Welcome to Information Professionals, far and wide!

I am pleased and honored to be able to be asked to pick up the baton of leadership for the Information Professionals Association from my friend and colleague, Austin Branch. When the idea was proposed to set up an independent, non-profit organization to foster discussion and coalesce ideas that will advance a systematic approach to the information environment, I was intrigued and supportive of the idea. As congressional staffer looking at these very issues for the leadership of the House Armed Services Committee, I saw many of the same problems resulting from the U.S. government’s approach, which lacked a strategy and critical mass of talent, resources and effective organizations. Pockets of excellence existed, but their isolation and lack of cohesion have traditionally limited their reach or impact. Like Austin, I saw the need for outside help and influence to give intellectual foundations for change, and like others, was looking for an opportunity to play my part.

Austin, with the support of a fantastic Board of trustees and advisors, has done a spectacular job in building the ship and setting it off into new territory. I look forward to picking up where he left off to build on and expand the efforts they’ve put in place. I am lucky in that he, along with most of the board, will continue to be active participants in this journey. I also want to thank our outgoing executive director, Mike Williams, for all of his hard work setting the foundations for IPA. I look forward to working with you all to harness the creative energy, connections and ideas of our membership to promote the IPA, and to find new opportunities to be more active and engaged in informing the public, practitioners, and those intimately engaged in the information space.

Thanks,
Kevin Gates