Page 15 - FDCC Flyer Summer 2021

Leadership
Candidate for Secretary/Treasurer Johnny Sarber Candidate’s Statement
Johnson L. “Johnny” Sarber, III
Carr Allison Jacksonville, FL
We stand at a pivotal juncture for the vitality and future
of our organization, as we emerge from the pandemic and adjust to a new normal. It is more important than ever for our leadership to be certain about our priorities and strategic direction for the coming years. To remain the preeminent defense organization, we must stay focused on our core values, and while honoring our traditions we must be nimble enough to adapt to the
ready to transition into a business environment that will undoubtedly be different than before the pandemic.
The cornerstone of our strategic plan is to focus on the things we do well, and don’t waste time on things that don’t work. Admittedly, strategic planning doesn’t excite me. But when we started our work with this principle, I was all in, because this fits my leadership philosophy--keep it simple, do what we do well, be open to new ideas that are in our wheelhouse, and don’t spin wheels just for the sake of adding another project or committee. Our strategic plan has six main pillars, but they revolve around the primary task of bringing the highest value proposition to our members. More than ever, we must pursue attainable goals consistent with that primary task, be forward thinking in exploring new ideas in a fiscally responsible way, and not get lost in the weeds. In short, it’s “Federation First” -- if it enhances member value, is consistent with our mission, and makes sense financially, we do it.
Without question, we should retain our position as the industry leader in virtual programming. During this past year, our webinars and other online presentations were excellent and demonstrated the immense
quality and depth of knowledge of our members. We absolutely knocked it out of the park, and while much credit goes to our leadership and administrative teams for making it happen, the all stars are our members who presented educational and informative programming at a quality level that was unmatched by any other group. The “new normal” in our world of defending matters
in civil litigation will necessarily include a virtual component, as it offers the highest level of substance at a reduced cost and convenient format, and we should stay the course. We have the best intellectual capital and it should remain front and center.
At the same time, in-person gatherings are vital to the health of our organization. There is no substitute
changing needs of our members and clients. We must be grounded in our history but not be immobilized by it. Flexibility and responsiveness will be crucial. I am honored to be a candidate for Secretary/Treasurer and believe my experience and leadership skills are well suited for the task.
We have been blessed with wise leadership in recent years. None of us knew of the chaos looming on the horizon, but fortunately we got our house in order just in time. After we managed the upheaval caused by changes in the Executive Director’s office a few years ago, Don Myles got our finances in order, and then Elizabeth Lorell oversaw a strategic plan revamp to which our Board fully committed. Mike Glascott has stayed laser-focused on our priorities and with Bob Christie’s and Howard Merten’s wise counsel, and the incredible work of our current Executive Director’s team, Mike has guided us expertly through an uncertain financial situation and the change to a remote programming model. As proud as I have always been
of the FDCC since becoming a member in 2003, I have never been as impressed as I was this year as we took the lead and owned the virtual space. Now we must be
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