MEET A MEMBER

July Message from Robin Dozier Otten

Once again, I am amazed that half of 2010 is already gone and we’re already in July—my favorite month of the year. I love July because it includes my favorite holiday: Independence Day! As I said in my acceptance remarks, I believe in our country’s greatness because of the exceptionalism of the American people. Our ancestors came from all over the world with spunk and tenacity, seeking freedom and economic opportunity. They bequeathed to us a tradition that enables both. Now it’s our job to preserve those gifts and work to make them stronger for our descendants.
Rather than choose a “theme” for this year, I plan to focus on three of my passions that I believe dovetail with NAWBO’s mission.

The first is strengthening the wealth-creating abilities of women entrepreneurs in our community. I believe that we are the economic engine of our free-market economy and that as we learn to be more innovative, more efficient business women, our entire state’s standard of living will be raised. We will endeavor to offer to our members and guests educational opportunities to help all of us improve these skills.

Next is increasing the diversity and size of our membership so that we create an environment where each of us can learn from and give to other members of our group. By building these symbiotic relationships, we can encourage, foster and support owners of businesses—large, medium-sized and small—so that NAWBO is, in reality, the premier organization for women entrepreneurs in Northern New Mexico.

And finally, my life’s passion and our chapter’s mission: to transform public policy and influence opinion. This November we will one of the most significant elections that our state has experienced. Not only will we elect the first woman governor of New Mexico, but all other constitutional offices, the entire New Mexico House of Representatives and our three Congressional Representatives.

It is incumbent upon each of us to become as informed as possible and to exercise our franchise in a way that reflects our understanding of the impact that our choices will have on the economic climate of our state and nation and our role in the global economy of which our country is a leader.

In summation, a few words that stir me from the book Courage and Consequence about this much maligned subject of politics. “At its heart and in its results, politics is the great, moving expression of our democracy. There are knaves and fools in politics, but the arena is also filled with people motivated by high ideals and great causes who work with skill, integrity, and honor.”

“The American political system is the envy of the world, the greatest governing achievement in human history. But it did not appear easily or overnight. It came from fractious debates and fallible men.”

“So despite missteps and tense moments, large egos and short tempers, they labored to create our founding documents, which are the greatest ever struck off at any time by the mind and purpose of man.”

“At its best, politics is about advancing human dignity and prosperity.” To me, ‘Politics is still the greatest and most honorable adventure.’

Thanks to all of you who make this organization so strong. And thank you to the members of the newly installed board who have agreed to serve for the next year. Thanks once again for gracing me and our group’s leaders with the opportunity to build on the work of all the women who have preceded us and to work to make our chapter of NAWBO as great as its potential.