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So, What is it You Do Anyway?

By Mr. Jeffrey Paniati P.E posted 08-05-2019 03:46 PM

  
Recently, I attended the Southern, Mid-Colonial, Northeastern, Canadian, and Western District Meetings—all great events with strong technical programs and excellent networking opportunities. I engaged with local elected leadership, participated in productive sessions, and met members who I did not know previously. After introducing myself as the ITE Executive Director, I would often get questions like, “Who is it you work for?” “What is it you do?” or “Is that a full-time job?” Recognizing that not everyone is familiar with the role of the ITE Executive Director and our professional staff, I thought I would use this opportunity to answer a few of those questions.

The simple answer on who I work for is you, the ITE member. The longer answer is that I am hired by the ITE Board of Direction (IBOD) to run the business side of ITE. ITE is a corporation, albeit a not-for-profit, with approximately $7 million of revenue and expenses annually. And, yes, managing the ITE business enterprise is a full-time job.

I lead a staff of 25 professionals, working on your behalf, who provide support to 88 Districts, Sections, and Chapters, 150 student chapters, nearly 40 Councils and Committees, approximately 1,000 volunteer leaders, and more than 15,500 members. They manage more than $2 million of contracted work, annually.

Our professional staff work hard to connect you to the resources you need to be successful in your work. They provide you with timely communications on the latest industry developments through ITE Journal, Spotlite, ITE’s e-Community, and on social media. They oversee programs like LeadershipITE, the Diversity Scholars Program, and the Annual Meeting and Exhibit. They support the ITE professional development program delivering more than 40 learning opportunities, annually.

Our technical staff help guide our five Institute Initiatives, which position ITE at the leading edge of our industry. They manage a wide range of technical products—some produced directly by our staff like the Trip and Parking Generation publications, some produced in conjunction with volunteers like the recent Curbside Management Practitioners Guide, and some produced under contract with organizations like the U.S. Department of Transportation, such as the 2018 Speed Management ePrimer for Rural Transition Zones and Town Centers developed for the Federal Highway Administration.

My role is to ensure that these products and services are of high quality, delivered in a timely manner, and that we seek opportunities to enhance member value. I support the IBOD as they set the strategic direction for the organization and collaborate with the more than two dozen partner organizations in the United States and internationally. I also serve as a spokesperson for ITE with leaders from government and industry as we seek to elevate ITE’s stature and ensure our members’ voices are heard.

I get to work with a talented and dedicated staff and see the whole of ITE—the commitment of our volunteers and the passion of our members, the difference they make in their communities, and how energized and excited our students are to be part of ITE.

Throughout all of this, my job is to serve all of the 15,500+ members of ITE. If you have an idea or thought on how we can do a better job of this, email me at
jpaniati@ite.org, or connect with me on Twitter @JeffPaniatiITE.

This blog post is from the August 2019 issue of ITE Journal.
http://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ITE/G108559_ITE_August2019/
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