2008 Strategic Planning Sessions

On January 11th and 12th, the Board of Directors held its Annual Strategic Planning Retreat in Madison. The retreat provided an opportunity for the Board, under the guidance of a professional facilitator, to identify key needs and opportunities facing the organization and to set short and long term goals for the BFW in terms of membership, communication, financial well-being, and advocacy issues.

Below are the key discussion topics from the retreat. Many of these items are “work in progress” and are being refined by the BOD, BOD sub-committees and/or the BFW Staff.

• BFW Values – Openness, Integrity, Stewardship and (Being of) Service, Innovation, Diversity, Quality, Empowerment and Collaboration.
• Areas of Strategic Focus
  • Areas addressed on 1/12/08: Communications, Membership, and Funding
    • Established concrete 1, 2, and 3 year goals
    • Determined how the BOD (and/or subcommittees) will work together on these focus areas
    • Determined the (internal) format for tracking status and results
  • Areas to be addressed at the Feb 2 BOD meeting: Advocacy, Staff Resource Allocation, and Refining Executive Director Decision Making Principles)
• Work in Progress Vision statement:

"By 2015, the BFW will have earned national recognition as a leader in promoting bicycling as an environmentally-friendly, cost-effective, and healthy activity. We will be the 'go to source for all things bicycling' for our growing membership, local and state government agencies, schools and community programs, and event planners across the state. We will have regional offices with talented and experienced staff who view us as an employer of choice. These factors, combined with our deep and diverse cadre of volunteers, committed Board, strong financials, and dynamic website brimming with timely and useful information about the BFW and bicycling, provide us with unbound enthusiasm for our future"

We encourage and welcome member comments on our strategic vision.

Photos from the Madison are posted below.

Consultant and session moderator Marlene Haigh.

Bill Hauda (right) and Joel "JJ" Savilonis listen intently

Eric Schramm (left) and Dr. Scott Arbit

Ken Bates reviews planning documents

Board President Edith Merila looks for input from the board

Left to right: Amy Heart, Laura Kreofsky, Chick Veenstra and Jay Ferm

Edith (right) and Marlene amongst a wall of planning notes

BFW Executive Director, Jack Hirt, wondering if there are any good frames left at the Brazen Dropout's 2008 Bike Swap