ADA leaders focus on strategic priorities, examine future trends

Looking at what the Association does well and how it can do it better, the ADA held its annual cross-agency meeting Jan. 24-25 to review and work with its 2008 priorities.

The meeting, “Silo-Busting: Working Together to Align ADA Priorities,” also functioned as a getting-to-know-you session for ADA officers, Board of Trustees and council, commission and committee chairs and vice chairs who spent a day and a half brainstorming and working with information on future trends.

“I continue to be proud of what a remarkable association we are,” said Dr. Mark J. Feldman, ADA president. “Being able to bring many different parts of the Association together to identify and focus our energies on our strategic priorities is what makes us great.”

Robert Gleason, vice president of Revere Group Consulting, facilitated and guided the group through question-and-answer sessions and breakout exercises. The keynote speaker for the session was Bob Johansen, a futures forecaster and author of the book, “Get There Early: Sensing the Future to Compete in the Present.” His presentation stirred the audience and helped the subsequent discussions focus on key developments to come. (See story, page 22.)

ADA leadership also discussed such key issues as health care reform/universal health care, the ADA’s work delivering key oral health messages to the public through cooperative relationships with corporate sponsors. The group also heard a presentation on the new ADA branding initiative, including the new logo and signature along with a tagline.

“The ADA needs to be the go-to source for accurate information on oral health,” Dr. Feldman said, referencing the Association’s new logo, “America’s leading advocate for oral health.”

The new tagline began a rollout phase earlier this year with the approval of the Board of Trustees in December 2007.

“It’s a very powerful message,” Dr. Feldman said.

The new brand promise reflects the unique value that the ADA delivers,” added ADA Executive Director James Bramson.

“Being named one of the country’s top associations by the American Society of Association Executives and the Center for Association Leadership in 2007 is a great motivating factor for everyone involved with the ADA,” Dr. Bramson said.

“When we look in the mirror and ask how we’re doing, what’s next? The ADA does a lot of things really well. How does good get even better? Meetings like this one help us do that.”聽