Josh Mitchell
Management Services Committee Member
Owensboro Electric Motor
We all need friends, right? Isn’t the world a better place when you have someone to share it with? Electric motor shop leaders are no different. Peer groups have long been known as a means by which to advance collective goals and performance. EASA’s Roving Chief Executive (RCE) groups are exactly that - tailored to the executive, owner or general manager of electromechanical repair facilities. See go.easa.com/rce.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM
If you’ve never heard of the RCE Program, don’t feel out of touch. I was fortunate to come across the program through a random acquaintance I made at a recent EASA Convention. Being relatively new to the industry, I went to the convention with basic goals that did not include joining an RCE group. But as many can attest, attending a conference of industry professionals is a great way to engage industry leaders and network to further personal and business ambitions.
While attending the convention, I spoke during an educational session and was approached shortly after by a pair of gentlemen, Mark Porter and Brent Pelishek, who had similar interests and concerns regarding the direction of their respective companies. I joined the EASA Management Services Committee during that conference, which led to learning more about the RCE Program. I realized the value that belonging to an RCE group could mean for me personally.
For those who may be unfamiliar, RCE groups select you; the program is designed to be exclusive, so that there are no competitors in a group. Brent had been on the RCE pending list for nearly two years with no successful invitation due to full groups or geographic conflict. I found the pending list to include a host of names, and some individuals had been on the list for quite some time.
One challenge with joining an existing group is the geographical constraint. It’s important that RCE group members be willing to discuss sensitive topics (including business finances), and as a result, being geographically isolated from your group members offers security from competitors knowing your situation. Also, if a group becomes too large, it gets cumbersome for a variety of reasons. The most successful groups typically have about eight members with 10 at the most. Remember, too, that each member will likely host the group at their service center, as that’s one of the key benefits of the gatherings.
Our unofficial group decided to approach EASA staff during the 2024 Convention in Las Vegas and discuss the formation of a new RCE group. EASA staff was very interested in this and very helpful in supplying a sample charter. They took care in outlining a set of milestones, so we could create our official group. I’m proud to say that our group is now a functioning RCE group with a charter and the snazzy (but not too serious) name of Current Craft RCE Group.
Our group took nearly two years to form, but our discussions were spaced out. There is a bit to do when forming a group. But I encourage folks entertaining the idea of joining an RCE group to consider forming a new group vs. waiting to join an existing one since that might be the more expeditious way to get started with a group.
The first thing you need to do is reach out to EASA, and let them know you want to join an RCE group. Even if you’re not signed up, they can assist you with getting on the list of interested applicants. The RCE Program is designed for owners, executives and/or general managers, depending on each service center’s executive office arrangements, so some light vetting may occur. But once complete, EASA can provide you with the list of individuals interested in joining an RCE group. They can also provide you with a sample charter.
Take the sample charter to your interested parties and be sure to discuss the terms within. Once our “core” members understood the charter, we met and drafted one specific to our group’s operational design. It maintained 90% of the EASA sample charter, and we added some language regarding our attendance policies, meetings, financial obligations while hosting the group, membership composition and acceptance.
From there, we looked at the list and divided the names into regions. Names were assigned to an RCE member based on proximity to the member. We reached out to interested members to see if there was still interest in joining an RCE group and to see if they and their service center were aligned with our group’s philosophy. From there, we met to discuss the prospects, and with no resounding concerns, we presented those individuals with the Current Craft Charter. Following the prospect’s review, the Current Craft representative would ask the individual if they were interested in joining the group after knowing the expectations. From there, the “yes” prospects were voted on, and an official invitation was sent along with the Current Craft Charter for their signature and date.
All of this can be done rather quickly in today’s digital age. It’s a simple process, and most of the foundational steps are in place via EASA. The Current Craft RCE group broke prospective members down into geographical regions. Those regions were somewhat close (2-3 hours drive depending on population density), and only one individual per geographic territory was offered an opportunity. That doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t want the others to join, but geographically, they were restricted.
I encourage you to consider requesting the pending list from EASA staff, make known your intention and form a new RCE group. The benefits to you and your RCE colleagues will be immense. Our group is fostering great social relationships as well. The burden of leadership can typically be shared only with other leaders, and forming an RCE group is a great way to ensure we take care of our own as an industry.
