Dear fellow members and friends of ASA,
I hope this letter finds you all doing well as we are in the middle of our Fall season and weather. Here in New Mexico, where I am from, we had parts of our state see record snowfall, last week, for this early in the snow season. A few of our ski resorts are opening by the Veteran’s Day holiday. That has not happened in many years. The skiers and snowboarders love it! This could be a sign that winter is definitely around the corner and it could be a severe one at that.
The 2024 Election, one that has gripped our attention, probably more than ever in recent years, is over. It is a relief that despite all that we heard about possible troubles at the polls and in vote tallying, it went relatively smoothly. Personally, I am glad that I don’t have to listen to, or watch, those very “nasty” campaign ads that dominated the media over the course of the past several weeks and months. No matter what side of the aisle you come from, and no matter if the candidates of your choice won or lost, we as a nation must work together for the betterment of our people, our lives, our families and for generations to come. If you missed the webinar hosted by Mike Oscar, our Government Relations Director, on November 18th, please check out the recording of his Post Election Analysis and how the results could affect our industry.
In voting for our elected officials, we analyze the choices, determine what policies suit us best, support our choices, and sometimes just go with our “gut feeling” about the choices we have and make the decisions one way or the other. The same philosophy can be said about the decisions we make in our businesses. We analyze our choices, and through careful consideration and planning we make decisions that are hopefully for the betterment and success of our businesses. With careful decision making, we are more often than not, successful with the choices we make. And when we miss the mark, we work harder to make things better for our businesses.
A reminder that our ASA Certificate of Excellence in Ethics Award application deadline is approaching faster than you might think. It’s only about a month away. I encourage you to please get moving on this before the December 31, 2024 deadline. Be one of those firms that is honored for demonstrating the highest standards of internal and external integrity in our industry.
A great source of information that benefits our members is on the ASA Podcast, now available on Spotify, making it easy to take the show with you in the car, on the jobsite, on the plane, or anywhere you have time to listen. Get the latest episodes on Workforce Development Advocacy, Surety Bonds and more at the FASA Learning Center or directly on Spotify.
Our next Think Tank meeting will be Wednesday, February 5, 2025, in San Antonio. If you’ve been to one, you know how invigorating and interesting it is to share and learn from others during these roundtable discussions. It’s open to all ASA members, so if you want to be more involved and have good conversations, please join us.
The month of November is a time for us to reflect and be THANKFUL for the many blessings that we have in our lives. We are thankful for our businesses, our employees, our co-workers, our ASA Association, our freedoms, our friends, our families and our lives. We sometimes take for granted all that we have but we have to remember to be thankful for what we have and how we got there. I hope and pray that you and your friends and families have a very Blessed Thanksgiving Holiday.
As always, I appreciate your support and keep my door open whenever you care to reach out with questions, suggestions or just a friendly “hello”. God bless you all.
Ray Moya
President, ASA 2024-25
