Dear ARDA Members, Sponsors, Friends, & Supporters,
Thank you for your continued participation and interest in the American Railway Development Association. We are looking forward to the 118th year in our organization’s history. First, our board would like to thank Matt Cangiolosi for a great year of leadership and for hosting two fantastic events in Orlando and Washington, DC. The meetings were well attended, and following COVID, we finally felt the organization was back in the swing of things. We intend to expand on that momentum and strong support. We look forward to another year of great attendance at the Executive Forum in Fort Worth, TX (January 29-31st) and Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, MN (July 14-17th).
I am extremely grateful and honored to lead this phenomenal organization for the next year. I look forward to giving back to the organization that has given so much to me. The association's success is through the collaborative efforts of our management company, Twelve One Collective, our Board of Directors, Section leadership, dedicated annual and event sponsors, and our active and passionate members. Together, we are an amazing organization!
ARDA’s mission is “to foster the industrial, real estate, natural resources, market development activities, and environmental concerns of the North American railroads.” That mission remains important in our industry today, even after 118 years of association history. This year, my goal will be to focus on our theme of “Growth” and continue to elevate the brand and membership of ARDA, taking our organization into the future. As members, I ask that you all continue to advocate for ARDA and stay active on our LinkedIn page. I would love to see our membership grow, further promote our mission, and expand upon the valuable relationships we share across the industry.
As many of you know, ARDA exists financially through the strong support of its sponsors, and we are so grateful for them. We have created an expanded pledge form to simplify options and help our sponsors plan for our upcoming events. Please
review this link, and do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.
We will be contacting you later this month as part of our membership drive. Also, there will be communication with registration and hotel block information for the Executive Forum in Fort Worth. Our planning efforts are underway, and it promises to be a great start to our 2024 event cycle. I look forward to seeing everyone there!
I would love to know if you have any suggestions, comments, or concerns as it relates to ARDA. I will remain active in the Section meetings, but I also welcome your emails (alanna.strohecker@aecom.com) and/or phone messages (484-557-5500); please reach out at any time. We are going to have a great year!
Alanna Strohecker
President - ARDA
