Portable Sanitation Association International

26 I PSAI Association Insight, September 15, 2021 Run for the Board and Gain a Group of Business Experts By Ronda McMichael expertise for just about anything. It is like being with fourteen different business consultants, all with different perspectives that successfully operate. Karleen, our executive director, with the help of Emily and Todd, has helped the PSAI create one of the first virtual trade shows. It is a difficult task to keep all this talent on one path. It is a fair statement to say Karleen has the unique ability to herd cats. COVID has made it hard on everyone; most meetings have been online, and we have lost some of the personal side of the association these last many months. We have learned new skills to navigate around the COVID challenges virtually. We have had board members stop while in a truck and dial in to our meeting, call in from vacation and even handle an operational issue at their home office while on a virtual board meeting. The convenience of virtual meetings has really helped our board be more productive. While there has been an occasional technical difficultly and the time zones are always a little tricky, I will let you in on a little secret. Not one of our board members has made the mistake of using the cat filter as their screen during the meetings. We see the opportunity to grow more, and we have spots for other volunteers. Committees are a great way to get started volunteering with the PSAI and I encourage to get involved. Remember givers always gain. It is an honor to be elected to serve the Board of Directors of the PSAI. The PSAI benefits our industry with important input on regulations, standards, and training for the portable sanitation throughout the world. Serving on the Board provides me the opportunity to collaborate with leaders and other business owners. It's like being in a think tank for the small business world. The depth of experience and expertise at the table is astounding. The agenda during a board meeting could cover anything from budgets, recruiting, or equipment purchasing to hospitality and employee development. There is never a dull moment. The meetings are always challenging and rewarding—and sometimes hilarious. Being with a group of leaders of this caliber gives you the ability to tap into experience and

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