AFERM Q1 2025 Newsletter
President’s Article
Greetings and Happy New Year to all our AFERM members, sponsors, and those interested in Enterprise Risk Management or supporting AFERM’s mission. As I contemplate my new role as AFERM President, I would be remiss not to thank Jason Bruno for his leadership and service as the 2024 AFERM president and recognize all the hard work our volunteers and members contributed. I am beyond thrilled to step into this role with enthusiasm and high expectations.
Although I am one of the founders of AFERM, I do not take my responsibility lightly. It’s great to see how far the organization has gone! What a metamorphosis. The growth has been phenomenal, given the complexities of the government space. This makes AFERM’s success even more incredible to behold.
Think about it: our association has weathered the government cycles through continuing resolutions, sequestrations, and presidential cycles in the last decade. Yet, we still show up to serve the government sector and its professionals. And you know why? Because our collective passion and expertise are so much bigger than who we are individually. Remember, AFERM was an outcome of a grassroots effort before there was a mandatory policy requiring agencies to do ERM.
We are the catalyst. As an association, we own the Federal ERM government space.
So, where do we go from here?
As with any growth cycle, we must continuously assess what we do, how we do it, and for whom we do it while also keeping in mind the technological environment in which we operate. As a firm believer in pushing the envelope, 2025 is the year we will not shrink back from—but step up to a higher level of relevance and opportunity.
That’s the proper form of AFERM. It always has been and will be.
We are 25 years into the new millennium – a time I think will require that we operate from a growth mindset. We must ask ourselves the right questions during timeline shifts.
Using our voice, what does AFERM have to say from an ERM perspective as we head to 2030? How do we leverage our strengths to have an impact while also driving revenue?
We are already on the right path:
- We are updating our next 5-year Strategic Plan and aligning our goals to deliver the outcome we want and need to see.
- We are expanding! Our upcoming State and Local Government Virtual Summit is scheduled for February 2025.
- There’s already a lot of energy and buzz about planning this year’s AFERM Summit.
- There’s a great opportunity to extend our expertise and teach others the value of ERM skills in the workplace that is within reach.
- We even rebranded our Newsletter as the AFERM Journal to be more attractive in the ERM market.
In closing, there is only one message, to sum up these next twelve months that I hope you all will take with you and act on:
THINK BIG. THINK BOLD. AND BE INTENTIONAL.
Let’s make every moment count and put our mark on the future.
I know I’m in!
Dr. Karen Hardy
AFERM President 2025