Minutes
Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board
Strategic Planning Retreat
14, 15 June 2001
State Library of Ohio
Columbus

 

Board members present: Roland Baumann, Barbara Floyd, Raimund Goerler, Ronald Koetters, Michael Lucas, Julie McMaster, Gary Ness, George Parkinson, James Oda & Carol Tomer

Board members not present: Keith Corman

Staff present: Charles Arp, Matthew Benz, J.D. Britton, Laurie Gemmill & Judy Walker

Guests present: Dick Cameron, Sandra Clark & David Larson

Deputy State Coordinator George Parkinson called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. He made opening remarks and introduced Dick Cameron, Director for State Programs, NHPRC, and Sandra Clark, Director of the Michigan Historical Center.

Cameron then spoke on the current views of the NHPRC and its relationship with the State Historical Records Advisory Boards (SHRABS).

OHRAB State Coordinator Gary Ness then discussed the current standing and goals of the Society's Vision 2000 Plan.

Raimund Goerler followed up with a brief overview of the current OHRAB plan, discussing both the successful and unsuccessful aspects of it, with an eye on continuing the successes in the new plan and re-thinking those areas that proved to be unwieldy.

Parkinson then spoke briefly on the general principals that can help to guide the board as it considers the strategic planning effort.

J.D. Britton, serving as Retreat Facilitator, reviewed the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) process that the Board would use to guide them through the planning process. Following a break, Britton led the Board through part one of Identifying Strategic Issues, an examination of strengths and opportunities. The Board provided many examples of each, and discussion followed.

The Board then examined the possible weaknesses and threats for OHRAB, and again, provided many examples. Following a review of the examples, the board members rated each one. These ratings would determine the importance of the examples and provide the subcommittee with a blueprint for creating five essential strategic goals. The subcommittee met that night to prepare the goals for the next day.

The following morning, Britton picked up the process by presenting the results, distilled into five goals, of the previous day's findings. The Board discussed the process of turning the strategic issues into goals. Divided into two breakout sessions, the board came up with objectives to reach for each of the five goals. Upon reconvening, the Board issues combined with the consolidated objectives provided a frame upon which the new plan could be built.

The day ended with comments from the Board and its guests. The retreat was adjourned at 2:00.