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Inspiring

By Mr. Jeffrey Paniati P.E posted 10-01-2018 09:08 PM

  
As a long-time member and staff member, I get to view the ITE Annual Meeting and Exhibit through two lenses. As a staff member, it is the opportunity to see the culmination of a 
year’s worth of planning and preparation come to fruition. I get to see our staff at their best supporting our members. It is an opportunity to demonstrate the collaboration that is taking place between ITE International and our Districts as we put on a joint event. And, most importantly, it is an opportunity to showcase the wide-range of leading-edge ideas, technologies, and practices that our members are implementing in communities, bringing to the marketplace, and infusing in our organization. If you haven’t already, please read our 2018 State of ITE Annual Business Meeting report to get a sense of the wide range of activity underway within ITE, and access the session recordings that document the meeting’s technical presentations. The magnitude of the transformation in our organization and industry is inspiring.

The ITE Annual Meeting and Exhibit is also my opportunity to view the organization through the lens of being a 30+ year member of ITE. It is inspiring to see ITE leaders such as John Kennedy, Marsha Anderson Bomar, Hibbett Neel, Beverly Kuhn, and Ken Voigt recognized with the highest honors that ITE can bestow. I have known these individuals for decades and have watched them devote large amounts of their personal time and energy to making ITE better. It is inspiring to see them continue to make significant contributions. They deserve our thanks and recognition.

It is inspiring to see the impact of LeadershipITE on our organization. In five short years this program has produced more than 100 young leaders who are rising through our ranks. They sit on the International Board of Direction, hold leadership positions at the District, Section, and Chapter levels, and are starting new businesses and taking on
leadership roles in public agencies. Having the opportunity to interact with and hear the presentations from the current graduating class and seeing the impact that alumni from
this program are having on ITE and our industry is inspiring. Our future is in good hands.

It is inspiring to see so many students participating in our meeting. From the Midwestern/Great Lakes Student Leadership Summit to the Traffic Bowl to the first ever National Operations Center of Excellence competition to participation by 16-year-old Peter Yu (pages 15 and 33), the excitement and energy that these young people brought to Minneapolis was incredible. They look at issues and challenges in a different way, they ask great questions, and they make our meeting fun. Our Student Chapters and student
members are a vital element of our organization.

It is inspiring to work with the ITE Board of Direction. Through the ONE ITE initiative, this Board is making change that has not been made in my 30-year ITE experience. They are taking on some long-standing issues in the organization and are not shying away from challenging the status quo. It is hard to make internal change in an organization. It is always easier to go along with the way it has always been done. You should be proud of the individuals you have elected to represent you. They are demonstrating what leadership is all about. As always, I welcome your feedback at jpaniati@ite.org, through ITE Community, and on Twitter at @JeffPaniatiITE. 

This is from the Director's Message from the October 2018 of ITE Journal.
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