The Voice of Innkeeping Vol 2 Issue 5 November 2017 | Page 14

AIHP is committed to making our operational and financial information available to members and the public. On the financial side, we have several policies and committees in place to ensure that we are being good custodians of your dues. One of those policies is an annual accounting review by an accounting firm. We recently engaged the accounting firm of Legare, Bailey, & Hinske, LLC to perform this review. You will find their report on the AIHP website, AIHPmemberclicks.net, by checking the “financials” tab under “about”.

Challenges and roadblocks are typical for new organizations. As a new non-profit facing many unknowns and start-up costs, the AIHP board did not expect to break even in our first full year. Thankfully, the Leadership Team and founding members raised the start-up capital AIHP needed to get on its feet. Now with a growing membership and two successful Summits under our belt, we are standing strong. But like the first years of your business, the issues and challenges don't go away. They just change.

As the association matures, your board will continue to look to AIHP’s mission and core values to guide our decisions. One priority this year has been to also establish success-metrics for the organization. These metrics provide the board and Rob a clear picture of where we stand on critical operational issues. More importantly, they allow us to identify specific areas that need attention.

Meanwhile, we are happy to have completed a board of directors’ handbook. This is a valuable, comprehensive resource to help new board members quickly get up to speed. We've also put in place official policies on conflict of interest, whistleblowers, document retention and board standards of conduct. These documented policies and procedures will provide critical guidance to future AIHP boards.

Our Great Staff

Finally, I can't say enough about the members of our wonderful AIHP staff who continue to make this association thrive. Our incredible team - Rob, Susan, Kathryn, Emily, Patty and Mary - in

coordination with our amazing army of volunteers, all are committed to making AIHP a success. Together with your board of directors, we will continue working to make AIHP a forward-thinking, inclusive, responsive and transparent organization.

We will continue to be your Voice of Innkeeping.

I look forward to seeing everyone in Norfolk, Virginia on February 26th! Don’t forget, Virginia is for Lovers and Innkeepers!

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments at: [email protected]

Behind the Curtain

A Message from AIHP Board Chairman Dean Calrson

Dean Calrson