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Annual Report to the Membership
for the year ending December 31, 1999

Table of Contents

Message From the Chair
Mission Statement
Organization and Membership Description
     Organization
     Statement of Membership
IPMA Committees
Board of Directors
Schedule of Events
Committee Reports
     Business Planning
     Executive Seminar
     Fall Forum
     Communications
     Professional Development
Financial Reports
     Account Balance Report as of 12/31/1999
     Summary Statement of Income and Expenses
Membership Roster
Corporate Sponsors

Message From the Chair: Shelagh Taylor

The IPMA is an organization created to serve the needs of Washington State government’s information technology community. For more than a two decades, the IPMA has worked to:

• Further the professionalism of the state information technology community;
• Provide networking opportunities for state information technology managers;
• Provide professional development opportunities for the state IT community; and,
• Provide a forum to showcase state of the art technology, and to champion IT management issues, directions and best practices.

More recently, the IPMA chose to further its investment in the future of IT professionals through pledged support to St. Martin’s College and the South Puget Sound Community College.

This past year as we transitioned into a new century and millennium, the IPMA has been challenged to adjust to change. In the summer of 1999, the chair of the IPMA, Judy Schneider, decided to leave state government to pursue her career in the private sector. Judy had been an avid supporter of the IPMA and of the state IT community in general. Her leadership is missed. As vice-chair, I assumed the role of chair, and Don Price accepted an invitation to fill the vacancy on the IPMA Board left by Judy’s departure. Also this past summer, the IPMA Forum Committee learned of the impending sale and closure of the Tyee Hotel. This forced the cancellation of the IPMA Forum scheduled in October, and the search for a new location. And to attain additional flexibility, this year the IPMA Board decided to change its tax status, and re-filed with the Secretary of State as a Washington Non-Profit corporation.

So the year 2000 is a year of new beginnings for the IPMA. This year, the IPMA Forum will be held in the spring rather than the fall. And for the first time ever, the IPMA Forum will be held at St. Martin’s College. While the Tyee Hotel served the IPMA Forum well for many years, I am personally very excited about the new location. St. Martin’s College offers the IPMA Forum an opportunity to experiment somewhat with the format, and to present a new look and feel to the Forum.

I will continue my role as chair of the IPMA through the year 2000. The IPMA will continue to dedicate its existence to supporting the needs of Washington State government’s IT community. With the ever-increasing rate of IT change, being responsive to the needs of the IT community is a challenge. I accept that challenge, and extend the challenge to the IT community to make the year 2000 a year of revitalization for the IPMA.

IPMA Mission Statement

Improve the State information technology (IT) environment through:

• Professional networking with other state government IT managers and positive influencing of the State's IT agenda.
• Professional development and cultivation of new IT initiatives.
• Financing of activities through money-making activities.
• Leveraging IPMA's corporate structure and resources to provide services to the state IT community.

Organization and Membership Description

Organization

The IPMA is organized as a Washington State Corporation. There are no stockholders. Currently there are 11 members of the IPMA Board of Directors. Directors are elected by the IPMA membership. There are four corporate officers who serve on the Board of Directors: the Board Chair, the Vice-Chair, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. No compensation is paid to any member of the Board of Directors for services as a member of the Board.

Statement of Membership

Membership in the IPMA is open to all current or retired state employees who are interested in information technology and who support the mission of the organization. Members support the mission of the IPMA by serving on any one of the five standing committees and participating in activities sponsored by the Association. Membership dues are $15.00 annually. There is only one class of membership.

IPMA Committees

IPMA Board of Directors

Schedule of 1999 Events

Board of Directors meetings - second Thursday of each month, except February.

Board of Directors Annual Planning Retreat - February 11-12.

IPMA professional development events - January 7, March 4, May 6, July 8, September 2, October 7, November 4, and December 16.

Executive Seminar - September 15-17.

Forum – Cancelled due to closure of Tyee Hotel and rescheduled for May 2000 at St. Martin’s College.

See details of the above events on the IPMA website at: http://www/ipma-wa/com/.

Committee Reports

Business Planning

Committee Chair:

Mary Ellen Bradley (360) 407-6670

Purpose:

The purpose of the Business Planning Committee is to build and foster the long-term business interests of the Association in order to provide the IPMA every possible advantage to pursue its mission.

Accomplishments for 1999:

The Business Planning committee began an IPMA investment program in several fund accounts with Merrill Lynch that seeks to accomplish the following objectives:

• Preserve the ability to be flexible with assets by investing in a fund that allows for instant liquidity while at the same providing a maximized rate of return.
• Preserve the capital assets of the IPMA by investing in funds that protects assets from inflation with a high guaranteed dividend rate of return.
• Increase the capital assets of the IPMA by investing in funds that show potential for capital growth.
• As a partner with the New Market Skills Center, IPMA members provided advice, guidance and support in supporting their computer skills program and curriculum advisory group.
• In 1998, IPMA's fostered closer links with Saint Martin's College and South Puget Sound Community College. Through two pledges totaling $50,000, IPMA was able to support the installation of an Information Services desk in the new Saint Martin's Library and support Local Area Network (LAN) and work station installations for the Associated Students of SPSCC in their new student union building. These investments in the future of our local educational institutions serve to strongly illustrate IPMA's continuing commitment to support our community. The pledges to both institutions were for $5,000 each year for five years. To date, $10,000 each has been given to each school.

Objectives for 2000:

For the next year, Business Planning Committee has the following objectives:

• Closely monitor and report on the Merrill Lynch Investment Program.
• Pursue other opportunities for providing IPMA sponsored events.
• Negotiate and manage contracts with private vendors to provide services for IPMA sponsored events.
• Continue supporting capital improvement programs for area institutions of higher education that advance information technology in State Government.

Executive Seminar

Committee Co-Chairs:

Phil Grigg and Darrel Riffe

Purpose:

The purpose of the Executive Seminar Committee is to provide an annual seminar that facilitates communication, networking and the promotion of information technology ideas amongst senior state government information systems managers.

Accomplishments for 1999:

The 1999 IPMA Executive Seminar was held in September at the Skamania Lodge. The following presentations were made:

Objectives for 2000:

The IPMA will again offer an Executive Seminar in September, 2000. We expect the seminar to be as successful and well attended as last year's.

Forum

Committee Chair:

Jim Albert (360-664-0159)

Purpose:

Forum is an annual information technology seminar and trade show sponsored by the IPMA. Held in Olympia in October since 1979, Forum has proven to be an effective opportunity for vendors to demonstrate their products, for speakers to share their expertise and knowledge, and for state employees and others to attend free seminars and product demonstrations. It is important to note that Forum is one of the premier technology shows in the Pacific Northwest and the largest to focus solely on the Public Sector.

Accomplishments for 1999:

Forum 2000 presents new challenges and opportunities for the IPMA. The event has undergone a name change from ‘Fall Forum’ to ‘Forum’, a change of venue from the Tyee Hotel to St. Martin’s Pavilion, a change of time from October to May, and a change of Chair from Dennis Laine to Jim Albert. The new Forum is looking good despite all this change. Corporate sponsorship is up to 18, vendor booths are selling rapidly, keynote speakers and breakout sessions are developing nicely, and the Forum 2000 theme of "e-Government – Services on Demand" is very timely and popular with all involved.

Objectives for 2000:

The following objectives have been endorsed for Forum 2000:

• Manage the change of Forum venue from the Tyee Hotel to St. Martin’s Pavilion and the transition from an October timeframe to a May timeframe.

• Manage Forum so that it remains cost effective, realizes a 10% profit and meets the expectations of attendees and participating vendors;

• Conduct Forum 2000 in the Olympia area utilizing the current two day format plus a third day for the agency executive and members only breakfast seminar;

• Continue to place emphasis on Forum advertising and marketing to ensure all public sector information technology employees in the South Sound area are aware of Forum and what it has to offer.

Communications

Committee Chair:

Bob Monn (360-407-6585)

Purpose:

The purpose of this committee is to provide a monthly newsletter that gives members information about actions taken by the Board of Directors, special events, seminars, other committee activities, and other items of interest to members. The committee also maintains the IPMA Internet web site as another means of keeping membership informed on IPMA activities.

This committee also is responsible for promoting membership in the IPMA and maintaining the membership roster.

Accomplishments for 1999:

• Published a monthly newsletter; selected issues included a "Web Extra!" section, i.e. one or more additional articles published only in the web edition of the newsletter.

• Issued annual membership renewal invoices and maintained membership database and mailing list.

• Developed an on-line membership application on the IPMA web site.

• Created a listserv mailing list for the IPMA.

• Redeveloped the IPMA web site in January 1999 using a page layout similar to Access Washington and the unofficial black and gold IPMA color scheme.

• Redeveloped the IPMA web site in December 1999 using a "file tab" look and feel to provide a fresh look and to simplify future maintenance and redesign.

Objectives for 2000:

• Develop more effective means of communicating with IPMA members and the vendor community with an emphasis on electronic communication;

• Improve marketing communications around IPMA events;

• Provide articles in the monthly newsletter addressing issues of current interest;

• Continue to provide the minutes of the IPMA Board in the newsletter so that the membership is informed about the direction of the IPMA;

• Publish information about professional development opportunities for the IT community with emphasis on IPMA-sponsored professional development events;

• Continue to improve the IPMA web site to provide the IT community with timely information about the IPMA.

Professional Development

Committee Chair:

Thomas Bynum (360-438-4780)

Purpose:

The purpose of the Professional Development Committee is to provide educational and networking programs for the membership and the IT community. The Committee works with IT vendors and state agencies to provide programs at no cost or minimal cost to the IT community. The Committee also sponsors selected formal training events to be provided on a fee basis.

Accomplishments for 1999:

The Professional Development Committee continued the series of bi-monthly events started in 1997. These two-hour seminars are conducted in cooperation with IPMA's Corporate Sponsors. The 1999 program was as follows:

Objectives for 2000:

The Professional Development Committee has the following objectives for 2000:

• To provide educational and networking programs for the IT community including bi-monthly events for the mutual benefit of the membership, corporate sponsors, and others in the IT community.

• To provide formal training opportunities that address unmet needs of the IT community.

Financial Reports

IPMA Membership Roster

IPMA Corporate Sponsors

IPMA wishes to thank the following Corporate Sponsors for their support:

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