Barbara Dunlavey, CMP, CAE was selected by the Society of Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP) as the Executive Director to focus on the growth and advancement of the society. SMRP leaders concluded an extensive search for a new chief staff officer in December and Dunlavey began her new role at the first of the year. Dunlavey, SMRP’s top candidate and new executive, brings 20 years of diverse association management experience directing international individual membership and trade organizations and teams.
Her expertise in helping organizations grow their membership, meetings, non-dues revenue and expanding organizations’ reach and impact made her the ideal choice for SMRP leaders. I have developed a broad range of member services and programs, launched technology and social media initiatives, developed certification programs, and directed all facets of trade shows, as well as domestic and international programs, Dunlavey said. She is immersing herself in learning the principals and practices of the maintenance and reliability profession, and applying her skills in nonprofit management to build a strong future for the organization.
SMRP Chairman Michael Eisenbise said, In working with Barbara daily, I continually am impressed with her skills and abilities. She clearly was the most qualified candidate and the decision of the task force was unanimous. Her professionalism and demonstrated stewardship of previous organizations provided the comfort we needed to tackle the opportunities that lie ahead.
One of our goals for SMRP this year is to help our members understand the value of their membership investment. Barbara comes to SMRP from a professional society of engineers with over 3500 international members and I am confident that her experience, breadth of knowledge, and passion for learning will be a tremendous asset in keeping SMRP relevant and vital to our profession.
In the short-term, Dunlavey’s priority will be building relationships with the staff, Board and leadership to form strong, long-term partnerships. She will be reaching out to members and actively engaging them in opportunities within the organization.
One of the most important priorities has to be supporting leadership’s financial strategy and management, Dunlavey said. The great work the SMRP leadership has already accomplished with their strategic planning and development of an entrepreneurial organizational model needs to be enhanced and leveraged carefully. As economic pressure continues to be a concern, I will focus on creating programs and growing non-dues revenue to build reserves for future program investments. My experience in developing partnerships with accreditation bodies, international affiliates, government agencies and competitors alike will benefit SMRP as we enhance our outreach and boost the Society’s reach and impact. While the rewards for these efforts are often longer term, many initiatives will be implemented concurrently to ensure a bright future for the Society.
Dunlavey’s next steps are aligned with the strategic initiatives of the organization, according to Chairman Eisenbise. The Society’s goals for the coming year are to: enhance the marketing of the organization; utilize social networking and Internet technology to enhance the growth of, and networking among, membership; develop and leverage partnerships with other organizations; and grow the organization in every aspect - membership, revenue, and value to members. Chairman Eisenbise said, Barbara is just the right person to get the job done.
SMRP is managed by Association Management Group (AMG), the fifth largest association management company in the country. AMG provides customized solutions, and operations and management support to help nonprofits achieve their goals, mission and vision more efficiently and effectively. Since joining AMG in 2006, membership has more than doubled from just over 1,500 to more than 3,000 members in 2008 and the organization continues to grow.
Barbara is joining a staff team of four incredible nonprofit professionals who have been serving SMRP with enthusiasm and diligence, said J. Bruce Wardle, CAE, president and CEO of AMG. They recognize and seize opportunities to enhance SMRP with the members’ best interest in mind. We are thrilled with the selection of Barbara as the new executive director for SMRP and are confident that her management and experience will be a tremendous advantage to the Society. AMG will support Barbara and the team as they embark on a new decade of possibilities to grow the organization.
About SMRP
SMRP provides an environment where companies discover and leverage reliability, enabling bottom line improvements. Chartered in 1992 as a non-profit organization, SMRP is a membership society that promotes information exchange through a network of reliability professionals, supports maintenance and reliability as integral part of business and asset management, and seeks to be a voice that advances innovative reliability practices. With over 3,000 members worldwide, including managers, engineers, technicians, planners, mechanics, electricians, operators, consultants, and engineering students, SMRP is a global organization known for providing competitive advantage through information exchange, education, and certification.
About AMG
Association Management Group provides unsurpassed management expertise to empower organizations to meet their objectives and achieve success. AMG is dedicated exclusively to staffing and managing associations and nonprofit organizations of all types and sizes. Owned and managed by industry veteran J. Bruce Wardle, CAE, AMG has been designated a Charter-Accredited Association Management Company by the American Society of Association Executives. This prestigious accreditation indicates quality management practices and procedures and the optimum delivery of services to AMG clients. To learn more, visit www.amg-inc.com. Follow AMG on twitter at www.twitter.com/AMG_BW for Bruce’s insider tips and information. For great advice and intriguing questions surrounding associations in the 21st century visit us at www.associationmanagementgroup.blogspot.com. To learn what’s going on with AMG’s 15 associations, become a fan on Facebook under Association Management Group.
