Message from the Chair

If you are like me, the annual conference is the professional highlight of the year with its many great sessions and networking opportunities. This year’s event was no exception. If you were not able to attend or want to revisit some of the presentations, please check them out. I would like to extend a special thanks to the outstanding number of attendees and support from sponsors this year for making the conference a huge success!

However, FIRST is more than the annual conference as its staff and volunteers are hard at work year-round to deliver additional events and to work on various cybersecurity challenges. As I challenged you in my last note prior to the conference, do not forget to stay in touch with the new contacts you made in Fukuoka to further information sharing and learning from each other.

We have also just concluded our first quarter with the new composition of the Board of Directors. The board met in September in Madrid, Spain and continued to build upon the strategic planning the previous board members began in January. We have a great group representing a wide spectrum of FIRST’s members which is essential for identifying organizational improvements needed while still staying aligned with the vision and mission. I have great confidence that the board will be working hard the next several months and enabling growth in many areas of FIRST. For a look at which program areas each board member will be strategically focused on, check out Board members Roles and Responsibilities. Stay tuned for updates in the coming months!

Again, thank you all for your personal contributions to the many activities of FIRST. As individuals, we may not always agree on every topic or decision, but working collaboratively is key for successfully achieving the goals of FIRST.

Published on FIRST POST: Jul-Sep 2024