by
Sean Ruck, Contributing Editor | July 04, 2017
From the July 2017 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Attending with him was like walking the streets with the mayor! He seemed to know everyone at a personal level, attendees and vendors. I loved being with him and seeing how proud he was of the imaging field and what the AHRA could offer.
I loved that I could ask questions and not be embarrassed about what I did not know about the more technical side of imaging. I went in headfirst. From there, my relationship with the AHRA just grew. The first meeting I presented at, I discussed how to understand and develop your operating and capital budgets. There were over 100 people in attendance, standing room only. I had never presented to a group that large and it was a little nerve-racking presenting to radiology professionals. However, I quickly realized that I did have a lot to share coming from a different background. From presenting, it turned into writing articles, introducing speakers, more presentations and more volunteering. After a few years, these efforts led me to be asked to be on the annual design team, helping to plan and support our annual meetings and then to being elected to the board of directors, and then most recently, to being elected as the president.
AHRA is a very open and welcoming organization, and if you raise your hand to help and simply dive in, it will reward you with tremendous experiences and opportunities to grow.
HCB News: What initiatives are you championing as president?
JN: The primary goal for my presidential year has been to maintain momentum from the prior year. We have built tremendous momentum: over 5,500 members, new vendor relationships, strong financial stability and many new programs and services for members.
My second focus was to continue to enhance how we function as a board. Most of us are in very operational roles in our day-to-day lives, but the association has paid staff and established committees to implement strategies and do the real work of the association. So, while there’s a tendency for the board members to want to dive in, we need to focus on governing and strategy. And by strategy, I mean our core three focus points: enhancing offerings and value to our members; promoting the benefits of the association to employers to encourage them to invest in their staff becoming and staying actively involved with the AHRA; and strengthening AHRA’s presence with key industry stakeholders and policymakers and earning a seat at the table in discussions about imaging.
Finally, my personal goal for this year is to encourage our members to earn the right to lead. I want to inspire them to commit to being better leaders. As I said in my opening address at last year’s annual meeting, referencing William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies,” I want to see all members take their moment to hold the conch shell and blow it as loud as they can! Take a moment of leadership and share stories and ideas, blog, write articles, engage on our social media forums, attend meetings and be an active and engaged member! In order for AHRA to be the best association we can be, we need this from our members.
