As I consider my first letter for MOVE, I do so with both enthusiasm as your new CEO and humility at the opportunity I have been given. Following in the footsteps of excellent leaders such as Anne Ferro is a great responsibility. I’m struck by reflections of my time with AAMVA, especially in this, our 90th year, recognizing how much I have seen our community grow. We continue to reach new standards of success, including our recent record-breaking AIC in Madison, Wisconsin. We see the same mission, to save lives, drive us forward. We also see changes, as our leadership transitioned from Kristina Boardman to Spencer R. Moore.

AAMVA has once again moved smoothly through a transition. This is a testament to the health of the organization and the professionalism of its board and staff. Now it is time to look forward. I shared from the podium in Madison the idea that, just like driving a car, we must first look around before moving forward. As I look around, I see an engaged community focused on our shared priorities of safety and service. I know we’re ready for what’s ahead.

This year’s 90th anniversary milestone is not merely a significant event on a timeline. AAMVA’s long and successful history reminds us there is value in the lessons of the past. As the saying goes, to know where you are going, you have to know where you have been.

At AAMVA, we are building our future on a solid foundation of our near century of experience. Across our priority areas of driver licensing, identity management, vehicle credentialing and law enforcement, we are expanding our services to support our members who work tirelessly every day to serve the public.

As we grow, we maintain the same purpose that brought us together 90 years ago: uniting and serving this community.

In this modern world, it seems change moves faster with each passing year. Rapid transformations in technology, innovation and culture mean our members must adapt quickly to meeting customers where they are now. This, in turn, requires AAMVA to be even more agile and responsive in support of our members.

Our success will be forged from our partnerships and collaboration. The AAMVA community is at its best when we share and combine our efforts for the greater good.

We are doing so now, building bridges between jurisdictions, the federal government and private sector to deploy mobile driver licenses. We are working to understand the landscape between titling agencies, the motor vehicle dealer community, lenders, and other stakeholders who will need to work cooperatively to build a robust electronic vehicle record ecosystem and fulfill the vision of interstate electronic titling. AAMVA continues building connections between motor vehicle and law enforcement communities, knowing these partnerships work to save lives on our roadways. We are expanding AAMVA’s global network to leverage our strong history of a U.S. and Canadian partnership to collaborate with our counterparts across Europe, Asia and Australia.

We look forward, embracing our history and the lessons from those who have come before us and with the intention of moving into a future where this association will continue to serve its members. We will achieve more milestones and leadership within the roadway safety community, together.

I look forward to serving the AAMVA family and commit to maintaining our traditional standards of excellence while always seeking innovations that will best support our members. We launch into the future together from this strong foundation, moving forward, to our 100th anniversary. We know where we are going because we know where we have been.