Page 5 - The Edge2023 - Spring

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
By Dale Ponder
‘Survive and advance’
Survive and advance!
March Madness, the Big Dance, the NCAA basketball championship, whichever name you prefer, is one
of my favorite times of the year! It’s the time when 68 NCAA Division I basketball programs are seeded, instability typically generate a common response –
allocating specified resources, safely transporting
based on their demonstrated mastery of the sport since the inception of the season, with an fear. As a coping mechanism, we may develop or
students, providing nutritious meals, maintaining safe
and comfortable environments, and promptly paying
opportunity to compete and hoist the sport’s ultimate prize – the championship trophy. It’s a trophy strengthen protections for ourselves, or focus on the
our employees, to name just a very few. As our
that the University of Kentucky men’s basketball program has raised eight times and sought a ninth title areas that we can control.
legislative session approaches the 100th day, I believe
in this year’s tournament. Unfortunately for that many of us begin to carry the same “survive and Like the 1983 Wolfpack, you are not alone. AASBO
Kentucky, Kansas State defeated the Wildcats 75-69 advance” attitude. is a membership-driven organization, where the
on March 19, association can learn or seek counsel from one

Anyway, aside from some of the greatest losses in another to help manage the uncertainty. Dealing
workplace productivity nationally, it’s also an with uncertainty of the unknown is a lot easier when
opportunity for lesser-known programs, the you apply structure over the components you can
“Cinderellas,” or programs that achieve far greater control. Through networking and other relationship
building opportunities, high quality professional
success than would reasonably have been expected, development, and strong legislative leadership,
to lace ‘em up against the “blue bloods” of the sport AASBO can be that source of information, stability,

with the chance to upset the brackets and advance. and security for you and your team.
Something that the Kentucky Wildcats experienced in
last year’s madness, unfortunately. I have been fortunate to be a member of AASBO since
2006, when I was first hired by Crane Elementary
(According to the work outplacement firm, Challenger, School District to serve as the Procurement
Gray & Christmas, Inc., U.S. employers lose around an Manager. One month into that position, and I
was headed to Bullhead City to attend the Spring
average of $13.3 billion in productivity during the Conference. Unsure of what to expect, the AASBO
tournament, based on an average hourly earning of $27 an community was welcoming, and I found them more
hour for “all employees on private non-farm payrolls. The than willing to share information. It is my hope that
firm also estimated that “each hour spent on the games at your experience is similar even today.
work” can cost employers about $2.1 billion. The numbers
include time spent actually watching the games, filling out Nearly 17 years later, the “Cinderella” from Yuma
brackets and talking about the games to co-workers.) has been honored to serve as the President of this
great association, standing on the shoulders of those
North Carolina State University’s Lorenzo Charles (43) makes the dunk to
The competition is fierce, and all teams are hoping to give the No. 6 seeded NC State a 54-52 win against the No. 1 seeded before me with the single goal of leaving it a little
continue their season. When the madness launches, University of Houston in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship in better than how I found it. I hope that you’ll consider
Albuquerque, NM on Monday, April 4, 1983 | Photo Credit: 1983 AP Photo
a team must win six games over a three-weekend ways of contributing to AASBO. Whether it’s by
Perhaps some of us may be facing internal or external
period (seven, if you’re seeded as one of the “First Four”) of the single-elimination tournament or go serving on the Board of Directors, writing an article
home and get ready for next year. pressures that are outside of our control, causing for The Edge, presenting information on timely and
unexpected or unwelcomed turmoil within and relevant topics, or participating on the professional
throughout our organizations. These factors could development committee, your skills, experiences,
Survive and advance! damage our culture, hurt recruitment and retention and abilities are appreciated.
efforts, and increase the workloads of those who
In 1983, three years after being hired as head coach of North Carolina State University’s men’s Together, we can survive and advance and overcome
elect to remain. These challenges may be triggering a
basketball program, Jim Valvano, stayed alive in the post-season through a series of nine overtime and the uncertainty.
higher rate of review of ASRS retirement statements
as some may be counting down the days until
one-point games, beating the likes of Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins of the University of North Dale Ponder serves as President on the AASBO Board of
retirement, or others may be seeking opportunities to
Carolina and 7-foot-4 Ralph Sampson of the University of Virginia. NC State was one of the biggest Directors and as the Chief of Finance & Operations for Crane
remove themselves from the situation. Insecurity and
underdogs ever in the championship game, one that went down as, arguably, the best college basketball Elementary School District in Yuma
game in history – ending with one of the most well-known plays of
all time. The No. 6 seeded Wolfpack of NC State's “Cinderella” title, thanks to a 54-52 upset win 5