Director Canadian Region three-year term, 2000-2003: Gisele Laura M. Crawford

Gisele Crawford has devoted her RIM career to Canadian municipal and regional service.

First, she served the Provincial Government of Alberta as Microfilm Supervisor, then the City of Edmonton in the same capacity. Since 1985, she has held the position Corporate Records Administrator for the City of Edmonton.

Crawford's public service has provided her a broad range of RIM experience covering such diverse areas as micrographics, records center operation, corporate records management, records retention, consulting services, and training.

Specifically, she has:

Operated an in-house microfilm service bureau that designed systems, developed policies and procedures for 16 and 35 mm filming, controlled processing, and supervised quality control

Operated an in-house records center including the design, selection, and installation of a triple mezzanine system Developed policies and procedures for the implementation of a corporate records management program

Developed records retention scheduling and implementation of the records retention approval process

Acted as internal consultant to assure that all programs fell within guidelines of corporate policies and procedures

Developed and delivered RIM training for the corporation

In addition to her RIM experience, Crawford also offers the Association specialized skills such as strategic planning, public speaking and training, leadership by example, and recognition and appreciation of volunteers.

Her association memberships other than ARMA include the Canadian Information and Imaging Management Society (CIIMS), which she has served as Membership Director and Publication Director, and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, on whose Advisory Council she has served since 1997.

Crawford's RIM and management education encompasses numerous administrative, supervision, leadership and management training programs, Canadian Region and ARMA International Conferences, and Infor-mation Technologies Management, in which she holds a certificate.

Crawford's current and previous ARMA positions/honors include:

Chapter President, Edmonton Chapter

Chair, Membership Committee

Member, Program Committee

Member, Awards Committee

Chapter Member of the Year

Region Member, Program Committee

Manager, ISG, Governments Canada

Association

Canadian Region Director, 1998 to present Member, Strategic Planning

Member, International Issues and Growth Committee

Position Statement

1. What key strengths or skills do you possess that will make you an effective member of the Board of Directors?

I have the dedication, energy, enthusiasm and leadership skills to contribute positively to the Association. I lead by example, and encourage all individuals I meet to do the same. I'm committed to listening to all views, and I appreciate concerns and ideas with an open mind before making decisions in the best interest of the membership and the Association.

2. What do you see as ARMA International's future roles and responsibilities in light of changes in the workplace and less time for volunteering?

Support and communication!

As we continue to move to a staff-driven Association, we can meet this need. ARMA International's future role and responsibility in light of changes in the workplace and decreased volunteer time and support needs to be in the area of increased support to and communication with Chapters and our membership. Chapter Leaders and members in the future will require much information and encouragement, and can be supported by the provision of pre-packaged information on topics such as "Chapter Operations", "Programming", "Recruiting and Retaining Members", "Conducting Seminars" and "Marketing and Promotion".

3. The image of Records and Information Management (RIM) continues to change. How or what would you do to elevate the RIM profession?

We, as RIM practitioners, have a genuine concern for the profession. In addition, the profession manages a valuable asset of any organization it is a part of. Because the management of information is key to the success of our employers, all that we can do to enhance our professional ability and our skills will reflect positively on our individual members and on our professional organization.

However, elevating the image of the Records and Information Management professional is a responsibility of every individual in the profession. We must continue to be strong advocates for RIM in the face of technological changes, corporate re-structuring and the fast-paced changes in technology. We must sell our profession to our management and the management of the organizations in which we each work.

We must capitalize on activities such as National Records and Information Management Week to promote recognition of our profession and the value we add to our organizations. Elevating the image of RIM is a professional responsibility of all RIM practitioners.

Once we recognize that elevating the image is each and every member's responsibility and we begin to act on that realization, the results will only be positive for the profession and the organizations we serve.

4. If you are elected to the Board of Directors, on what two areas will you focus, and why?

As Region VIII Director, I have focused on Canadian issues, and I will continue to do so. International issues are a continuing concern of the Canadian Region and to other Regions, as well. Because the Canadian region is large and diverse in many ways, the pending issues facing Canadians represent a broad scope that has relevance to other Regions outside the US. As a Director outside of the US, I feel that I have an awareness of concerns from a wider perspective. As a member of the International Relations and Growth Committee, I bring a Canadian perspective, which is also representative of a much broader view.

The second area I will focus on is the successful implementation of the Region Coordinator program.

The Region Coordinator program is intended to better serve the membership and Chapters. Because Canada will continue to elect at least one Canadian to the International Board of Directors, I intend to work closely with the Region Coordinators and the Canadian membership to make the transition to the Region Coordinator program a success. Once the Region Coordinator program is successfully implemented in Canada, the "at large" Director from Canada can then focus on the Association.

5. ARMA is going through significant changes. What are your thoughts on these changes, and what other changes would you like to see evolve?

Over the past several years, ARMA has developed a focused vision for our future; these changes have been made in the interest of moving the association forward. Moving to a staff-driven Association has been one of the best changes to occur in ARMA. There have been many benefits to the chapters and membership that would have taken years to happen had there not been dedicated staff at Headquarters who made sure that the production and distribution of Chapter Operations manuals, membership support, education and marketing information was completed in a timely manner.

The realignment of regions and the move to Region coordinators and at large Directors will, again, better serve the membership. The Region Co-ordinators will be closer to the Chapters and can assess their needs more clearly, and provide communication to the ARMA Board for decision and implementation. The Region Co-ordinator program is a living program; our first groups of coordinators are in place, and these individuals will take their experiences and make the program stronger and better to serve you, the membership.

Three Issues ARMA ls Facing

Issue 1: Education

Quality education for the records and information management professional is the first issue that continues to challenge ARMA International and its membership.

ARMA is uniquely positioned to develop and deliver education to a broad audience through our Chapter Network, local seminars, International and Regional conferences. As the leader in the Records and Information Management field, ARMA must continue to seek ways to enhance the variety, content and delivery of its educational resources. We must be aware of the educational needs of the Records and Information Management professional and improve our offerings through multimedia capabilities. Records and Information Management professionals consider ARMA International's Annual Conference to be the best educational opportunity for them; however, we must continue to look for ways of delivering this educational opportunity to members who cannot attend the conference. Video conferencing, distance learning and home study courses need to be investigated, promoted and distributed to the membership to assist all Records and Information Management practitioners to continue their learning initiatives.

Our Chapter network is the grass roots of this association, and we must continue to deliver the tools necessary to assist the Chapters to succeed in meeting the educational needs of our membership and in providing quality programs and speakers at the local level.

Issue 2: International Dues and International Member Services

Resolving the issue of dues payment is a significant issue for Canadians. The Canadian region has prepared a position paper on services rendered to the Canadian members. In summary, Canadians believe in dues parity as long as there is parity of services.

As a result of the position paper, the Association is currently looking at the quality of service delivery to all International members and is analyzing economic zone structures, services and service delivery. I will continue to pursue this issue until it is resolved on behalf of the Canadian membership and in the best interest of the Association.

Issue 3: Restructuring of ARMA International

Although previously unaffected by the realignment of regions, the Canadian Region will be impacted by the implementation of Regional Coordinators and transition to "at large" Directors on July 1, 2001. Traditionally, ARMA members have elected a Canadian to the International Board of Directors to represent Canada and Canadian issues. Canada will continue to have the opportunity to elect at least one Canadian to the International Board of Directors. As a result of the changes on July 1, 2001, Canada will also have at least three Region Co-ordinators to serve the membership in a more efficient and cost effective manner.

The Region Co-ordinator program has been established to assist Region Coordinators so they can serve the membership and Chapters more effectively. I intend to work closely with the Canadian membership to make this transition a success by continuing to communicate the goals and objectives of this program in a positive manner.

As an "at large" Director, it is my intent to continue to bring a Canadian perspective to the International Board of Directors. As a policy-setting Director interested in achieving the best overall results for the Association, I will be able to focus on committee work and ensure a focus on International issues where policies may impact ARMA members outside the USA.

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