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ASBC NEWSLETTER

As much as I hate to admit it, the warmth of summer is pretty much gone here in the St. Louis area, and cooler days and much cooler nights are the norm. Don’t get me wrong, while summer is my favorite season, I do still love fall. The colors of the leaves right now are fabulous. The mums are gorgeous. And, it’s football season! (Sorry, Greg. I know you were hoping to eventually convert me over to hockey, but it hasn’t happened yet.)

It’s been a busy autumn with traveling not only to St. Paul for the fall Board of Directors meeting, but also to San Francisco for the first-ever World Grains Summit. I was pleased and honored to be invited to the Summit and to have the opportunity to speak at the MBAA Installation of Officers Social and Dinner. It was especially useful to interact with the MBAA officers to gain insight into and perspective on their society and their vision for a strong association.

It’s a well-known fact that the companies our organizations serve face many challenges. Among these are financial issues, product quality, product image, and labeling concerns, to name but a few. The ASBC and MBAA, in turn, are faced with our own challenges. How do we continue to add value to our companies, the industry, and our membership? How do we promote and ensure membership growth? How do we generate a revenue stream that ensures long-term financial health?

Ten years ago, the ASBC and MBAA signed a Cooperative Agreement. The objectives outlined in this agreement included:

• Combining the knowledge of both organizations to achieve mutual benefits for the members of each organization and the brewing industry.
• Reacting simultaneously to new challenges in the industry.
• Achieving the best results through mutually planned events like conventions, symposia, and workshops.

While at the World Grains Summit, Vice President Xiang Yin, Executive Officer Steve Nelson, and I were able to meet with four representatives from the MBAA (President Larry Sidor, First Vice President Gil Sanchez, Second Vice President George Reisch, and MBAA member Ruth Martin) to discuss the value of ongoing dialogue between the two organizations. As a result, an ASBC-MBAA Joint Steering Committee was formed.

The committee is composed of the following ASBC and MBAA members:

• ASBC President-Elect Mike Joyce
• MBAA Liaison to the ASBC Mary-Jane Maurice
• ASBC member Bob Foster
• MBAA First Vice President Gil Sanchez
• MBAA Second Vice President George Reisch
• MBAA member Ruth Martin

As their first order of business, this group of dedicated individuals will be reviewing the original ASBC-MBAA Cooperative Agreement and updating it as needed. They will then focus on exploring the synergies of the two organizations and considering any benefits that may be gained from joint ventures.

I would like to express my appreciation to the members of this committee as they get started. I am confident that this group will do a great job of addressing the challenges that both organizations face by sharing ideas and learning from each other.

As I mentioned above, exploring opportunities for joint ventures is one of the items on which the new committee will focus. One joint venture that is already in the planning stages (thanks to Sue Thompson and Inge Russell) is the 2008 World Brewing Congress. This conference, scheduled for August 3–6 in Honolulu, Hawaii, promises to be exceptional. Everything from the technical sessions and posters to the exhibitors and keynote speakers will make this a “can’t miss it” meeting!

Since this is a globally supported event, the location should offer great appeal to attendees from all over the world. In choosing the venue for this convention, several factors came into consideration. Among these were meeting and exhibit space (plentiful for this large convention), lodging rates, convention fees, and food and beverage costs (all less expensive than alternative sites). Since August is a slow time for travel to Hawaii, reduced airfare may also be available.

The success of our annual meetings depends to a great extent on the technical contributions we receive in the form of oral presentations, posters, workshops, and seminars. A successful meeting also relies on attendance. Larger attendance contributes not only to the financial bottom line, but to the value of the meeting in the form of more networking opportunities. With this in mind, please make plans now to attend this world-class technical meeting and encourage others to do the same!

Great meetings and great organizations don’t just happen on their own—it takes the willingness of members to give of their time and expertise. On September 28 and 29, the ASBC Board of Directors held their Fall Meeting. This was, as always, not only a very productive two days, but a very fun two days. I continue to be amazed by and grateful for the hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm that every member of the Board brings to the table.

In reading the highlights of the meeting published in this issue of the Newsletter, you will see that great strides continue to be made by the Technical Committee (with 12 subcommittees this year), the Publications Committee (with several new publications), and the Program Committee (with great plans for our next annual meeting in Victoria, British Columbia, June 16–20, 2007). At the meeting, the Board also discussed and made decisions in support of our strategies to add value, ensure membership growth, and create revenue streams for financial health.

In the realm of adding value, a five-year plan for professional development was presented by committee chair Greg Casey. The plan, created with the help of President-Elect Mike Joyce and past Professional Development Chair Rob Maruyama, outlines a new approach for professional development. This is an area that has huge potential for not only adding value to the membership, but also increasing revenue streams.

Another committee whose output adds value to the membership and the industry is the Emerging Issues Committee. New Chair Tony Cutaia and members Greg Casey, Jeff Cornell, David Hysert, Robert McCaig, and Jim Munroe are off to a running start as they presented the Board with a prioritized list of emerging issues and possible actions that could be taken by the Society. As Tony stated in his report to the Board: “There is probably no better index of the Society’s utility to the industry than our ability to assist in alleviating public concern.” This committee will be working closely with the Board and with the Coordination of New and Alternate Methods of Analysis Sub-committee as topics are brought forward for consideration.

I could go on and on because there are so many exciting things happening with the ASBC right now. Once again, this is because of the hard work of so many volunteers who have been instrumental in moving the Society forward. Thank you for that! I feel very fortunate to be a part of such a great organization and I look forward to a bright future.

—Karen DeVries
President

In This Issue

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