FELLOW FCCJ MEMBERS,

I am grateful to all those who made the effort to vote in our recent FCCJ election, and particularly to those who honored me with their support. What is even more encouraging is that our electorate gave an overwhelming mandate to a group of people who should be able to work well and productively together over the coming 12 months.

We have much work to do in order to ensure the long-term health and survival of our Club. And as we move forward I hope we can count on your continuing support.

The first step is to select people to head our various committees and volunteers who will make them work. In this, we are particularly eager to engage the talents of our Associate and Professional Associate members. So if you have time and energy to contribute, please let me know.

We will waste no time in dealing with several key priorities.

Despite sincere efforts by three of our senior staff to fill the gap, administration of the Club has been in limbo since the departure of our General Manager last year. Our board must expeditiously set a new course.

Our PAC programs, the “crown jewel” of the Club, must be re-energized through a streamlined process. We need to focus our energies on doing instead of debating. And we need to amplify the impact of our events by making them available directly to a wider audience by means of social media and video-streaming over the internet.

To support this effort, the Number 1 Shimbun and our website must be redirected outward. For too long, we have just talked to ourselves with these communication organs. Now it’s time to reach out to audiences across Japan and the world in order to:
* Recruit new members
* Introduce our writers and photographers to editors and producers worldwide
* Build up the stature of the Club in Japanese society.

We welcome your ideas as to how this can be achieved.

As recruiting new members is critical to improving the Club’s finances, we must redouble our efforts, focusing more on creators and communicators with whom we share a natural affinity. We need more young people and women. And we must work to create a value proposition that will bring back those who quit because they did not find value in membership. For example, we have lost too many of our photographers.

Beyond recruiting new members one at a time, we intend to explore alliances with other organizations serving the international community. If some of the national chambers of commerce can bring us their event business, perhaps we can make an arrangement that allows their members to drink and dine at the FCCJ. If we allow Tokyo American Club members to use our bar, would they let our members use their pool? We should ask.

There is, however, one priority that takes precedence over all others. We must devote every effort to restoring the relationship with our employees, who are the Club’s most precious asset.

From the unfailingly cheerful reception staff, who have such an amazing capacity to remember each member by name; to the exceptionally knowledgeable librarians who are so patient with our bad nihongo; to the bar staff who know without being told how each member likes his martini… we are pampered by the kindness and consideration of our front-line staff.

Although most members see little of what goes on behind the scenes, you find the same care and professionalism in our kitchen and offices.

We owe the FCCJ staff our respect and gratitude -- and we must be more vocal in expressing our appreciation. We must listen to them and reflect on what they say. But we should refrain from making grand promises we cannot keep. Above all, we owe it to our staff to manage the FCCJ competently and sustainably so that they continue to have jobs.

All of us -- regular, professional associate and associate members, and staff -- share a stake in the future of our Club. This year, I hope we can all pull together to ensure that our future is sustainable.

Georges Baumgartner
FCCJ President