First, let me say that I am honored to be serving as your Chair for the Southern Region. As I attempt to follow in the footsteps of the many successful past Chairs, I will try to emulate the care, concern, and commitment to Southern Region and its branches that they have nurtured. It is my intent to collect input form all stakeholders in Southern Region to help make our region an organization that will foster strength and growth in our branches. To this end, I encourage leaders and members of Southern Region to share their ideas and concerns with me.

Southern Region is entering an exciting new time for growth and development of our region and within our branches. New ideas and creative leadership have excited members as we work to make the counseling profession stronger along with our state counseling associations. I have worked with our incoming board and branch leadership to develop these goals for the Southern Region.

1. Technology
1. Southern Region will establish a permanent website to post information. This website will contain readily accessible information for our members including news, region information, and will archive seminars from our conferences.
2. We will continue to use our list serve to share counseling information among our membership and to broadcast breaking counseling news.
3. We will work to help all branches to establish their own website and list serve at our Little Rock Conference in October.
2. Strategic Thinking
1. Southern Region will implement the ideas and plans that were developed using Strategic Thinking under the previous administration of Dr. Jeff Siskind.
2. We have created a permanent Strategic Thinking Committee that will continue to monitor the implementation of previous ideas and facilitate the development of new ideas and plans for Southern Region.
3. Diversity
1. Southern Region has established a committee that will work with branches and ACA to encourage minority counselors to become new leaders within Southern Region.
4. Branch Development
1. Southern Region has a National Branch Development Committee that will work with ACA to encourage counselors to join ACA and their state counseling associations. This committee will also work to foster a collaborative alliance among all national counseling divisions and ACA.
2. Southern Region has also developed a Regional Branch Development Committee that will help our branches to develop ways to strengthen branch development, increase counselor membership, and to share these ideas among the branches. This committee will also create a plan to encourage all state counseling divisions to come together and unite under their state counseling associations.

I have been working hand in hand with The Arkansas Counseling Association to make this year's conference in Little Rock a event that will help to make these goals a reality. However, we also have set aside time for us to relax and enjoy each other's company. Be sure to check our our website and conference information on our website.

Jeffrey

The Southern Region also maintains a separate website located at: http://www.wefixfamilies.com/ACASR/southern_region.htm