Many OAHI members get little information ,
some others get more information,
and much information is not given to the membership at all.
Below is some that should have gone to all members… Roy Cooke
Tuesday, February 13th, 2007
To All Voting Members Of The Ontario Association of Home Inspectors
Dear Colleagues:
I am writing to all 345 RHIs and Associates to encourage you to vote in the
upcoming Annual General Meeting of the Ontario Association of Home
Inspectors.
You have several ways of voting: a) sending in your proxy to the Secretary,
b) assigning your proxy to an AGM attendee, or, c) by attending the AGM,
listening and commenting on the issues, then voting. The AGM package
contains the proxy forms and the deadlines for delivery.
Whatever method you choose makes little difference to me other than I
believe in dialogue, asking questions and in stating your opinion, which is
best done in person.
However we live in a big province with variable weather conditions and we
all tend to lead busy lives with numerous commitments. Again, whether you
vote in person or by proxy makes little difference, just vote.
And why vote? you may ask. What’s up with the corporation? Why do you need my approval? Does my vote count? Valid questions all.
Well all votes count, all votes are important and even more so this AGM. I
believe the corporation is at a crossroads and needs to take a close look at
the available options for moving forward. We need to examine and plan how we
can best utilize our traditional strengths while we develop the new to suit
the changing face of inspection.
We need to better utilize our manpower resources; we need better time
management skills. The models and tools are available, together we need to
decide on the appropriate choices, seize the moment and get going.
I do not recommend a scatter approach - we need to focus on short and
medium term goals that will better home inspection for the practitioners,
the other stakeholders who rely on our services and, most importantly, the clients.
We need to raise our profile in Ontario and we need to decide if we will
follow our traditional methods in a more intensive, focused manner, or
whether we will try new paths.
We need to make some decisions about money and how to spend it wisely.
The corporation is volunteer based but has grown to such a size in a competitive world where volunteers cannot efficiently do all things.
Having sat at the table for a while - both in PACHI, OAHI and CAHPI -
I have watched many good volunteers burn out trying to do a good job.
I have learned firsthand the value of good, professional help.
I clearly recognize how it differs from volunteer help.
Volunteers have so many good ideas; professional help takes the best,
the doable and gets going!
Accordingly I will be encouraging you to vote for the Special Assessment
that allows us to engage professional help; Aubrey Le Blanc, the gentlemen
we have chosen to best move the association forward is an extraordinary
individual committed to home inspection.
He knows everybody and if he doesn’t he’ll quickly introduce himself.
He has a practical analytical mind and a very good business sense.
TARION’s loss is our gain!
The corporation will grow under Aubrey’s guidance, and the members will
benefit - of that I have no doubt! However Aubrey costs money - any
professional will - and we have to have an open talk about that, starting
with WHY and moving through WHAT to HOW.
Plus How Much of course.
Within the week I will distribute information about costs of, and the
reasoning for the Special Assessments so you can make an informed
decision.
Back to direction - we need your input. Let’s not forget that this
association is not only about high standards, education and ethics, it’s
about you, the working inspector. We need to make up our minds where
we want to go and how we want to get there.
Do we want to strengthen the relationship with our traditional partners or
blaze new trails?
Do we want to grow our membership, promote our qualifications, promote
our members, strengthen our requirements, hitch our wagon to the federal
plan - there are a lot of questions.
As you may know I will not be standing for election - it’s time to make
some money instead of letting it go to the uninvolved or the unaffiliated.
I will stay for one more year as an ex officio.
I will have to work with closely the next board to see my vision of OAHI come forth.
To realize my goals and to make that year go as smoothly as possible, I intend to support candidates who I feel will do two things well.
Number One - use my dues to operate efficiently and in my best interests;
Number Two - use my dues to promote OAHI in Ontario by maintaining our
qualifications, promoting our qualifications and differentiating us from them.
Now there’s a member service or two!
I want a group of directors that will have no other agenda other giving me
the tools to develop and maintain my market share.
I encourage you to ask each and every candidate for directorship where
they want to take you.
Ask yourself how their agenda influences you, will it be status quo, will it help you make money?
Will it differentiate you from the unaffiliated?
Ask the questions that matter to you and then please VOTE!
Sincerely
Andrew Dixon, RHI
President, OAHI
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Service Mission Statement
It is the responsibility of each and every member, corporation employee,
staff member and director to interact with others within and outside our
organization in a pleasant, considerate and respectful manner.
This is based on our code of conduct - Article 10.
CAHPI-Ontario/OAHI Best Customer Policy
The Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors -
Ontario/Ontario Association of Home Inspectors is a member driven organization.
Our primary clients are our members’ services.
As our members and potential members pay our way we must be very
conscientious in treating them with the utmost respect and in a very timely
manner.
Internal work is vital but secondary to our best customer - our members and potential members.
Only by looking after our existing membership and encouraging new members will this organization grow to its full potential.
Your Board of Directors has started an internal audit of our operations.
As a first step we are ready to implement our “best customer policy”
immediately.
Because we have been perceived as a top down organization in
the past we anticipate an adjustment in both reality and perception as we
implement this policy.
Every volunteer organization goes through growing pains and adjustments as
it improves.
We acknowledge that our membership is our most important asset!
Your Board of Directors believes strongly that professionalism begins at
home.
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Roy Cooke