Introducing the RBA Consultants Council Rockland Business World, Nov. 2001 The RBA Consultants Council held its first meeting in May 2001 to create a dynamic peer network for consultants. Membership is open to all consultants who are members of the RBA. A consultant is a professional who is sought in an advisory capacity by businesses and organizations to provide information, identify issues, recommend, plan and implement solutions for the betterment of their clients. The council meets on a monthly basis to promote an ethical business culture and exchange of ideas among its members. It supports the growing community of professionals committed to developing successful consulting practices that respond to business community needs. The mission statement of the RBA Consultants Council is: “Creating value for members and businesses by developing consulting excellence.” At the monthly meetings, the Council provides an opportunity to improve professional consulting skills. In addition, the Council: Promotes the general use of consultants to the business community. Provides a network for consultants to explore client opportunities, arrange collaborative efforts and share in business development activities. Provides support to member consultants in starting, developing, and maintaining consulting practices. The Consulting Council has been developing several exciting projects that will soon be introduced to the RBA community: A website is being developed that will list all of activities and members of the Council. This site will be linked to the RBA home page as well as to the web pages of the members of the Council. Member consultants are a major resource to the general business community, and this site will make it easy to find the right consultant resource to address issues as they arise. The Council has completed a survey of business issues that will be distributed to all RBA members. The responses will be analyzed to determine the most important issues facing the respondents. Members of the Consulting Council will then plan and present seminars to address these issues. This space will contain articles by members of the Council where issues relative to their individual expertise will be presented. The Consultants Council has come a long way in just a few months. It is a testament to level of expertise, professionalism and commitment of its members. I look forward to the continued development of the Council, and of its ability to achieve its goals as expressed in its mission statement. Richard Syrek is President of Mentor Management, LLC that provides solutions to business that are not successfully achieving their strategic plans. Telephone: 914-715-1911, e-mail: rwsyrek@mentormanagementllc.com, Web: mentormanagementllc.com. Back to articles