From the Prez: BIG NEWS FOR FHI!!

It’s been almost 24 years now since I founded FHI, and I am sometimes amazed at the distance we have travelled and the way we have grown and evolved as a firm.  This fall, FHI will take another giant step in our evolution when I hand over the CEO/Presidency baton to Susan VanBenschoten. 

Through the years my own role at FHI has also evolved.  In the early years I played all roles at FHI, from president to project manager to handing out origin-destination surveys on the roadside. And for many years I was responsible for essentially all decision-making at FHI.  But, as we have grown and, more importantly, as we have spread our ownership and management structure, our journey has taken us in a very different and positive direction.  Though we worry about the economy and the future like everyone else these days, we are also confident that we have a strong and vital organization, with motivated and energetic employees who take personal responsibility for the quality of our professional service to clients.

This fall, I will step down as CEO/President of FHI and Susan VanBenschoten will take over that role. I will remain at FHI, chairing our Board of Directors and continuing to play a leadership role in both the corporate and project delivery sides of our business. The assumption of the FHI Presidency by Susan is a change for which we have long planned and prepared. In our opinion, it will be a seamless transition, as we have already moved far in that direction. As many of you are aware, I began some years ago to both reduce and transition my role at FHI. Susan has been continually up to the challenge of greater responsibility, and currently runs much of FHI's day-to-day operations as our COO.

I am fond of joking to staff that in the early years I was "Queen" of FHI, as I played all leadership and ownership roles. Today, our ownership and leadership is more diverse, and I have happily ceded my "Queen" crown to our ownership group, as shown in the photo below.

A few words about Susan. We hired Susan in 2003, adding her considerable expertise to our staff. Since that time, Susan has exceeded all my expectations, continuing to grow in her business savvy and leadership abilities. It is hard to adequately convey my high level of confidence in Susan and my understanding of her as the right person to lead FHI into the future; she is "the real deal" in terms of her innovative thinking, leadership skills, and understanding of the consulting business. Susan gets who FHI is and also understands where FHI is going. I know that my continued investment in FHI as a shareholder is safe with Susan at the helm.

People keep asking me how I feel about relinquishing the role I have played for almost 24 years. My answer is "I feel great"!!! This is not a sudden change for me or for FHI. We have planned and evolved toward this for many years and are well prepared. Most small businesses fail within the first several years, and some fail during the process of ownership or leadership transition. I take great pride in the fact that after 24 years we are a healthy and vital organization and that our ownership and leadership transition is moving forward so successfully.

Many, many thanks to those of you, too many to name, who have supported me in so many ways through the years. I have appreciated that support and your friendship and camaraderie more than you will ever know. I know you will provide that same support to Susan as she assumes her new role. Though I will be stepping down from the CEO role, I am not leaving FHI and look forward to seeing you when I'm "out and about" at business meetings. Also, though this will be my last column as "the Prez," I will continue to write future columns from "the Chair" (doesn't that sound more relaxing??).

As always, I love hearing from you and always look forward to your comments about our newsletter and about FHI.

Ruth

P.S. Check out some older FHI photos below...

Our first office...my home!	Holidays - 1991
Holidays - 1993	Holidays - 1996
First staff meeting in our new office building - 2003.	Office Party in January of 2007 as we kick off the celebration of our 20th anniversary year.