Leading Organizations Join with IAOP to Launch Midwest Outsourcing Chapter
First Meeting to Feature Presentation on Outsourcing in Government
ST. LOUIS, Mo., Nov. 23, 2009 – The International Association of Outsourcing Professionals® (IAOP®) today announced the launch of its new Midwest Chapter focused on the interests of outsourcing customers, providers, advisors, academia and other professionals in the region.
The inaugural meeting of the chapter will be Dec. 2, from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the St. Louis Club, 14th Floor, St. Vrain Room, 7701 Forsyth Blvd. in St. Louis, Mo.
In addition to the formal chapter launch and introduction of the chapter Governance Council and charter, the meeting will include the following key topics:
Ø A presentation on the “Role of Outsourcing in Government, Department of Defense,” by Franz Kohler, District Director, Military Affairs for U.S. House Rep. Todd Akin.
Ø A panel discussion on “Outsourcing: Its Future in the New Economy” will include views from Midwest leaders from the private and public sectors.
Colliers Corporate Solutions, Edward Jones and Global Sourcing Optimization Services (GSOS) are co-chairs for this newest IAOP geographic chapter.
“Leading organizations in the Midwest have joined to form this chapter to promote outsourcing education, training, best practices and professional development,” said Rich Etzkorn, chapter chair and senior vice president, Colliers Corporate Solutions. ”We also will work together to promote outsourcing as a profession and to build a network of outsourcing professionals across the region.”
Forming partnerships with best-of-breed companies is one of the benefits of getting involved with the new IAOP chapter. According to Jim Weddle, Managing Partner of Edward Jones,“We realize that we have certain areas of expertise and we have other things that other people know a lot more about. Outsourcing is what we have learned to do well when we need something important done, we need it done well, and it is not an area of expertise for us. We go to the best in the business and we say ‘we would like to work with you.’”
Said Mark Burkhart, CEO of Colliers Turley Martin Tucker: “Cultivating and maintaining the in-house expertise required for success in all areas of your operations can be difficult, and for many, cost prohibitive.In today’s business environment, the most successful companies identify their strengths, and then supplement their abilities with the expertise and resources provided by an outsourced provider to drive value.These partnerships allow the client to focus on their core business.”
Matt Shocklee, CEO of GSOS, commented, “Today’s leaders, whether from the private or public sector, are using outsourcing as a tool to not only improve operating costs, but to drive innovation, enter new markets and increase revenues. Given the new global economic realities, outsourcing will increasingly become a key strategy to drive global business growth.”
The association is now seeking additional organizations from the Midwest to join the chapter’s Executive Advisory Committee (EAC).
Following the presentations, an open discussion on future chapter events and networking reception will be held.
The IAOP Midwest chapter is a regional chapter within IAOP’s portfolio of over 40 chapters worldwide. Geographically based out of the St. Louis area, it will involve IAOP membership from Missouri, Southern Illinois, Eastern Kansas and other surrounding states.
For additional information on participating in the chapter, contact Julie Huson at: Julie.Huson@outsourcingprofessional.org or Rich Etzkorn at: retzkorn@ctmt.com.
To register for the meeting, IAOP members can e-mail chapter coordinator, Amanda Corbett, at amanda.corbett@outsourcingprofessional.org. Non-members can request a guest pass by clicking here.
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