AWRA AT 50

摘要

For my first "President's Message" I want to focus on two questions that bear on the theme of this month's magazine "AWRA at 50: The Future of Water Resources in the United States:" (1) What does it take for an association to last for 50 years? and (2) What can help set the stage for prospering into the future? For businesses surviving for 50 years in a competitive marketplace is an achievement to be proud of. Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that about half of new businesses survive five years or less, and only about one-third survive 10 or more years. While no such data appear to be available about the longevity of professional associations it is likely that many of the same dynamics that challenge the survival of businesses also apply to associations, and that many of the professional associations present in 1964 when AWRA was founded are no longer in existence. So, it is very likely that AWRA belongs to a select group of organizations that have continued to remain relevant and offer the kinds of services that provide value to water resources professionals.