Transparency, Openness and Trust

Dear Colleagues,

In recent weeks I have discussed on this list some of my ideas about the values which need greater emphasis and which are essential to the future of our organization. These include an attention to and an embrace of all forms of diversity (cultural, theoretical, racial, political, etc.) and an attunement to the needs of the next generations of analysts. Let me add another important value, one which garners much lip-service but too little action: transparency. Ours has not been a particularly transparent organization historically and the consequence, to members and non-members alike, has been a legacy of hurt and mistrust.

In the business and political worlds transparency has become an essential antidote to corruption and cronyism. To my mind, it correlates with openness, communication, and accountability, especially of leaders. Democracy by itself does not necessarily protect against plutocracy or the occurrence of abuses. This is why one of my leadership goals for APsaA is maximal transparency. Open meetings, public financial statements and budgetary review, and just a general ethic of freedom of information, are essential facets of a thriving and participatory democracy, and critical to our future success as an organization.

As Treasurer these past five years, I have been consistently committed to transparency, including the establishment of a viable and ongoing Audit Committee. Overall, our organization has made good strides towards greater openness of late, but I think we can, and must, move even further. For both practical and creative reasons, we need our members to play a larger role in the workings and evolution of all aspects of our organization, from financial decisions to membership criteria and beyond. The corollary of such an effort will not only be a more vibrant and meaningful organization, but it will also foster a greater sense of confidence and genuine trust in our Association.

As always, I would be delighted to spell out in greater detail my vision for our future and to hear your thoughts on these directions and ideas (you may visit my website at either www.wrprocci.org or http://warrenprocci.blogspot.com ). Please feel free to contact me at any time (626-793-7957, wrprocci@sbcglobal.net ) and please don’t forget to vote.

Warren R. Procci, Candidate for President-Elect, APsaA