewell message from James Filtz, CPCE, CMP, CHE

Dear NACE Members,

I hope this email finds each of you well and enjoying this holiday season. This will be my last official post to you as the 2022 NACE National President. While I am not an “accidental” leader of NACE, I never set out to be NACE National President. I was “voluntold” during my chapter leadership days to continue my progression towards chapter president. When life moved my husband and me to New York City in 2011, I couldn’t give up my NACE passion, so I started a long track of National Committee leadership to board service, eventually leading me to be your National President. It was through the support of past NACE National Presidents including Morgan Montgomery, CPCE, CMP, Doug Quattrini, CPCE, Dr. Donnell Bayot, PhD, CHE, CFBE, CPCE, Ed DiAntonio, CPCE, and Joe Mahoney, CPCE that I am where I am today.

While we saw some challenges fade away in early 2022, this has been a year of recovery for NACE. We saw the return of both our Evolve and Experience conferences this year, the latter feeling like conferences of past years. A true celebration of our strong vibrant community culminating with an award program where I was honored to recognize so many members and chapter accomplishments.

As our “Pathways to Leadership” work reaches its final chapter, I must thank one of the largest NACE boards in recent years for their hard work in supporting our NACE National staff in our efforts to regrow membership, volunteerism, and educational opportunities for our association. I know that NACE will be a better, stronger association next year, both through the hard work done this year and under next year's leadership of Amber Allen, CPCE.

I am excited to move into my role as Immediate Past President in 2023 supporting Amber and the new board in continuing NACE’s efforts.

The job of NACE National President isn’t so much about duties as it is responsibility. This responsibility is to the membership, the staff, and our various stakeholders. I’ve learned from those who have come before me that each year, NACE has new challenges and opportunities. I am confident in our current and future leadership to guide us through these exciting times we’ll face together.

Special thanks go to my employer Cvent for supporting my NACE presidency as well as my husband for granting me time and grace in all of my regular and irregular responsibilities as NACE National President.

For those of you who know me, you’ll know my deep love for all things Star Trek and to quote Captain Sisko from Star Trek Deep Space Nine:

“There is only one thing I want from you: Find something you love, then do it the best you can.”