Message from President Emily Coughlin and CEO Dean Martinez Regarding 2021 In-Person Programs

February 12, 2021

Dear DRI Members, Leaders, and Friends,

We hope you and your families are safe and well.

As promised, this letter serves as a weekly update regarding DRI. We continue to manage the challenges associated with COVID-19, and as the Chair and Vice Chair of the Law Institute reported to you yesterday, all April 2021 Programming (LHD/ERISA, Cannabis, Drug & Medical Device, Women in the Law, Construction, and Retail & Hospitality) will not be held in-person, but instead will be converted to virtual programming. We also want to report that over the past two days, the DRI Board of Directors held its winter board meeting virtually. It was an inspiring and empowering meeting. Your Board of Directors is engaged and excited about the future of this organization and what we will all do together.

The pandemic has served as a propellant for DRI’s continuing transformation. It has actually helped us develop new muscle, to be more creative, agile, and responsive, to convene successful virtual meetings, to engage more members, and to deliver more value. While change, especially during a pandemic is difficult, we have one guiding principle. We are committed to delivering more value to you, our member. We will make each decision, plan each event, and embark on each partnership with the singular goal to better serve you.

Optimism and energy alone, however, does not make something happen, action does. During our meeting, the Board also approved our 2021 Budget with a rich line-up of more combined virtual, webinar-based, and (hopefully) in-person programming, and virtual and in-person networking than ever before. This is a time of opportunity for all of us to engage with each other as members of this great and impressive community.

This shared passion for DRI is just one reason that we look forward to the day when we can see one another in person again. You are the heart of DRI.

Thank you for your continuing trust, commitment, and engagement.

Warm regards,