High Energy and Enthusiasm
These are the words most often heard as the PCATS 2006 Winter Meetings were winding down last week in St. Petersburg, Florida. With more than 160 in attendance, a 60% increase over 2005, the four days of meetings were designed to involve as many PCATS members in the workings of the alliance as possible.
On January 30 and 31 the business committees; Certification, Implementation and Membership and Marketing met to review progress to date and make plans for 2006. There were highly spirited discussions as various proposals were debated and final plans agreed. An opportunity for each of the committees was afforded to report out its findings at the General Assembly meeting the afternoon of January 31st. For the first time Class B and C members were permitted to attend the business committee meetings and this proved highly enlightening to them as they were able to observe how the business of the alliance functions.
On February 1 and 2 six technical committees met; POS Back Office, EB2B Retail, EB2B Motor Fuels, EB2B Lottery, Device Integration-OSA, and Retail Financial Transactions. Each committee reported significant work progress when the chairs met as the Technical Advisory Committee TAC) the afternoon of February 2, 2006. At the TAC meeting new work items were approved and will be reported on separately here.
In addition to the significant work accomplished by all committees, a new board of directors for the alliance was voted in. Reelected to their positions were Art Whetstone, Treasurer; Ann Dozier, Secretary; Shannon Ramsey, At-Large Director; Brad McGuinness, chair of Retail Financial Transactions; Jan Scott, chair of Device Integration-OSA; Jenny Bullard, chair of Implementation; Scott Rockafellow, chair of Membership and Marketing; and Jim Wenner, chair of EB2B. Elected to new positions were Devin Bates, vice- chair; Bob Johnson, chair of Technical Advisory Committee; Gregg Peele, chair of Certification; and Bill Wade, Vice-Chair of POS Back Office.
Social events enabled networking opportunities only available at events like this. Receptions were held on three nights and dinners on two with one on the Lady of Tampa Bay boat as it cruised the harbor. Coca-Cola Enterprises hosted a dinner for the board of directors to honor Scott Hartman’s retirement as PCATS first board chairman, a post he held since the formation of the alliance in August 2003, and to honor Richard Oneslager’s assumption of the chairmanship from vice-chair.
A special thanks to our breakfast and lunch sponsors: Axxis Software, Corporate Safe Specialists, Impact21 Group, MoneyGram International, New Edge Networks, and Valero Energy Corporation.
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