President's Message - September 2023
Hello members, and welcome to the 2023-24 SMPS year! I am excited and honored to serve as your chapter President for these next 12 months. Together with our diverse and talented Board of Directors, I look forward to bringing you engaging programming, many opportunities for connections, and professional development resources that position every member to realize our SMPS vision of business transformed through marketing leadership.
I'm particularly excited to step into this role today because I believe that our chapter has a special opportunity in front of us — in this place, our San Francisco Bay Area — and at this moment in time. Our industry has seen no shortage of surprises and disruptions of late, from the seismic shift to remote and hybrid work, to supply chain challenges and rising interest rates pressuring construction activity, to the incredible emergence of generative AI technologies that inspire awe and fear alike. As our firms wrestle with strategic questions such as these, it is we, the marketers — with our eyes always on the market — who are positioned to help our firm leaders navigate uncertainty, capture the opportunities for business growth, and thrive in a dynamic market landscape.
So, that's the vision, and I realize it may seem like an ambitious one. How will we achieve it? That's what we're outlining now in the next iteration of our three-year Strategic Plan. The Board is working now to detail the future we envision, craft the goals that will get us there, and commit to the specific outcomes that serve as “finish lines” so we’ll know when we have succeeded. You can expect to see this plan published in the next couple of months.
Meanwhile, here are some of the exciting developments you can look forward to this year with SMPS SFBAC:
● Programming that meets members where you are. We’re developing a variety of programs that offer something for members at each level of career development and across our primary domains of marketing, business development, and leadership.
● Timely content that keeps you ahead of the curve. We’re sourcing diverse thought leaders and skills trainers who will help you leverage the latest developments – from hot markets to generative AI, sustainability, hybrid leadership, and more – to increase your impact.
● Networking events that make the most of in-person engagement. We’re organizing both large and small format events that embrace our chapter’s geographic diversity – we see you, North Bay, South Bay, and East Bay members – while we continue to make valuable content accessible virtually and on-demand.
First up, we have our future programs brainstorming session where we’ll collect the topics you want to learn about in the upcoming year. Our goal is to schedule programs that provide you, our members, with value that will positively impact your firm and your career. Head over to our website here and register to reserve your spot for this virtual event.
If you’re reading this and thinking: this sounds great, how can I get involved? Good news! Our chapter committees have many open opportunities to volunteer in organizing programs and events, engaging with our membership, facilitating professional development, and more. Submit our volunteer interest form here and we’ll help you find the opportunity that fits your professional goals and desired time commitment.
This community has done so much for me in my career, and I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today without the relationships and knowledge I’ve gained through SMPS. To those of you members who have contributed to my SMPS experience: thank you! And to those of you I have not yet met, I look forward to connecting! Please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and drop me a line at [email protected]. I’d love to hear what you think about the goals I’ve shared here and any other ideas you have for how we can achieve our vision together.
Let’s do this!
Justin Nagy, CPSM
