It is a permeable part of each of our professional and hopefully our social and personal endeavors.

Education of how far reaching our profession extends into the business and professional world should be a part of our necessary learning curve. RIM professionals are no longer simply “file and box clerks, or tech heads;” but are “true professionals” assigned to the task of managing and preserving the second most important asset for any organization. The staff is, of course, the most valuable asset that a business must safeguard. But the information that started the business sustains the business and virtually guarantees the future of the entity is the asset that we, as RIM Professionals, have been entrusted to watch over and professionally manage.

I encourage each of you to take whatever avenue that is available to you to constantly increase your education and level of expertise in your particular section of our profession. Strive to attend the valuable ARMA Houston Monthly workshops that are available to each of you at no charge. If resources so allow, you should try to attend as many monthly and periodic educational offerings that our chapter sponsors. Our chapter also provides Industry Specific Groups that provide a roundtable type of networking with those involved in the Energy, Legal and Healthcare sectors. Probably the single most valuable source of education and networking that you should add to your quest for professionalism is the Annual Conferences that your local Chapter and International organization host.

Finally, I challenge each of you to broaden your horizons by getting involved in other associations that promote our profession such as AIIM, NARA, AITP, and far too many to list. Networking with other RIM Professionals is vital to your success in our industry. The challenge to each of us in our profession is to become pro-active in the advancement of our cause, rather than be reactive to the actions of others.

ARMA Houston Chapter

2008-2009 Board of Directors

ARMA PRIDE!

She moved to Atlanta to attend library school but the program at Emory University was closed before the fall term started and all of the scholarship/fellowship dollars at Clark Atlanta University were allocated to their students. It was also in Atlanta where Amy joined ARMA. From 1994 to 2000, she was a member of the ARMA Atlanta Chapter, where she served as editor of the Flaming Peach Chapter Newsletter!

While looking for gainful employment, the U.S. Government decided to push their RIM efforts and started recruiting Librarians and people with library backgrounds to work in Records Management. Amy says her first job in records was in 1993 with the Environmental Protection Agency and a nuclear power facility. In 1995, she went to work at the Centers for Disease Control as a Program Analyst and Manager and in 2000 accepted a position with the Coastal Corporation (now El Paso Corporation).

In January 2009, she accepted her current position as Manager, Records Management for Rosetta Resources, a small E&P company located in downtown Houston. At Rosetta, Amy has been tasked with developing a Records Management Program from the ground up.

When asked who have been her mentors along the way, Amy says, “there have been so many, but a few have provided and continue to provide me with valuable insight and advice”. Denise Robertson, CRM has encouraged, challenged and mentored Amy since they met eight years ago. Amy feels like she owes most of her success and her recent accomplishment as a new Certified Manager to Denise. Others include Diane Walker, CRM, Gayle Paige, Jim Dixon, Beverly McMahan, CRM, Nancy Ramirez, CRM, Donna Rose, CRM, Linda Richards, CRM and Janice Anderson.

Amy says “they have never treated my questions as silly and are always willing to give me valuable advice as I take on my new journey of building Rosetta Resources RIM program.

(continued on next page)

Never in my life have I had the privilege and good fortune to know and learn from such an intelligent and seasoned group of professionals who are always willing to lend a hand, a listening ear, and offer up good advice and a practical how-to.”

Amy boasts that her ARMA colleagues provide her with invaluable assistance and are always quick to respond to her SOS! Each and everyone have shared their knowledge, expertise, and insight. They share lessons learned and are quick to assist with what they learned from doing the project before you.

ARMA Houston is truly an “each one teaches one” institution. Ever since 1987 when Amy joined the local Houston Chapter of SLA, she realized the value of professional association membership. She says, “It is impossible to know before getting involved with a professional association what your ROI will be – but it can not be overstated – professional association memberships pay off in ways you can not imagine in the near and long term.”

Amy has an excellent suggestion to make our Chapter even better and see more members take an active role. She suggests starting a “Mentor the Member” program where the more involved members work with someone who rarely comes to meetings or volunteers and encourages them to get involved with the chapter. What a great idea, Amy! Thanks for sharing it with us!

Amy also likes to stay very active away from work. She is an avid reader and lately has found the joy and benefit of exercise, especially walking. She has the good fortune of living near Terry Hershey Park which consists of over 13 miles of walking and bike trails in West Houston. With her schedule and the Houston weather, it allows her to take full advantage of the facilities there. Since Amy is not married, she has plenty of free time away from the job. So as she says, “I am single - no kids, pets or plants. I am a Party of One!” Congratulations Amy on your recent accomplishment as a Certified Records Manager!
 

Financials

Submitted by: Linda Trimm, Houston Chapter

 
Leadership News

Why We Need Teams

Submitted by: Louis Buzby, CRM, Houston Chapter

What is a team?
When people work together towards a common goal they can accomplish more than if working individually, independent of each other. Differently motivated individuals can, within the framework of a team, pursue and achieve a common unifying goal or objective. Work is done interdependently and team members hold themselves accountable for accomplishing the agreed objectives.

The objectives of the ARMA Houston Chapter are stated in its Bylaws:

• To promote and advance the improvement of records and information administration and management and related fields through study, education, and research
• To advance professional knowledge and techniques by sharing and exchanging experiences and information related to the field of records and information administration and management
• To develop and advance standards of professional competence in the field of records and information administration and management.

ARMA Houston is made up of many teams in the form of Committees, Sub-committees and its Board of Directors. Each Board member is elected by the membership to serve as an Officer with a set of tasks to accomplish as outlined by their duties and responsibilities. Those elected to Vice President roles cannot accomplish the assigned tasks on their own if ARMA Houston is to succeed.

It is necessary to form Committees, smaller teams, with a designated Committee Manager selected by the Vice President in charge of a set of objectives. Each Manager selects volunteers from the membership to work on their Committee. These teams work hard to organize and support the activities that help ARMA Houston accomplish its objectives from year to year.

What makes a great team?
Not all teams are created equal; some are more effective than others. It takes all team members contributing their time and energy and participating in team discussions and decisions to make progress. When team members trust that each member works to add value it ensures that every body contributes and is appreciated for their contribution. What also sets a great team apart from mediocre teams is effective communication among its members. Communication facilitates the sharing of ideas, provides constructive feedback and refocusing and keeps team members informed and coordinated.

Why are teams important?
An effective team is more than the sum of its parts. Gordon Bethune former CEO of Continental Airlines used a watch to illustrate the importance of teams. In an employee meeting one employee asked why reservation agents should receive the bonus for on time performance, since they did not affect the airlines on-time record. Gordon a watch collector knew that every part of a watch has a job and fits together perfectly to maintain the correct time. The hour hand, mainspring and even the tiniest screw where needed. So Bethune held up his watch and asked the employee which part of the watch was not needed. The employee sat down unable to answer.

(continued on next page )

Why are people important?
You may have heard business leaders say, “People are our most important asset” but not all organizations operate in a way that demonstrates belief in this statement. The best modern leaders, however, place a high value on people. If the members of the team don’t feel valued as individuals, or if they see the team leader reaping all the glory while they do all the work, they are not being treated as a valued asset. Peter Senge, an American scientist, director of the Center for Organizational Learning at the MIT Sloan School of Management and author of The Fifth Discipline, describes how important people are to teams: “…the active force is people. And people have their own will, their own mind, and their own way of thinking. If the employees [team members] themselves are not sufficiently motivated to challenge the goals of growth and technical development… there simply will be no growth, no gain in productivity, and no technical development.” People are important to teams and to the effectiveness of the organizations they support. .

Why volunteer?
ARMA is a volunteer organization. According to Dr. John Maxwell, successful pastor, author and motivational speaker, leading a group of volunteers is the most challenging of leadership situations. You don’t pay them, they don’t have to work for you and you don’t have enforcement authority. While you may not provide these attributes in a traditional fashion, you can incorporate them as you create and communicate a vision. ARMA Houston’s members are valued assets to the organization, which has been structured to promote a vision of PRIDE, Professionalism, Responsibility, Integrity, Determination and Excellence. Volunteering fulfills a basic human need to give back, to contribute to a community or common worthy goal.

Starting in July, a new slate of Officers will have been elected, Committee Managers will need to be selected and members will be needed to volunteer for teams and to work on committees. Volunteer to be a Committee member and be part of a team environment that helps ARMA Houston continue to meet its objectives to advance records and information administration and management. Why not volunteer to make a difference for ARMA Houston and for yourself?

Lucky Number Search Each issue of the ARMAdilla features an ARMA Houston member's number. All you need to do is read through the issue and find your member number to become a lucky winner! Winners should contact Nancy Ramirez @ nancy.ramirez@exxonmobil.com to claim their prize. Good luck!

#21909

Submitted by: Diane Walker, CRM, Houston Chapter

The first Annual ARMA International Cobalt Award was presented at the Las Vegas Conference in October 2008 and our fervent congratulations go to New York Life!

I was honored to be requested by ARMA International to serve on the inaugural judging committee and was in awe with the fellow judges who shared the responsibility of selecting the 2008 winner which included: Julie Gable, Bill Millican, Jeffery Ritter and Chris Plagnol. Melissa Ebert was an outstanding facilitator who supported a passionate group of judges!

The ARMA International Cobalt Award represents organizational excellence in managing records and information across the enterprise. Applicants are reviewed and scored for the following categories: Organizational Impact, Training and Development, Program Management, Risk Management and Compliance and Technology.

The purpose of the award is not only to recognize excellence, but highlights the important roles that records and information management plays in good governance, organizational competitiveness, compliance, litigation readiness and positive collaboration within the organization.

Integrated records and information management is indeed the key to success. It is independent of the media with business processes and procedures which encompass a holistic solution and approach to manage records and information management across the enterprise.

So where is your Program in the RIM maturity model for enterprise-wide management of records and information management?

Ad Hoc – Fragmented, disorganized, chaotic, with a reactive process.

Repeatable – Basic RIM processes established, defined and documented with frequent reactive processes.

Remember – ALWAYS… Be Prepared To Be Successful!– Consistency with standardization in records and information management at an enterprise-wide level proactive, predictable RIM processes.

Managed – Focused on data collection and analysis to monitor and control RIM processes which include an enterprise-wide content management (ECM) system.

Optimized – Continuous improvement of the RIM Program and ECM processes via innovation and feedback from related organizational functions through people, processes and technology.

How does your RIM Program measure to the industry best practices? Take a sample test…

Importance and Awareness of RIM Throughout the Enterprise

• Do You Have a Senior Management Champion?
• Do You Have an Enterprise-Wide Strategic Plan?
• Do You Have a RIM Steering Committee?
• Do You Have a Working Group?
• Do You Have Adequate Financial Support?
• Do You Demonstrate RIM Compliance – RIM Awareness?
• Do You Proactively Manage Your Records?
• Do You Recognize Excellence in RIM Compliance?

(continued on next page )

Enterprise-Wide Training Initiatives on RIM

• What is Your Training Content (How is it Measured and Evaluated?)
• How Often Do You Train?
• Do You Highlight RIM Compliance Importance and Ramifications?
• How Do You Monitor Adoption and Adherence of RIM Policy?

• Do You Have a BOD Approved Policy Statement That Requires ALL Employees Create and Maintain Records In Accordance With Company Policy?
• Are the RIM Policies Audited and Updated on an Annual Basis?
• Is Your RIM Program Tied to the Strategic Plan?
• Do You Have Metrics and Measurements in Place?
• Who is Ultimately Responsible for Your RIM Program?
• How Do you Ensure Employees are in Compliance with Your RIM Program?
• What is the Penalty for Non-Compliance?

• Are the Policies regularly reviewed and revised to reflect changing business policies, technology, legal and RIM Requirements? If So, How Often?
• Are the Individuals in Your Organization Responsible for Remaining Current with Changing Regulations and Other Compliance Requirements? If So, Who?
• Does Your Organization have a Formal Compliance Program?
• What is the Components of Your RIM Compliance Program?
• How Often Do You Audit Your RIM Program?
• Has a Formal Design of the Organization’s RIM Program been Completed that Takes into Account the Strategies, Tactics, Requirements and Documented Deficiencies?

• Does Your Organization Have a Formal Plan for Litigation Readiness Including Litigation Hold Policy, Checklists to Ensure Consistent handling of Data, Documents, etc.?
• How Do You Maintain the Integrity of The Data?

• Does Technology Decisions Include Attention to Retention, Preservation and Continuing Access to Records as Prescribed? Are RIM Stakeholders Included in the IT Strategic Planning Process?
• Does Your RIM Staff and IT Work Closely to Ensure RIM is Managed Properly?
• Are Your Record Systems and Their Relationship to Other Systems of Record Periodically Evaluated?
• Does your Information Management Training Program Include Instant Messaging, E-Mail, Voice Mail, Removable Storage Devices and Wireless Handheld Devices?
• Does Your Organization have Procedures in Place to Preserve Legacy Data?
• Has Your Organization Documented the Locations of Data Sources and Retention Practices?
• Does Your Organization’s Enterprise-Wide Information Management Training Program Include the Proper Handling and Destruction of Personally Identifiable Information and Other Sensitive Data? If so, is it Required?

ASK THE CRM

About Basic ICRM

Submitted by: W. Allan Heath, Jr., CRM, Houston Chapter

Please join me in congratulating the newest Texas CRM's according to the Spring 2009 PROFESSIONS NOTES. They are:

Lucinda K. Cummings, CRM of Montgomery
Sharon A. Pulsifer, CRM of Amarillo

They achieved the CRM designation by passing Part VI of the exam in August of 2008.

Some additional information that I found in PROFESSION NOTES that should be of interest to you is that the ICRM is planning to seek ISO Certification for the Certified Records Management designation. ISO 17024 is the standard that evaluates the processes used by organizations to conduct their certification activities. This certification will provide for a stronger and internationally recognized CRM designation.

And, for those of you who currently hold the CRM designation, here are the websites of two groups that you might be interested in joining. They are ICRM LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/43121. The other group is the ICRM-L Yahoo group at http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/ICRM-L/.

I received three questions concerning records retention schedules this month so they are listed below with my answers/recommendations.

How often should the retention schedule be refreshed or reviewed for revisions?
I am aware of recommendations and/or of companies that suggest twelve months, eighteen months and twenty-four months. My recommendation is eighteen months.

Should I have separate schedules for paper and electronic records?
If you know me, you should know what my answer would be. Keep it simple! One schedule for records, regardless of the media that is used for retention.

If I work for a Global company, should we have separate schedules for each country?
Again, I would recommend one schedule. The more schedules you have, the more confusing it gets, thus increasing the chance that customers will not use it. You should have a main schedule from the corporate office of your company. The retention times should be similar in various countries. For the ones that are not, you can make separate entries on your main schedule.

As usual, the above are MY answers, not THE answers. I would love to discuss these matters with you further.

Last, but not least, you are probably thinking that you have finally made it through one of my ASK THE CRM articles without me reminding you about the upcoming ICRM exams. So much for that!
Summer 2009
Parts 1-5, August 3-7, 2009
Part 6, August 6, 2009
Registration Open: May 20, 2009 - July 30, 2009

Fall 2009
Parts 1-5, November 2 - 6, 2009
Part 6, November 5, 2009
Registration Open: Aug 19, 2009 - Oct 29, 2009
 
If you need assistance applying or preparing for the ICRM Exams, don’t hesitate to contact me. If I can’t help you, I will find someone that can.

And, please provide me some additional Records and Information Management questions. You can send them to me via email, telephone, fax, text message, etc. or just provide them to me at a Records and Information Management event.

Chapter Meetings: The Excitement Continues

Submitted by: Judy Vasek Sitton, CRM, Houston Chapter

Did you miss the March meeting? Over 100 of your colleagues turned out to network and hear privacy attorney Greg Pemberton from Iron Mountain stun us with the information that anyone who does not receive immediate payment for a product or service is considered a creditor and responsive to the FTC Red Flag Rules. A spirited interaction with the audience followed.

Also taking place at the March meeting was a well-attended Active Filing workshop conducted by Dr. Ann Bennick, CRM, and author of the ARMA International publication Active Filing for Business Records.

Aside from the educational offerings, there was good food, a fun silent auction to benefit the Alice L Haltom Educational Fund, an opportunity to Donate to Your Fellow Man Campaign, and a renewed sense of PRIDE in the chapter and profession.

I’d say it was a pretty good bang for our $25 educational bucks – and this in an era where “face” time is becoming a rare commodity.

Intrigued? Join us in May for the next installment: Chapter Awards and Professional Development. First, we will take time to honor those members who have labored diligently on our behalf to foster Professionalism, Responsibility, Integrity, Determination, and Excellence in the Chapter and the profession. Then, Danna Walton, Director of the Corporate Compliance Center at South Texas College of Law will share insights into Corporate Conflicts of Interests. Our workshop will be Records Appraisal, Retention, Protection and Disposition presented by Sarah Jackson, CA, of Harris County Archives. Sarah will delve into these principles as they are utilized in Archival management.

Sandy Miller, CRM, McDermott, International, Inc., will present the June workshop, Records Systems, Storage and Retrieval Part 2: Inactive Records. The Installation of Officers and presentation by ARMA International President John Frost, CRM, will follow the workshop. The June meeting will also feature our second ‘Dilla Dollars Auction!

You won’t want to miss the kick off of the new ARMA Year in July. Just in time to include insights from the budget stimulus impact on healthcare, David M. Partsch, Program Director Enterprise Imaging & Content Management, Information Technology Dept., Geisinger Health System joins us from Pennsylvania to present a Case Study in Legacy Systems. Continuing the CRM Competencies Series, the July workshop presented by Carolyn Gilley, Devon Energy addresses Records Creation and Use.

Make reservations today. We’d love to see you!  

History Comes Alive Through Records

Submitted by: Yul Hollingsworth, Houston Chapter

I am involved with a rewarding records management volunteer assignment working with the Harris County Archives under the direction of county archivist Sarah Canby Jackson, CA, and her assistant archivist, Annie Golden. These projects have utilized my records management background and experience and have given me an opportunity to learn some new techniques. In this article, I’d like to share my experiences and make you aware of other volunteer opportunities there. Any amount of time you can devote to these historical records will be worthwhile and I have been told that even a small time commitment can make a big difference to the Archives.

Starting January 5, 2009, a PacoTech, Inc. team of three full-time employees joined two other volunteers working at the Harris County Archives in providing assistance for some of their ongoing projects. Our initial project was to work with the Block Books microfilm. Block Books trace the ownership of the land and improvements so that the counties can levy taxes. The books are beneficial to researchers because, by utilizing these books, they do not have to research the actual deed records. Properties can be traced without knowing the owner. This process started in 1915 and the system is still used today to identify land. Our group verified the inventory, corrected the database, and rehoused 2,070 rolls of Block Book microfilm.

The next project involved over 80,000 autopsies from the years 1957 to 1979. Our project goal was to review and eliminate duplicate documentation and transfer the collection into new acid-free alkaline-buffered boxes before sending them to off-site storage. Over 150 cubic feet of records were eliminated during this process.

During the processing of the autopsies, mold was discovered in six boxes, requiring remediation. This provided a new learning opportunity for the volunteers and with the special equipment and tools provided by Sarah’s group, along with their expertise, we were able to remove mold from or reformat 1,200 damaged documents.

We have also processed JP (Justice of the Peace) Inquest Records for years ranging from 1937 to 1956. Over 19 cubic feet were processed, refolded and re-boxed. We assisted scanning Harris County Drainage District Improvement Bond Certification files and have just begun working with the J P Case Files starting with year 1894. Theses files are currently not accessible, but once the files are indexed and inventoried and the project is complete, the County will have access to these records for the first time.

The Harris County Archives has many more outstanding volunteer opportunities and the time you spend here can have a significant impact. Some of the opportunities available RIGHT NOW include:

1. Indexing of Tax Microfilm, important for the information they reveal about property and people who live or lived there,
2. JP Docket Book Indexing into an Access database to aid in retrieval,
3. Old Assessor Abstracts indexing,
4. Juvenile Case Microfilm re-indexing,
5. Processing J P Case Files (Civil) ranging in date from the 1890s to the 1940s.

New ARMA Houston Website

Submitted by: Beverly McMahan, CRM, Houston Chapter

The friendliness and ease of use in Web 2.0 technology is being adapted to the Chapter website. Be sure to go to www.armahouston.org and see the new face of ARMA Houston!

NEW - ARMA Houston Chapter Library!

Submitted by: Mica Hanchey and Lee Pendergraft, CRM, Houston Chapter

A collection of specialized published materials for a specific subject makes research easier. In the early days ARMA Houston had a collection and called it the “ARMA Houston Chapter Library”. At some point during the 1980’s, it was donated to the University of Houston. The only reference materials that were saved from that collection were the bound copies of the “ARMAdilla Newsletters” through 1985.

A year after the donation someone tried to reference the materials and nothing could be found; so much for that. In all honesty, most of the materials were dated from the 1960s to the 70s so it may not have been information that we would have been interested in referencing these days anyway!

With that bit of history being said, we have again started a new collection of specialized Records Management related materials called again the “ARMA Houston Chapter Library”. Lee Pendergraft, CRM, is maintaining the collection. To gain access to the list of resources that we have already added to this collection, go to www.armahouston.org and click on the Professional Development tab. You just may find a resource that you need in achieve a task, start a project, research an answer, resolve an issue, etc.

If you like to borrow one of the publications, simply contact Lee at LOP8083@yahoo.com and make arrangements to have it loaned out to you. There are also links to electronic versions of publications so immediate access to these resources is available as well.

A BIG “thank you” to Denise Robertson, CRM and Beverly McMahan, CRM for their donations of reference materials to the library! If you would like to donate some resources or have suggestions on how to acquire some for our library, please contact Lee and provide him with the details.

Lee is also the Chapter’s ICRM Representative and is undertaking referencing the CRM Exam part to the listing. He is working with individuals in the process of taking the exam so it is a perfect match.

By the way, we are missing the bound ARMAdilla Newsletters, Volume 1980-1985. If you happen to have it in your possession, please contact Mica Hanchey or Lee Pendergraft to make arrangements to return it.

ARMA Membership – Bridge to Better Days

Submitted By: Steve DeClue, CRM, Houston Chapter

As with most things in life, it is a person’s attitude that is the best predictor of how they will come through economically stressful times. The Records Manager who is aware of the incredible changes evolving in the RIM world should see only a world of amazing opportunities for themselves and their fellow information workers. But where can a Records Manager go for that positive reinforcement that may be needed to get them over the hump? The answer is quite simple….right here…at the local ARMA Chapter level! There are at least six primary benefits to ARMA membership for the Records Manager who has been buffeted by the winds of the economic storm:
Social benefits – There are others going through the same difficulties that you are, whether it be job loss, budget cutbacks, project cancellations or reductions in force. These job stressors can be alleviated to some degree by the ability to share the problems with others and to be able to counsel others who may be experiencing an even more trying time in their life.

Networking – ARMA members are typically enthusiastic about sharing job knowledge or awareness of business opportunities. When there is a fine line between business failure and success, your fellow ARMA members may be the straw that breaks the camels back of the recession.

Outreach – When times are tough, many people, but especially Records Managers, find it within themselves to do their best to help others much less fortunate than themselves.

There are many notable and deserving groups that benefit from the volunteers or funding from ARMA Chapters.
Education – It is extremely important that Records Managers keep up with the very latest trends in the RIM industry so that when the economic climate improves; the Records Manager will be prepared with the skill sets necessary to provide the business process or technological solution to problems that employers are trying to solve. ARMA is all about education, and thankfully ARMA has so many accomplished educators willing to share their state-of-the-industry experience.

Opportunities for certification - Having the CRM credential continues to grow in value in both private industry and in government RIM circles. Following the well-worn path of other CRM’s in your local chapter is an incredible benefit to ARMA membership. Plan to come through the tough times with the CRM designation after your name!

Organizational management experience - Having the ability and the desire to volunteer within your local chapter will eventually lead to greater responsibilities within the chapter and eventual qualification for the Board of Directors of your chapter. This experience serves a Records Manager very well both within the organization and in the workplace. All of the skills for management, negotiation, decision making and evaluation are exercised within the BOD environment, and your local board will find a way for you to serve, either on a special project or on a committee.

When a Records Manager is forced to make tough economic choices about their business or personal finances, it is sometimes worth taking a moment to evaluate the true value of ARMA membership. In the end, the successful Records Manager will be the one who is forward thinking, always learning and looking for opportunities for success. So, if you are not an ARMA member, become one! If you are an ARMA member, get more involved! Your local ARMA chapter is an investment that should not be overlooked as a bridge to the technologies and growing business opportunities that will soon be appearing on the horizon!

ARMA Houston Chapter: 50 years
“Then and Now”

Submitted by: Mica Hanchey, Houston Chapter

In researching past articles that would illustrate the “Then and Now” progress of ARMA Houston, I found that most of the articles in the ARMAdilla are still relevant today. That is a testament to the people actively involved in ARMA Houston, and to the constantly evolving yet consistent challenges in the Records and Information Management field.

The American Records Management Association, Houston Chapter started with 61 members. In 1967, the total funds available were $2,002. Today, we have over 425 members and rank as the largest ARMA Chapter in the world. And, we have over $200,000 in available funds.

Some things don’t change…the ARMA Houston has had the same mailing address since its inception; P. O. Box 1794, Houston, Texas 77001. So, anyone who was involved back in the early years of ARMA Houston could still stay in touch!

Take some time to review the following highlights of our first few years as a Records Management Association in Houston…we think you will find some very interesting reading!

THEN
Back in 1967, the editors for the first ARMAdilla were Bernice Boysen and S.S. Vacek, both with Humble Oil & Refining Co. The current editor is Nancy Ramirez at ExxonMobil. With Nancy’s involvement, ExxonMobil has been an active contributor, under one name or another, for 42 years. That level of commitment speaks to the level of loyalty ARMA Houston and its members have to one another.

Other interesting facts going back to 1967…

• ARMA National held their 12th conference with approximately 300 registrants; an increase of over 100 members from the previous year.
• Alice L. Haltom with Tenneco Inc. was the Region 3 Manager of the Year.
• Bill Southard from Houston was the National ARMA President.

• Giesela Robinson was President of the Houston Chapter. Giesela, who worked at Union Texas Petroleum, was my mentor. She became involved in RMA (Records Management Association of Houston), the precursor to ARMA, in 1961 and was a valuable member her entire working career. Through her influence, and my job at Union Texas Petroleum as a Vocational student, I became involved in ARMA.
• The Professional Improvement Committee published a “Records Personnel Questionnaire Report” that listed job titles and responsibilities.
• The ARMA Houston Workshops began
• The ARMAdilla Newsletter began a new column called “Operation Help”. It was designed to bring together those individuals working on similar projects. Today that association is known as the Special Interest Groups (SIG’s).

• Hurricane Celia came through Corpus Christi and they lost power, experienced water damage, and subsequently, the devastating effects of mold. This brought vital records storage needs to the forefront, as many companies did not have their vital records stored in another, more secure location. Methods of storing records included opened shelf filing units, cabinets, cartons, and tab cards on punched tape. None of these solutions could protect valuable records from water.

• Following that disaster, ARMA Houston offered the professional community their experience, and have been key in developing new protocols and guidelines for the storage of vital records, and the recovery of records lost due to water damage.
• The first “Seminar” was held in September 1970 and a two-day “Workshop” the following year. It was the precursor to our Annual conference.
• The ARMAdilla was mailed. Though we now send electronic issues and link it to the Web, some of us still print it and have them bound.

• A big project was initiated to select varied data relative to general office work for the purpose of donating it to the City of Houston Library. It was microfilmed and indexed by a computer.
• Articles in Sound Off consisted of “Shelf Filing vs. File Cabinets”, “Key Word in Context (KWIC)”, “Cross References in an Index”, “Pitfalls of Records Management”, “What is ARMA?”, and much more.
• Films from vendors were recommended for viewing at the chapter meetings. Today we create the films for inclusion on the ARMA International website.
• There was an influx of members from the American Management Society (AMS), Data Processing Management Association (DPMA), and from the National Micrographics Association (NMA).

• There were joint luncheon meetings held with SAA-ARMA-AREA. The purpose was to cooperate with each other in activities, legislation and trends in Records Management and Archives.

From the 1960’s through the 1980’s, the ARMA Houston Library was the only way to conduct specialized Records Management research in Houston. The Library listing was published by Marsha Hawkins, Tenneco, and consisted of the most up to date information available at that time.

NOW
For those of us who have been around awhile, looking back at those times can make us feel a sense of nostalgia. Is that nostalgia misplaced in the age of the internet? Was it better to do hard research at the ARMA library, as opposed to the quick and accurate research now possible through Google? Was the use of Soundex (a large alphabetic filing system which used the first three letters of the surname), better than the labels we now print with the stroke of a key? Is scanning easier than Microfilming?

The answers to all of those questions are debatable. What is not debatable, however, is the recognition Records Managers are now receiving as knowledgeable and valuable resources. To put it in perspective, a starting annual salary for a records administrator in Chicago, Illinois was $8,500-9,500 in the 1960’s. I think we would all agree that those salaries are better left in the past!

However, THEN….as well as NOW, we must still work together as an Association towards the following:

• To promote and advance the improvement of records and information administration and management and related fields through study, education, and research.
• To advance professional knowledge and techniques by sharing and exchanging experiences and information related to the field of records and information administration and management.
• To develop and advance standards of professional competence in the field of records and information administration and management.

(continued on page 20)

If you would like to recognize a member, company, or vendor name in this column, please contact Nancy Ramirez at nancy.ramirez@exxonmobil.com.

ARMA HOUSTON CHAPTER
NEW / RETURNING FORMER / MULTIPLE CHAPTER MEMBERS


FEBRUARY 7 – APRIL 15, 2009

Community Service Projects

HIGHLIGHTING FOR LITERACY CAMPAIGN

Submitted by: Denise Robertson, CRM

MAKING A DIFFERENCE!

The children of Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School need your help!

The ARMA Houston Chapter has a history of working with the Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School and this year is no exception. This school has always been close to the heart of member Linda Mercer as evidenced by her tireless personal efforts to not only help the school, but to keep it open.

In November, Linda became too ill to continue her work with Stevenson for now, but the Chapter’s support of the school has continued. I have been going to Stevenson every Tuesday morning to tutor a few second graders in reading. My volunteer efforts have been both rewarding and eye opening.

Seeing the children make progress in learning how to read and their initial shyness giving way to affection and enthusiasm is heartwarming. The gratitude of the teacher and school that I am willing to spend time helping some of their children get a good start in academics is much appreciated.

The children are all sweet and enthusiastic, but some need extra help in learning the basics.

Their home lives don’t always offer the support that most of us assume as a given with some parents’ work hours keeping them from being able to support their children’s homework and home study. Others, because of their under education, do not feel confident to help their children. Though we cannot directly intervene in their home life, we can help them during the school day. All students need to be good readers as it is the foundation of all learning. Raising literacy raises achievement. This past year was the first year they were able to take advantage of a fully funded software program called Accelerated Reading. ARMA Houston provided the funds for this program that allows the students to take online comprehension quizzes on books they read. The students that used this program scored higher overall on the Stanford Achievement Test than the students that didn’t participate. WE made a difference in these students’ lives this year! However, use of this software is an annual expense so if it is to be continued, the money must be found somewhere.

The school continues to express a need to purchase more library books and the Accelerated Reading software. Over the past several years, ARMA donations have helped to provide a wealth of books and software for all Stevenson children. HISD provides a budget allocation for library books, but it is never enough, especially for schools whose parent base is that of English Language Learners. For the 2007-08 school year, Stevenson Elementary was rated “Recognized” by TEA and is diligently working toward the “Exemplary” rating for 2009. We need to keep this progress going!

ARMA Houston is soliciting donations and/or sponsors to purchase books and renew the Advanced Reading software program. Donations will be collected until June 1. If you would like to donate or would like more information about volunteering at the school, please contact Nancy Ramirez, CRM at 281-654-7188, Denise Robertson, CRM at 281-974-1188 or Gayle Page at 713-688-0404.

Raising literacy raises achievement!

"Neighbors Helping Neighbors"
Food Drive

Submitted by: H. A. (Nancy) Ramirez, CRM, Houston Chapter

The “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” Food Drive is now underway and anyone interested in donating to this food drive benefiting the Northwest Area Ministries (NAM) may bring their donations to the May luncheon meeting.

Northwest Area Ministries is a non-profit organization that offers a variety of social services including food, prescriptions, gasoline vouchers, financial help with rent and utilities, school supplies and clothing, and holiday food and toys to our neighbors in need.

However, they have an ongoing need for non-perishable food items and this summer they anticipate many of our Houston community neighbors to reach out to them for assistance. Our ARMA Houston Chapter plans to assist them with these demands and help our neighbors in need.

A list of the items needed is posted on the ARMA Houston website at www.armahouston.org. However, all non-perishable food items will be accepted and following is a list of some of the items that they have an ongoing need for:

Peanut Butter/Jelly
Dry Cereal
Dry Soup
Canned Fruit
Tuna
Macaroni & Cheese
Canned Pasta
Canned Meat

Canned Vegetables
Spaghetti Sauce
Canned Soup

Please give generously! For more information about this initiative, please contact Nancy Ramirez at nancy.ramirez@exxonmobil.com or visit the Northwest Area Ministries website at http://www.namonline.org/site/ c.ktJYJ7MNIuE/b.2034941/k.2FAD/ Northwest_Assistance_Ministries.htm  and learn more about what they do for the Houston community!

"Then and Now"

continued from Page 15

In researching ARMA Houston’s history for this article, I found that the core concepts are the same. The work involved and the journey to reach our goals may have changed, but the concepts remain the same. A somewhat distressing trend though is that the ARMA members that were our main contributors twenty years ago are STILL our main contributors today! Therefore, it is of the UTMOST IMPORTANCE that we actively fill the void that will grow with each retiring member. The current level of interaction in our Chapter must be safeguarded for the future and to do that we must continue to encourage our new members to become active contributors to the Houston Chapter.

We must help our new members succeed so that 50 years from now, ARMA Houston can still lay claim to being the largest and most dynamic ARMA Chapter in the world! Step up and be a part of this history? Join ARMA, become more involved in your Houston Chapter’s educational activities, mentor new ARMA members, and/or get involved as a Committee Manager or member. There are so many ways that you can be a part of ARMA Houston’s history in the next 50 years….show your PRIDE and get stated today!

To our continued success and excellence…Happy 50th Birthday ARMA Houston!

Conference/Seminar News

2009 ARMA Houston Spring Conference

Submitted by: Victor Lamas Jr. and Donna Rose, CRM, Houston Chapter

LEADING WITH PRIDE!

The ARMA Houston Spring Chapter Conference is well known and attended by many people all over the country. And, this year, we even had two international attendees from China!

Despite a major rain storm which caused major flooding around the city and slightly delayed our opening keynote session on the first day, the Houston conference held April 28 – 29, 2009 at the Stafford Centre was a great success!

Our Keynote Speaker, Dr. Patricia Galloway, Associate Professor from the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin presented “WEB 2.0 AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT ISSUES”. Participants learned what the issues are and prepared themselves with the knowledge set to discuss Web 2.0 issues with their IT departments.

Educational offerings under the RIM Technology track included topics such as SharePoint Governance, Managing Electronic Document Lifecycles Using SharePoint, and Enterprise Information Mapping.

These sessions gave attendees the opportunity to learn more about the technologies, standards, and trends that are most likely to rock your RIM world! The Compliance and Standards track offered information about compliance issues and records management related standards that organizations are dealing with. There were some excellent topics such as Developing an Information Security Policy, eDiscovery Basics and Document Destruction Do’s and Don’ts. A new track offered this year entitled Ask the Expert presented seasoned professional speakers in a panel discussion format with question and answer sessions. So, if attendees had a question needed some food for thought or just wanted to learn from someone that “has been there and done that”, these sessions provided them with an opportunity to learn!

The Vendors track provided some valuable information for anyone who was looking for some new software or some of the most advanced tools that are available in the Information Management world today. There was plenty of discussion and information shared relating to Experiences in Content Capture, Insight to Information Management Excellence, and eDiscovery Trends and Best Practices, just to name a few.

One of the highlights of our conference that offered our attendees an opportunity to wind down and enjoy some entertainment as well as a little “food for thought” was our luncheon speaker, David Hira. David is a magical entertainer and motivational speaker and has performed his magic all over the world and at such places as Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, on cruise ships, for such notables as President and Mrs. George W. Bush, and has been on a total of 36 television shows in both the U.S. and Japan. He also has quite an impressive career in business and has many entrepreneurial successes to his credit.

David captured the attention of our attendees with his magic and humor, inspired us all with his motivational message and his 6 Steps for Success, and touched the hearts of many with his inspirational stories of his family and ancestry. He truly left us believing in his motivational message on life and success – ANYTHING is possible if you believe! A BIG “thanks” to all who made this dynamic, educational conference a GREAT success!

2009 ARMA Houston Spring Conference

LEADING WITH PRIDE!

VP of Chapter Conference
J. Victor Lamas, Jr

Arrangements Committee
Manager – Frank Lerma
Member – Chris Breaz

Exhibits Committee
Co- Manager – Shylan Cadmus
Co- Manager – Jennifer Walker-Ostertag, CRM

Programs Committee
Co- Manager – Nancy Ramirez, CRM
Co- Manager – Tad Howington, CRM, FAI

Publicity Committee
Manager – Teresa Matlock
Members – Pam Sankey, Bill Sexton

Registration Committee
Manager – Everis Mollon
Members – Brenda Clements, Jean Goodman, Bonnie Smith, Linda Trimm

Advisors
George Ramirez
Jim Dixon

And a very special thanks to the following Conference Sponsors for their continued support!

Platinum Sponsors
IBM / Filenet Inc.
ECM2

Corporate Sponsors
Iron Mountain
Oracle Corporation

Conference Bag Sponsor
Donovan & Watkins

Reproduction Sponsor
Dow Chemical Company

CD Sponsor
Ovation Data Services, Inc

Internet Cafe Sponsor
PacoTech

Conference Folders Sponsor
Redweld

Name Badge Sponsor
Recall

Refreshment Break Sponsors
AIIM
Digital Legal
InfoCurrent
Mimi Dionne Consulting

Shred Day Sponsors
Greenstar Shredding
Recall

Associate Sponsor
J. Victor Lamas Jr.

ARMA International News

ARMA International Standards Development Program

ARMA International is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a standards developing organization and participates in applicable International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards development committees such as TC 46/SC11 Archives/Records Management.

Thus, standards development is a major activity for ARMA International at both the National and International levels.

Projects Currently Underway
Following is a listing of the seven Standards and Best Practices Projects that are currently underway. Take some time to review the projects and if you have any questions or are interested in working on one of them, simply email standards@arma.org .

Electronic Records Management Software Applications: Design Criteria
SDC Project Manager - K. Joerling and N. Barnes This technical report will:

• IT and Records Management overview
• Information lifecycle
• Classification and taxonomy
• Metadata
• Data migration/legacy systems

A new section on vital records and business continuity planning will be added. The impact of Hurricane Katrina on vital records programs will be examined, as well as government-driven procedural changes implemented by the National Archives and Records Administration in the US.

ALHEF News

ALHEF Silent Auction at ARMA Houston Conference - A Huge Success!

Submitted by: Gayle Page, Houston Chapter

The auction raised approximately $2.6K during the two day conference; all of which will go towards educational scholarship awards for deserving individuals who are seeking to advance their education in the Records and Information Management and related fields.

As most that are familiar with ALHEF are aware, the Fund is supported by contributions from various chapters of the Association of Records Managers and Administrators International (ARMA), companies, individuals, and other organizations. The Houston ARMA Chapter created the Fund in 1985 to honor Alice L. Haltom CRM at retirement for her untiring efforts to improve the profession of information and records management during her career that spanned more than three decades.

These Silent Auctions, along with our other fundraisers throughout the year, are one of the primary ways that we raise funds. Other funds, as mentioned above, are received from individuals, corporations, and ARMA Houston as well as other ARMA chapters.

Last year, 20 deserving individuals received ALHEF Scholarships totaling $30,000 and 3 individuals received a free sponsorship to the ARMA Houston Spring Conference. Again this year, ALHEF sponsored 3 individuals to attend the Conference and ARMA Houston matched that sponsorship. All in all, a total of 6 individuals were able to attend the ARMA Houston Conference free. This is how ALHEF and the ARMA Houston Chapter are working together to help deserving individuals acquire the education they need and want to succeed in the Records and Information Management field.

The trustees would like to thank all of the following individuals and companies for their generous donations to the Silent Auction at the ARMA Houston Conference this year:

Access Sciences
Altek Systems
ARMA Houston Chapter
Shylan Cadmus
David Culbertson
Mimi Dionne, CRM, CDIA+, CA, PMP
Kathy Fabra
Greenstart Destruction
Allan Heath, CRM
Tad Howington, CRM, FAI
Earl Johnson, Jr., CRM
Frank Lerma
Teresa Matlock
Beverly McMahan, CRM
Sandy Miller, CRM
Oracle Corporation
PacoTech, Inc
Pioneer Records & Information Mgmt
George Ramirez
Nancy Ramirez, CRM
Denise & Bruce Robertson
Judy Vasek Sitton, CRM
Southwest Solutions Group
Janice Taylor
Diane Walker, CRM

Q: I heard that ARMA International has an International Standards Development Program that develops Standards and Best Practices that might be useful to me. Where do I locate them? Are they available on the ARMA Houston website?

A:Yes, ARMA International has a well established International Standards Development Program that develops Standards and Best Practices available for review and access by all ARMA members. They are designed to assist Records and Information Management practitioners with daily business challenges and enable organizations to confidently create systems, policies, and procedures to ensure high operational quality and exceptional performance.

These Standards and Best Practices are not accessible on the ARMA Houston website, but all members can access them free of charge by going to http://www.arma.org/standards/index.cfm. Here members will find a complete listing of the available Standards and Best Practices and links to the projects that are underway. You may also read about the projects that the International Standards Development Program has underway under the ARMA International News column in this issue.

If you have any other questions about the International Standards Development Program or would like to participate on one of the projects, please email standards@arma.org or contact Kevin Joerling, Senior Manager Standards and Records Management at 913-312-1742 or 800-457-7954.

Compiled by: Mica Hanchey, Houston Chapter

As a service to the RIM Community ARMA Houston has reviewed recent issues of the Texas Register and have identified the following notices of proposed or adopted changes to the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) as being of special interest. To access excerpts of these notices, please go to the ARMA Houston website at www.armahouston.org

Persons concerned about these regulations can get more information by reading the Texas Administrative Code at hhttp://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.viewtac and the Texas Register at http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/

FROM THE EDITOR

H. A. (Nancy) Ramirez, CRM,
Houston Chapter

March and April have been very busy months for the ARMA Houston Chapter. This issue of the ARMA Newsletter --- your resource for “the best that we can offer on every page…in every issue”, captures some of the highlights which, of course, include our successful ARMA Houston Conference! We encourage our readers to read our President’s Message and our Executive VP’s Leadership News article; both offer some very sound advice on pursuing your education and why we need teams to be successful. Our RIM Corner article authored by Diane Walker, CRM, offers some great tips on the Cobalt Award and how to make sure that your RIM Program is ready to meet enterprise-wide management of records and information management.

Don’t miss reading all about the ARMA Houston Conference, reviewing the Chapter Highlights articles, and the latest news from ARMA International regarding some of the projects that the International Standards Development Program has underway. There is always something going on in the Houston Chapter so stay informed; you will not want to miss out on upcoming Chapter activities (workshops, monthly program meetings, seminars, conferences, etc) planned for you the remainder of the year! If you have any questions or comments for improving the newsletter, please contact the ARMAdilla Newsletter Editor, Nancy Ramirez, CRM at nancy.ramirez@exxonmobil.com or any of the following committee members:

W. Allan Heath, Jr, CRM (KBR)
John Peden (Access Sciences, Inc)
Denise Robertson, CRM  

For questions or comments regarding this publication, contact: H. A. (Nancy) Ramirez, CRM ARMA Houston Chapter, ARMAdilla Editor P. O. Box 1794, Houston, Texas 77251-1794 nancy.ramirez@exxonmobil.com  281-654-7188