25 Jan BEMA’s Building a Great Future

CEO INSIGHTS

Kerwin Brown, BEMA President/CEO

Building a Great Future

Who among us did not wish for the ability to sweep the past year under the rug and start fresh? While greatly tempting, to do so would be to ignore the hard-fought and won lessons of 2020 – lessons of resiliency, hope, connectivity, communication, diversification and creativity – all which will continue to serve us in the coming year and beyond.

As we look back, we do so by acknowledging that our greatest strength lies in those who make up our industry, a tight-knit group known for looking out for others and assisting in times of need. Working together with focus, our collaborations allowed us to achieve goals important to us all.

Focal Point

With this in mind, I believe 2021 will be a year guided by individual strength and collective action. In our ongoing efforts to bring the industry together, we will continue to provide and expand upon the popular roundtables, webinars and educational opportunities launched in 2020. Members will also benefit from several new offerings including the one-stop, interactive MemberSuite portal and BEMA Intel, a data-driven tool representing 10+ industry indicators.

Strategic Path

However, continued resiliency must also include a longer-term plan. This month, we’re happy to offer a first look at the foundations of BEMA’s 2021 strategic plan. Work on the three-year plan began in March of 2020 and culminated with approval on Dec. 3. The extensive process included member and staff interviews and input, SWOT and multi-year trend analysis, research and plan development.

The intent behind this ambitious, yet achievable, strategic plan is the establishment of a long-term trajectory to optimize BEMA’s role as an industry leader and to strengthen the Association overall. Throughout, we looked to one question to guide the process. That question being, “What’s best for the industry?”

Elevated Industry Role

Knowing this is a pivotal time for members of the wholesale baking industry and the Associations serving it, the strategic plan will allow BEMA and its members the opportunity to define and refine our strategic focus to enable us to identify and meet the industry’s current and evolving needs. Evaluating and refining BEMA’s conference strategy was identified by the Board as the top strategic priority to address in the plan. Building upon our previous strategic plan, mission and vision, the 2021 Strategic Plan focuses on four pillars:

1. Innovative Education, Training and Professional Development
2. Member-focused Engagement and Value
3. Alliances and Partnerships
4. Financial and Operational Strength and Sustainability

In the coming months, we will continue to explore these concepts in more depth. As we enter a new year filled with anticipation and possibilities, we’re pleased you’re joining us in this journey as we work together to meet the unprecedented challenges and opportunities of the industry.