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A Position Statement and Platform from Dick Fanguy As a candidate for office in the AFA, I feel it is important for me to clarify my positions and my intentions. To that end, I have chosen to state and clarify my stance on a number of issues. I will 1. recognize and abide by the governance flow chart of the AFA, understanding that the Board of Directors is the governing body of the AFA. (This is primarily a philosophical stance, intended to show that I am aware of the historical problems between and betwixt the BoD and the EC and to indicate that I will work to foster a productive, working relationship between the two groups.) 2. promote the AFA and its five foundational tenets (Education, Certification, Communication, Research, and Innovation) both internally and externally. (Although this is a philosophical stance, there are a number of actions that can result from this, including promotional and advertising actions that will have to go through proper channels via the BoD and AFA Committees. Additionally, this speaks to my intent to serve as an AFA “Ambassador,” attempting to promote working relationships with AFA Chapters and equine groups outside of the AFA. ) 3. establish a communications mandate, whereby the ED, the EC, and the BoD must get communications to the membership in a timely manner. (Many of the problems we have faced over the years have directly resulted from our lack of pro-active communications. Silence fosters rumor.) 4. work diligently to see that the Corporate Actions Book (previously known as the Book of Motions) is updated, that every officer and Board member receives a copy, and that a digital version is made available for the general membership. (I will forward this as a motion at the upcoming BoD meeting. I am working to obtain a copy of the Book of Motions current through 2003.) 5. work to see that the Push/Pull policy established by the previous interim Executive Director, Lisa Knipp, is re-established. This program is intended to promote and foster communications within and among AFA committees, to minimize duplication of effort, and to improve cooperative and collaborative efforts. (I will forward this as a motion at the upcoming BoD meeting.) 6. promote educational programs for the AFA and foster cooperative efforts between the Education Committee and the Certification Committee. (I believe that Education and Certification are the mainstays of the AFA, and we must do everything we can to increase and advance our educational efforts for all farriers and assist farriers as they attempt to successfully complete their certification levels. I would like to see the BoD rescind the motion requiring AFA membership before taking AFA certification tests. This should be our contribution to the equine industry as a whole and not just for our members. In the end, I think such an approach can only promote goodwill, good farriery, and increased membership.) 7. work to establish data, demographics, and archives that the AFA can use to better serve the membership. (We have never established demographic analyses to determine who our members are, where they are in their careers, what they perceive as their needs, etc. I would like to see us build databases using the information we have and develop survey instruments to collect more data and information that we can use to better serve and retain members. In addition to our office resources for this effort, we should respectfully call upon our past officers and senior members—such as the Anvil 21 membership—to assist in developing an archive.) 8. ask for outside specialists in Measurement and Evaluation to review and improve the AFA's Certification testing program. (Participation has grown within this program, and it's now time to double-check our system and ensure that it is aligned with other types of standardized exams.) 9. encourage and foster a working relationship between the schools and the AFA. (The RPFE was a mainstay of the AFA. With its demise, we lost a valuable resource for educating our members and for providing a transition from the schools to the profession. We need to revitalize our education programs, and we need to incorporate collaborative efforts with AFEC and the schools into that process.) 10. pursue a plan to incorporate a Convention / Meeting Planning specialist to work with the AFA to improve our Annual Convention. (Our convention has grown to the point that it is too involved for us to expect volunteers to coordinate it. We need to turn much of this work over to the AFA Office and provide our staff and volunteers with access to professional planning that will ensure our growth and success.) 11. work to foster strong collaborative relationships between the AFA and other equine organizations. (We have begun to establish partner efforts with other equine organizations, and we must continue to pursue these relationships. To date, our relations have tended to be with breed and legislative-oriented organizations. We need to do more, especially with educationally based organizations such as the USPC.) 12. attend AFA Chapter meetings and functions as my budget will allow and encourage my fellow officers to do the same, including the idea of our conducting EC meetings where we can attend Chapter meetings as a unit. (The Officers of the AFA don't need to be removed from the members. By conducting “Town Hall” type meetings, we can better keep abreast of the wishes and the needs of our membership. As much as we can make ourselves available to the membership, hear their voices, and address their concerns, we will grow.) 13. build programs and guides that will foster productivity and insure continuity and longevity for AFA affiliate chapters. (The AFA Chapters are and will remain a foundational element of the AFA. In many cases, however, they develop and grow through trial and error efforts. Through umbrella programs, such as the new insurance program, we can assist the chapters, and through communication and guidance we can help them thrive.) 14. urge the BoD to re-issue the policy that was established years ago where we stated that we would not pursue the issue of licensing unless it came to us from an outside source. (This is not a “bury our heads in the sand” approach. We should continue to refine our education and certification programs to better protect the horse and serve our consumers, and we should be prepared for outside intervention.) 15. facilitate cooperation and professionalism among and between our officers, board members, committee chairs, and the entire membership. (If we are in fact going to portray ourselves as the leaders in the hoof care industry, it is in***bent on us all to act professional in word and deed. The constant fighting and bickering has to stop. We can't ask others to respect us if we do not show respect to each other.) I can't guarantee you that I will get all of this accomplished during my term as Vice-President. I know full well that I will have to compromise with the ideas of the Board of Directors, the other officers, and the wishes of the general membership, but this provides you with my insights, which are closely connected to the five basic tenets of the AFA. While this document is intended to show the direction I would like to see the AFA take, it's not a stone tablet. It's a work in progress, and I plan on expanding it and refining it as I learn more from my discussions with members and chapters. I don't have all the answers; I don't even have all the questions. But I'm going to work for and with the membership to ferret out the questions and search out the answers as I continue to serve the AFA. Respectfully Submitted, Dick Fanguy, CJF |
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