A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of traveling to Washington, D.C., with my wife Meg and our two sons Jimmy and Chris to immerse ourselves in the country's bastion of U.S. history. The Lincoln Memorial. The Washington Monument. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The White House. These pillars of history are all reminders of this country's significant milestones - some esteemed, some gentle reminders of more turbulent times, all offering lessons to be learned and moments to embrace.
At the same time, your ISPA Board of Directors was involved in a similar dichotomy - discussing both problematic events and those worth celebrating - during its June board meeting. ISPA is at a significant place in its history - we recently endured the tough decision of withdrawing support from the ISPA Asia conference while at the same time welcoming ISPA's 3,000th member into the community. As for the Asia conference, I want to let you know that no matter what the circumstances, the buck stops here. I am an open book - look to the Chairman's Corner where I will be sharing with you more details about the decision, all made with the members' best interests at heart. Both situations have allowed us the opportunity to take positive steps toward strengthening the fabric of our association.
One result of ISPA's growth is the "aspirational" budget, as ISPA Treasurer Jeremy McCarthy so eloquently put it. You may not be aware that in addition to juggling our own companies' budgets, we also invest a good deal of equity in ISPA's annual budget. This blueprint lets us know where the association fiscally stands, and I'm proud to report that ISPA is strong and able to invest back into its members with what you've requested:
More research - We're working on gathering high-level statistics from around the world, including the number of spa-goers (to us laymen, that means more potential spa guests!).
More networking and educational opportunities - Whether it's Beyond Beauty or LOHAS (LOHAS 12 Forum is scheduled for June 2008), ISPA is actively pursuing opportunities to find just the right markets for our members.
More resources to address the labor shortage - ISPA has heard the concerns of its members in need of a stronger work force. We've taken this need to heart and recently completed the Spa Professional Career Guide that offers those interested in working in the spa community the chance to better prepare. In this same vein, much work has been done to develop the new Introduction to Spa video, which the ISPA Foundation will incorporate into its textbook geared toward college students who are interested in a spa management career. Students will be able to see firsthand the various types of spas and services, as well as hear interviews from industry professionals. I am humbled to announce these additional resources, but also want to remind you about the other business tools available to you.
I have to say that I am really thrilled by these new resources because it's been such a group effort. So many of you have given endless hours of your time to help bring these initiatives to light. It exemplifies the idea of community, and ISPA represents this tenfold. And I challenge more of you to get involved. Later this month, the application to serve on an ISPA Task Force will go live on the ISPA Web site. See this as your personal invitation to share your spa industry knowledge to help ISPA continue to evolve. We are the leading spa industry resource, and we made it to this place of eminence because of your dedication to this community of spa.
As I watched my sons Jimmy and Chris climb up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, I was moved deep within my soul. To think that my sons would take away such a lasting impression from such a significant man in world history made me think: what will ISPA do today that will leave a wake of positive change in the future of spa? What will you do? Together, let's find out. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts today. E-mail me at boardchairman@ispastaff.com.
With thanks,
Jim Root
ISPA Chairman