I am truly honored to serve in my new role as the organization’s president. It is an exciting time for IOUG, with great momentum being created from a very successful COLLABORATE 2012. We enjoyed a 10 percent increase in conference attendance compared to last year, and the satisfaction ratings were very high.

With such a great conference behind us, it’s now time to look ahead to what IOUG has to offer you in the coming year. Here is a brief outline of my goals:

1. Build upon the many successes that have already been achieved. I’ll be working with the IOUG board throughout the year to review our strategic direction and offerings. Where it makes sense, we will explore possible changes to increase the value of membership with IOUG.
2. Continue to maintain and enhance our relationships with Oracle. We will always be an independent user group, with no direct ties to Oracle or any financial dependence on them. But we do value the connections we have with Oracle, and it is important that we continue to be their most valued technology user group partner.
3. Enhance our offerings to meet the evolving needs of the user community. As the technology we use continues to change, our needs as professionals will change, and the composition of our community will also change. We will continue to keep our pulse on the needs of our evolving community, and we will modify and enhance our educational content, delivery methods, and our other services to maximize value.
4. Continue to expand and provide opportunities for our volunteers. Volunteers are at the heart of everything that is great about IOUG. It’s professionals like you who give their time to present at conferences, organize and deliver our offerings, and keep our voice strong with Oracle. We will make sure that many opportunities exist for you to play leadership roles that enhance your careers and increase the value of IOUG to the entire community.

I am thrilled for what the coming year has in store. Our new Exa-Everything program is a wonderful example of our partnership with Oracle and will be a great way for you to learn about this valuable technology. We also have some excellent webinars planned for the summer and fall. I encourage all of you to become involved in one or more of our special interest groups (SIGs). You can learn more about these and other offerings by visiting www.dev.questoraclecommunity.org/better-together/.

I hope you are looking forward to the rest of 2012 and the coming of 2013 with the same level of enthusiasm that I am. I invite you to take advantage of all that IOUG has to offer and become involved in whatever way fits best with your personal interests and professional goals.

Sincerely,
John Matelski
IOUG President