<p><img alt= src=/sites/default/files/pictures/small_P1030353.JPG style=width: 90px; height: 90px; float: right; />By Paula Lavallee DignityUSA</p> <p>The DignityUSA Board of Directors met the weekend of November 2-4 2012 in Minneapolis MN staying at the Hilton Hotel where the convention will be held in July 2013. Along with regular business and committee reports the Board spent significant time creating a new strategic plan. The directors have been working in small groups for several months developing the plan including the development of several goals that had been identified during the July meeting and subsequent calls. At the Board meeting Chris Pett (Dignity/Chicago) continued to lead the directors through exercises to narrow the focus of the goals and the steps to achieve them. The directors worked individually in small groups and as a whole to formalize the plan. The next step is to have a group rewrite the goals and activities into a cohesive plan and present it to the Board during phone meetings over the next several months.</p> <p>At the same time that the Board was meeting the 2013 Convention Committee was meeting next door. The two groups met together on Saturday morning to hear a comprehensive report from the convention committee on the progress being made on the convention plans. Some of the committee members who could not make it to Minneapolis met via conference call to give their reports. On Sunday both groups took a tour of the hotel to visually plan convention space and activities.</p> <p>The directors and Convention Committee members were joined Saturday afternoon by other members of Dignity/Twin Cities and shared liturgy then attended dinner together at a local restaurant. The directors would like to thank the Twin Cities chapter and the Convention Committee for their fine work and assistance during the meeting.</p> <p>The Board of Directors will continue their work on creating a new strategic plan working by email and teleconference calls before the next in-person meeting scheduled for March 1-3 2013 in Phoenix AZ.</p> <p>Anyone having any questions about the meeting may contact secretary@dignityusa.org.</p> <p><br /> &nbsp;</p>