Unification News - April 2012

Councils Step Up for Unification

Central Region unification plans continue on schedule, with four councils leading the way:  Bluebonnet, Metro Chicago, North Texas,  Northeast Ohio.  A total of  11 councils in the Central Region are slated to be unified by the end of May.  In addition, two more councils on the West Coast are currently in the final stages of unification – Alaska and Washington State. 

“We are gaining momentum towards implementing last year’s National Council decision to unify”, said Russ Hedge.  “The quick action and willingness of councils and their boards to work with us has been impressive and deeply satisfying.”

Many councils are eager to get to the next stage, where the entire region can benefit from the resources provided by the new structure. 

“Here in Chicago, we have had a strong hostel with good local resources for many years,” said Eric Feinberg, President of the Metro Chicago Council. “In the new structure, the entire region will have access to more programming, volunteer and hostel stay resources.  A stronger region will make for a stronger HI-USA presence in all of the towns and cities that we serve – which is ultimately good for all of us.”

On the Heels of a Strong FY12, Transition Board Passes New Budget that Supports Unification and Regionalization

FY 2012 wrapped up strongly, with our combined revenue projected to exceed our expectations by $1 million!  Thank you to everyone who helped to make this year such as success!  Our performance helps to ensure we have the resources and services to propel our vision forward, and to “foster a dynamic, enduring community of travelers with the wisdom, humanity and leadership skills to improve our communities, our country and the world.”

The three-year budget adopted by the Transition Board’s March  meeting offers a road map for building a unified HI-USA with a strong local and regional presence.  We will invest nearly $4 million in the regional structure by FY 2015, with 52 new positions created across five regions, and many other improvements to our infrastructure. For a more detailed breakdown of the three year budget, go to board meeting presentation.

Program Strategy Efforts Roll On!

The Program Strategy team is growing!  Please welcome Vicki Larkowich as HI-USA Program Strategy Assistant. Vicki was part of the HI-Point Montara team for the past five years, and will be working in this new role through July. Vicki’s skills, experience and goals are a perfect fit for this role, and it is great to see the unification process already a key factor in staff career development.

In her new role, Vicki will coordinate meetings, keep groups informed, and help conduct research, which is currently the key focus for the Resource Groups.  Current research includes online discovery, interviews, and a survey recently sent to all HI-USA stakeholders.  Please complete the survey if you haven’t already, as it’s designed to gather all stakeholders’ insight and wrap it into the program strategy process.

The groups will meet face-to-face starting April 9, allowing for in-depth discussion to shape the strategy around our education, hostels, and community program areas.    For any questions about this process, contact Danielle Brumfitt at (415) 863 1444 or danielle.brumfitt@hiusa.org.