Having grown up in the moving industry, I had a dream to become a school teacher, a job where I could be off all summer. My goal was not to travel and relax for three months but to work outside the moving business during the slow months, to contribute to my community and to work with my parents during the busy season. A few years after graduating from college and working as a full time mover, I decided to begin taking classes studying elementary education and to become a teacher. I had a stated goal of teaching children to become lifelong learners, teaching young people to become responsible individuals and helping them to develop skills that could achieve their full potential. Long story short, I learned a lot about myself during the two years that I studied to become a teacher. I came to the conclusion that all I ever wanted to be is a mover, but never forgetting that learning is a lifelong process.

 

How do we continue to educate ourselves in this continually changing industry? Being a member of the CMSA and reading The Communicator is an easy start to the difficult task of staying informed. Recent articles discuss electronic transmission of moving documents to shippers, updates on the U.S. and state economies and numerous articles covering changes to the DP3 program. When was the last time you attended a chapter meeting? I was fortunate to attend the O.C./Beach Cities Chapter in October where Sean Edgar of CleanFleets.net discussed recent changes to CARB. I learned that I may not have to buy a new truck this year and that our company-owned trucks are CARB-compliant on January 1, 2014. However, I will have to replace every truck in the company fleet before 2023. Becoming chapter president and then representing the Twin Counties Chapter on the CMSA Board exposed me to issues outside the normal scope of military relocation business. I am fortunate to have been a Board Member when AB 2118 was passed and to have been able to work with CMSA President Steve Weitekamp as he represents agent concerns when working with the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC). As CMSA Chairman, I have been fortunate to meet with two Associate members, DEWITT Companies and Pioneer Packing, and have seen firsthand how these companies provide incredible service to the moving industry.

 

Attending the CMSA Convention is not only a great place to relax and prepare for the busy summer season, but also a great opportunity to learn about the industry. CMSA staff organizes a great event including van line panels, enthusiastic and informative keynote speakers and military breakout sessions designed to keep agents informed of current policies and to provide networking opportunities. The convention also has a day set aside for CMSA committee and board meetings. The CMSA has insurance, government affairs, membership and military affairs committees. All committee meetings are open to all CMSA members, and all members are welcomed and encouraged to be a member of any or all of the committees. Many of the convention presentations are held in the same space where Associate members have set up their booths, providing multiple opportunities to meet with the companies that provide products and services to the moving industry.

 

Committing oneself to being a lifelong learner requires much time and energy and there is no doubt that the CMSA provides many opportunities and information to keep up with our changing industry. Committing oneself to being a lifelong learner also requires us to pass the importance of learning to the next generation. In this issue of The Communicator is the CMSA Scholarship application. Students applying for the scholarship may attend accredited colleges or vocational programs. Once you have finished reading this issue of The Communicator, make a point of finding all of the eligible applicants in your organization. Make sure that they receive a copy of the application and, most importantly, make sure that the application is completed and turned in to be considered for a scholarship. We work in a difficult and not-so-glamorous industry, but if we can state with confidence that our children and our employees are responsible individuals and are achieving their full potential, then we have done our job well.