Every year brings new leadership and new priorities, but the goal stays the same: moving this industry forward.
In 2025, James Cress put two priorities front and center: advocacy and people. Over the past year, we made significant advances on both fronts. On the advocacy front, we secured notable wins on tax policy and Section 1071. We also expanded our education, training, and research efforts through initiatives like the Power of People Summit and the continued evolution of our “Attract, Train, Retain” workforce program.
Now, we welcome a new Board Chair, Deb Baker, who is focused on building on that momentum with a new mantra: grow the industry and grow its value. For Deb, that means finding new ways to bring more individuals into ELFA and ensuring our members have the resources and opportunities they need at every stage of their careers.
A key part of how we’re attracting and training future talent is through our affiliation with the CLFP Foundation, which became official on January 1. In this issue CLFP CEO Reid Raykovich’s Executive Perspective column outlines why this step is such a gamechanger for our industry.
Just as important is how we continue to deliver the industry data and insights our members rely on to navigate a changing economy. ELFA COO Daryl Muller shares more about how we’re taking our research capabilities to the next level to meet that need.
I’m excited to work alongside Deb in the months ahead as we continue to welcome more people into this incredible industry and make ELFA an even more incredible place to connect, grow, and learn.
