“I am BEYOND EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!  And I wanted to share the great news with y’all!!!!!”

This is taken from an email by Jennifer Swinney, the Executive Director of ASA’s San Antonio chapter earlier this month. Can you tell she’s excited?! And with good reason. Her chapter just topped 200 members, making it – at the moment – the largest ASA chapter in the U.S. (There’s some debate whether it’s the largest chapter EVER, as ASA’s been around since 1966 and our collective memories don’t go back that far). Anyone care to challenge?

And that’s just one reason Jennifer Swinney was selected as ASA’s Executive Director of the Year for 2023, as you heard at SUBExcel and read in last month’s Contractor’s Compass. Jenn IS ASA, and ASA is Jenn.

San Antonio was struggling, but in the eight years Jenn has held the Executive Director position, this chapter went from bleeding losses each year to enough profitability to hire two additional incredible full time staffers. Her enthusiasm and passion is infectious and inspiring, and her imagination and dedication to making ASA of San Antonio rock the ASA world is impressive. She knows the importance of showing her appreciation for people’s efforts, and making people feel valued. While technology is great, there’s still a huge people component, and Jenn makes the most of both to spread her message about the benefits of ASA and the power of people coming together to make a difference. She’s it.

But the war’s not won, and she knows it never will be. Sure – you can rest on your laurels for just so long before you have to start fighting again. There’s a friendly competition going with North Texas on who will be the largest chapter at the end of the fiscal year (with major incentives NOT to lose), so we’ll keep our eye on these two chapters.

Congratulations, Jenn, San Antonio staff, and ASA members! You make us so proud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!