This is my last Chairman’s Corner - as I hand over the reins to my good friend, the incomparable Jim Lyons.
I hope you will indulge me a few parting words. What an honour it is to be part of NPAworldwide. There is not a day goes by where NPA is not a part of my life and I am not alone here. From making splits with partners, learning new ideas from calls and training sessions, sharing stories and tips with colleagues or even just having a chat to friends I have made.
I used to travel regularly. Next month will be my first plane trip in a year and it is to an NPA friend’s party: happy birthday, Anita. My last plane trip was a year earlier for Gary Banks' 50th and the year before was to New Zealand for Deon Haar’s wedding. We not only split but become close friends.
The other thing that makes this network special is that it is “our” network. There is no overarching software company or profit seeking corporate behemoth. Each owner has an equal share in the equity and an equal say of how NPA is run. That is why it is so important to attend the Annual Meeting (or at least lodge a proxy) so your voice is heard.
It has been an honour to serve you. To work alongside a great Executive team with Dave Nerz, Jim Lyons, Pam Robison and previously Bill Benson. To have served with a great board in Yvonne, Roman, Laura, Patti, Tim and Carola and an amazing hard-working team at NPAheadquarters. Special shout out to Kristen Davie, Yvonne Kelly, Scott King and James Harman who I have worked with very closely in Australia.
Thanks for the honour of serving as your chairman. The network is in a strong position despite the global challenges of the last few years.
I will now hand the baton over to Jim and will hopefully have more time to make splits with you all (how good is this market?).
Happy splitting.