The SkillsUSA state association directors held a tremendous series of meetings in Charleston, South Carolina from August 11 – 15. The conference began with special seminars for 11 new state association directors. Additional highlights this year included several rounds of multiple “best practice” concurrent sessions. State association directors conducted most of the sessions and a few were conducted by staff. All of the sessions were well attended, and they prompted good discussions. It’s no wonder that when the 40 state directors who attended got into their business meeting on August 15 they talked about changing the name of the conference to reflect the professional development that takes place during the annual conference. They also requested certificates or some other recognition be prepared for those participating in the seminars.

Additional highlights of the state directors’ meeting include: an in depth introduction of the SkillsUSA Store by Steve Korker of E Group; the vote to establish a standing committee to work on strategic long-range planning in conjunction with Vision 2020; and, some nice social activities in Charleston including a mule and carriage ride as part of a progressive dinner on Friday.

Commendations go to the executive committee for their leadership and presentations. No wonder a quick review of the evaluation forms shows uniformly high rankings for the sessions and the conference.

Thanks go to: South Carolina State Association Director Jackie Clarkson for hosting the meeting; Dr. Bob Couch, director, South Carolina Office of Career and Technology Education, who addressed the meeting; past national officer and former SkillsUSA staff member Bill Prince, who was our keynote speaker; and, to former executive director, Steve Denby, who spoke and visited with the state directors. Effective this meeting, Curtis Barnett became the chair of the SkillsUSA State Directors Association and a member of the board of directors. Thanks go to Glenn Barefoot for his years of service as chair.

Last week, we held the State Association Directors’ Executive Committee meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The group met on the 21st and activity wrapped up on the evening of the 23rd. Under the leadership of Curtis Barnett, the state association director of Utah, the committee plowed through a full agenda. It began with a review of gaps in the FY09 plan and then the committee reviewed and enhanced the new proposed objectives and tactics for FY10-11.

From there, the committee took up the agenda for the association’s four-day August conference, including all of the training seminars and workshops they’d like to have covered. I’ll let the committee release its own agenda to the field, but I will make this observation: there are a lot of things that have to be mastered to be a good association director, particularly when so much has to be done by volunteers and on tight budgets.

Many thanks go to all of the state association directors on the executive committee for their time and leadership. Their work is essential to SkillsUSA’s success.