Last year as your incoming board chair, I urged you to stay involved because the strength and success of this association lies in the engagement of its members. Of course, nobody knew at the time how different “engagement” would look in 2020.

It has been a year of remarkable change. Agility has been critical to the continuity of our operations, and to shift quickly in an ever-changing and unfamiliar environment has been the name of the game. These unprecedented challenges have not deterred AAMVA from what it is so good at: innovative solutions that make a difference to the customers we serve.

This has also been a time of exponential growth and reflection that has really pushed us to look at things differently. What we do and how we do it will continue to evolve. We must use what we have learned to make long-lasting changes that benefit everyone we serve.

As I reflect on the last year as chair, there are some takeaways that I want to share. You have a very strong AAMVA Board that is engaged and thinking of you. The steady and thoughtful oversight of the board, coupled with the incredible talents, professionalism and can-do attitude of the AAMVA staff positions this community so well.

I will end this communication with the way I started my very first communication as incoming chair. The success of this association is dependent upon your engagement. You have risen to the occasion. You would think the challenges we experience would keep us apart, but you have strengthened this community by staying engaged and helping each other work through challenges. For that, I thank you so very much. It has been a true honor to serve as the Chair of the AAMVA Board.

Whitney Brewster

2019–2020 AAMVA Chair of the Board

I don’t think it is a stretch to say that 2020 will be a year remembered by everyone. We won’t remember a specific day, but many months. While we are all living it now, in the years ahead, we will likely recall how dramatically the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our daily lives, as well as how it required all jurisdictions to creatively modify services for their customers while protecting employees.

One thing that I hope we remember is how well our association worked together through a very difficult and challenging period. I would like to personally thank Anne and Whitney for their role in leading AAMVA this past year. Well done!

All AAMVA members and associate members have been well served by the board members and staff. We have a wonderful association that is dedicated to its membership. Whitney and other past chairs have been very successful in ensuring AAMVA has remained viable and focused on helping address relevant motor vehicle industry and law enforcement issues.

Our industry has changed significantly over the past decade and even more so  in the past several months. AAMVA has been fully active in support of this effort, and we will likely continue to see more changes in the year ahead.

I am humbled and honored to have served on the AAMVA Board and to be next in line to become its chair. We are all part of a great association, and I look forward to meeting and working with you in person or online in the coming year!

Mike Dixon

2020–2021 AAMVA Chair of the Board