I am excited and honored to be the next president to serve this wonderful organization and our members. My view of the primary role of a leader, particularly of an organization with such a broad and vast membership base as the SCIA, is to continually bring your team members back to purpose. A good purpose is one that answers the WHY we do what we do. It is one that motivates individuals to action because it makes clear the reason for your effort. And, it is one that helps diverse individuals work towards a unified vision.

During the course of this year, we will continue to dialogue about our organization’s mission and purpose, but I’d like to start this off in a personal way by telling you my “why” for being involved in the SCIA. We live in a place that has amazing food, a unique culture, wonderful people, scenic landscapes, incredible outdoor activities, and a commitment to faith and family that I haven’t found anywhere else I have been. These things cause so many people to love to live here. Although there are some other places in the world that have attributes similar to that list, most are without the same incredible natural resources and economic opportunities that enables us to make a really good living in this place that we love. The protection, use and development of our natural resources and building of a strong economy requires continued intentional effort from all stakeholders (residents, government officials, business leaders, workers, non-profits, etc.). This takes work, compromise, creativity, sacrifice, and communication. The SCIA exists to foster an environment where all these things can happen so responsible businesses can create good jobs so that the people who chose to live in this region can enjoy a wonderful quality of life. That is my why. I hope this why (purpose) resonates with you as well and compels you to join with this organization to make a difference.

Thanks

Paul Danos