Last week in San Francisco the DSA held a well-attended kick-off event for Customer Engagement Technology World. The DSA dinner cruise took 200+ guests around the San Francisco Bay and under the Golden Gate Bridge as the sun was setting over the Pacific Ocean -- a remarkable sight on a remarkable night. As we sailed closer to the bridge, I began to marvel at the work it took to build such a structure. The bridge is functional, yet iconic, innovative and timeless.
As I reflected over the past year at the DSA, I thought about all of the bridge building and hard work undertaken to provide the association with the opportunity to grow and expand in 2011 and beyond. We saw the merger of two associations, a name change, and the move to a broader, more inclusive association. We became an independent 501 (c)(6) not-for-profit organization, established a partnership with Customer Engagement Technology World and did this while serving our members with education, advocacy and networking programs.
Over the years I have worked and seen the association grow to become more innovative, more engaged, and more forward thinking as the markets and technologies have grown. The DSA has become more than just an association focused on a single set of technologies, vendors or users. We have a diverse, experienced membership of over 650 companies and individuals looking to make a difference. We have a marketplace primed to embrace new media, new technologies and new solutions. We have begun to build the bridge.
As president, my goals are to continue to engage and educate the market about Digital Screenmedia – from digital signage to kiosks to mobile. We have an outstanding new executive team, a growing and active deployer and user member base, and an aggressive agenda of ideas about how to help businesses capitalize on today’s and tomorrow’s technologies. Over the coming months you will hear more about our education and outreach initiatives, member research and tools, and expanded focus on the mobile space. Join us. Contribute. Leave your mark in building a better bridge for the industry.
I would be remiss if I didn’t end my first post as DSA president with a heartfelt thank you. Last week I had the pleasure of meeting and interacting with members who were engaged and excited about the opportunities and challenges facing this marketplace. I’m excited and thankful to be a part of it all and look forward to working with each of you. I will look to your input, advice and experiences throughout the year to craft an association that meets the dynamic and diverse needs of the membership and the market.
