January 2015 Newsletter

Why I Joined the Loss Prevention Committee    
By: Jane Parkin Kullmann, Haley & Aldrich, Inc.

My initial motivation for joining the LSPA’s Loss Prevention Committee (LPC) was simply a desire to be more involved with the LSPA in general. I had asked advice from some more senior staff about committees, and one person in particular said (and I paraphrase), “you should join the LPC…that’s where the real action is.” I was intrigued. What is this committee and what does it do?

I emailed the chair of the committee, and he welcomed me to the group and told me about the meetings. It was just as easy as that. Then I went to a meeting. I will not deny that it was slightly intimidating to walk into a roomful of people with a lot more experience than I, wondering what I could add to such an august group. However, I approached the experience with an open mind, a willingness to learn, and a desire to contribute what I could.

One area where I was able to contribute right away was in reviewing the Notices of Audit Findings issued by MassDEP, which is a significant focus of the LPC. Participating in this task has been most interesting, as it gives direct insight into how MassDEP auditors review MCP submittals and what attracts their attention. It helped me better understand MassDEP, the LSP profession, and how my own work might be viewed by the department.

Over time, participating in the committee also helped me gain confidence in speaking in groups and putting forth my opinion. The other aspect of joining a committee that I found to be of value is understanding procedure. As mundane as it is, learning how to run a meeting, take minutes, and write an agenda are quite useful skills that can be applied in an array of settings. I even served as the committee chair, which gave me additional experience and more insight into the workings of the LSPA.

When I joined the committee, the only ideas I had about the meaning of “loss prevention” were from training required by my firm as part of professional development. One succinct message of the training seemed to be “how not to get sued or lose your license, and, by the way, never use the word ‘all.’” But what I found through working on the LPC was that loss prevention means thinking about how your work will be perceived, exploring the interaction between practitioners and regulators, and considering the nuances of interpreting the MCP.

My years on the committee have been one of the best learning experiences about the LSP profession I have ever had. In addition, I have met some fantastic people and built lasting relationships within the LSPA community. If this type of experience is what you are looking for, I know a committee chair who would like to hear from you.

If you are interested in learning more about the LPC, contact Al Wyman, LSP, Chair, at [email protected], or Wendy Rundle, LSPA Executive Director at [email protected].