Insights
By Don Young, Executive Vice President
Moving Forward
DU's mission has endured for more than 60 years, and now we are developing a new strategic plan to become better prepared to address the challenges to come
A little more than a month ago, Dr. L.J. Mayeux of Marksville, Louisiana, was elected president of Ducks Unlimited at the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees. Dr. Mayeux, a longtime DU supporter and officer, becomes the 36th individual to assume this heralded volunteer position. Like all the presidents who have come before him, Dr. Mayeux will help lead a proud conservation ethic and tradition.
This transition in volunteer leadership generally occurs every two years. From the beginning, each DU president has faced extraordinary challenges. That DU has grown to become the world's preeminent wetlands conservation organization is a tribute to the passion and commitment that are hallmarks of DU volunteers. This dedication, combined with the efforts and professionalism of DU staff members, is unequaled in the realm of wildlife habitat conservation.
Still, many challenges remain to be addressed today. Habitat loss continues at an alarming rate throughout North America, and these losses put the wildlife we treasure at risk. In preparing to meet these future challenges, DU has just initiated a new strategic plan that will be completed during the coming year. DU is approaching this critical long-term planning process like other successful businesses.
Senior volunteers and senior staff members from DU's three affiliates in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will thoroughly evaluate the vision, values, and strategies guiding our core business-conservation work throughout the continent. This will include a careful assessment of DU's conservation priorities in different regions of the continent and how our resources and staff should be allocated to meet our conservation objectives over the next decade and beyond.
Long-term fundraising and membership goals also will be established to provide the necessary support for our conservation initiatives. The unity of DU's message will be addressed, as well as the best strategies of marketing DU to the public.
In addition, DU's strategic planners will identify promising new sources of revenue, such as e-commerce, and develop strategies to maximize our fund-raising opportunities in existing and new business frontiers. Risk management and sound contingency planning will be conducted to assure that DU will be prepared for a variety of challenges in this highly dynamic business environment.
Perhaps most importantly, however, DU's new strategic plan will address how we can maximize our greatest asset-people. To meet the great conservation challenges of tomorrow, DU must recruit the best and brightest conservation professionals in their fields and develop strong, insightful volunteer leaders. Careful succession planning also will be critical to allow for the seamless transition from one leader to the next.
As an organization, DU has enjoyed many successes, largely because we have never shied away from a challenge and have been willing to adapt to change. Guided by this new strategic plan, DU will be well positioned to grow bigger and better than ever before.
