We want to again thank the LA Metro Area for sponsoring this year's event and also thank our speakers: Pete Spencer, RC; Patty Robidart, Deputy RC; Christina Hendricks, LERT; Sheila Leiter, LA AD; Maria Morales, DM Puente Valley; Rachel Emmons, NCSSMA Lobbyist, and Greg Heineman, NCSSMA President. 

One of the sixteen resolutions that passed without any question was to increase our SFRMA fee from $4.00 to $5.00 per pay period.  SFRMA had not had an increase in over 20 years.  With this increase, we would be able to provide more member services; such as seeing an increase in the hotel reimbursement when you attend the annual meeting.

As your SFRMA president, I want to invite you to contact your area vice president and give us your feedback and concerns on various Agency issues.  Your questions and comments are very important to us.  We will raise your issues to the Region and to Central Office.  With our lobbyist we are also able to bring up your issues to Congress.  SFRMA wants to hear from each of you.  Please encourage your fellow management staff to join SFRMA and participate in our activities.  We hope you will attend the area meetings, send in your emails, and of course attend the annual meeting which is always the weekend before Veteran’s Day, which in the upcoming year will be November 7^th and 8^th, 2008 in Phoenix Arizona.

LA Metro hosted this year’s SFRMA Annual Meeting at the Pacific Palms Conference Resort, Industry Hills. Framed by the San Gabriel Mountains across the valley, the hotel is set on top of 650 acres of rolling hills and valleys, and is a state-of-the-art conference facility, with cutting-edge conference technology and world-class service standards.  This year’s theme was “You Make the Magic Happen”, and the participation at the meeting truly made the magic happen during our event.   

The annual meeting gave us an opportunity to renew old acquaintances and make new friends.  Our trainer, Mark Mayfield is a former corporate lobbyist and nightclub performer who spoke on the dynamics of managing change.  Mr. Mayfield’s platform was on creative problem solving and skills to improve one’s creativity.  The content of his discussion were comedy driven, his philosophy was simple; say it with humor and people will take the message home. 

In keeping with the theme, LA Metro hosted a magical reception led by Shirley Taylor and Bobbie Williams with AD Sheila Leiter and the LA Metro committee members dressed in magical attire.  Our magicians were Ken Pearce, (brother of Wendy Whitt) and Chris Cho.  Our DJ for the night was Guillermo Barron, who enlightened us with his music and show. The food was excellent and featured “made to order” sizzling pasta dishes just to name a few.  Anyone who missed this reception missed a wonderful and magical treat of a lifetime.      

On Saturday we gathered for our business meeting in the Colonial Meeting Room overlooking the acres of rolling hills and valley from the San Gabriel Mountain.  Our color guard was the Boy Scouts of America from Sierra Madre; one of the Scout Masters was our own Ray Loesch.  Joan Enguita, former LA Metro AVP sang our National Anthem, making this moment a special one.   LA Metro hosted an exhibitor’s booth featuring information on Los Angeles attractions manned by Susan Bastian, Jim Brennan, Hung Hinh, Geri McAdory, Sue Rowland and Wendy Whitt.  

I would like to thank our ORC Executive Staff, Pete Spencer, RC; Patty Robidart, Deputy RC; Christine Hendricks, LERT; and Gregg Heineman, NCSSMA President for their inspiring and dynamic presentation. The SFRMA membership was impressed that they took time out of their busy schedule to address the challenges facing our agency on a Veteran’s Day Holiday weekend.   I would also like to thank Pete Spencer for granting administrative leave to all who participated in this annual event.   

We elected a new Executive Vice President, Becky Archer; Treasurer, Miriam Marquez; Cal Central AVP, Chy Vang; and Tri Counties AVP, Sara Serrano.  I would like to thank Judy Teixeira, President and the Executive Committee for their outstanding support in ensuring the success of the 2007 annual meeting. 

There were plenty of door prizes beautifully wrapped by our own Robert Buscemi, and Photographer Ana DeAnda certainly gave us some lasting memories of our annual meeting. 

Pete Spencer:  Pete asked “How are you doing today?”  His answer was; “Super Fantastic”!! This was also the response from the Atlanta diversity conference. We’ve visited the new Puente Valley office and I was proud to see the beautiful office but more proud to see the beautiful people serving that office.  (There was a round of applause in recognition of the Puente Valley office.) 

Pete mentioned the beautiful golf course at the hotel; however, he stated that he prefers to be here in our meeting rubbing elbows with us.

Everybody here always does what needs to be done. SSA is a foremost agency with an amazing history and we will not let down the American public. I appreciate that you are all here on your own time.  This is one of the things that sets us apart from everyone.  

I especially want to thank the “Magnificent 10” and Connie for the planning of this meeting.  This planning committee brought together people from the field, LA TSC and ODAR. I also want to recognize the Veterans who have served our country and the entire world, including those that are currently serving or served our Country.  I want to welcome Greg Heineman, the newly elected president of the National Management Association, to the best region in SSA.  (Big applause)

The National Council is very important to SSA in representing the Agency and its grassroots efforts.  I want to welcome Rachel Emmons, ambassador for our agency. Thank you for doing such great job on Capitol Hill.

I want to thank Judy and the Executive Council of SFRMA for doing a great job.  (He applauded) And Sheila, the Dean of the Area Directors.  I am very pleased to be in her area.   Sheila has a passion to make SSA the best it can be.

I spent time with Commissioner Astrue during his visit to Region IX.   This was a great opportunity.  We have one thing to say out here. We have challenges and you can see them on the 405 Freeway.  We received an email from the South West ADO which said the new Phoenix Card Center had 600 visitors in their waiting area at 3:45 yesterday.  They only have 100 chairs in the waiting area. 

Partnership with NCSSMA and SSA is striving to get every dollar we possibly can but there is a limit.  We are not funded at the level we should have been funded. The challenge Commissioner Astrue has set is “What can we do as managers in this organization to make up this shortfall”.  

We need to create our own change.  We need to make things different.  We need to incorporate the philosophy of “Kaizen”.  Kaizen is a Japanese term that means continuous improvement.  We need to get ideas from original ideas, bring them forward to make new ideas, and then get things done.

“If you always do what you always did you will always get what you always got”; “and someone else is better suited to your slot”.  Commissioner Astrue is an exciting leader that really challenges.  He will go into places where they do not know who he is.  At another location the Commissioner was sifting through the trash.  After 45 minutes a woman finally challenged him asking who he was and what was he doing?  When he identified himself the woman was mortified.  He said she should not be.  She was the first one to do or say something and challenge him.  The Commission has also had lunch in the general cafeteria where he sat with 4 people.  He did not introduce himself and they ignored him and kept talking about what was going on in their lives.

The Commissioner is an avid reader.  In preparation for his visit to our region we sent him a lot of material filling him in on a smorgasbord of ideas asking him to talk about what he felt was important.  There were no real presentations but we engaged him conversations about different topics.

Judy Teixeira spoke to the Commissioner regarding her dealings with third parties.  SFRMA would have been proud of their leader.  Judy expressed what SSA managers are about with passion and compassion.

When Commissioner Astrue asks questions, people are trying to think what he means. We are being as effective as we can possibly be.  He asked questions about the BIC T to Rib cases.  He asked why we wouldn’t just automatically pay people at age 70.  He was confused about border issues, monthly reporters, and SSI as well as benefits for people being in the country for 30 consecutive days policies.  He asked why people can’t just get that information at the border instead of having those folks coming into the office. He mentioned looking into the prospect of Kaizen.  The Commissioner also mentioned having all employees participating in the process to make sure we are doing things the best way possible.

He spoke of the challenges encountered by some of our facilities.  We mentioned beautiful offices with waiting areas that are still not as big as they need to be.

Dealing with ODAR hearings and the disability backlogs - He had been on the job only 3 days when he was asked by Congress what his plan was to address these issues.  He said he had only been on the job 3 days and Congress told him “that was no excuse”. 

Quick disability determination (QDD) – These cases can be moved thru the process quickly.  No more than 21 days to clear with some taking 10 days.  The Commissioner wants to expand this process as well as expanding the Compassionate Allowances. This would keep cases from having to go thru the hearings process or bogged down at DDS.  The TSCs and Field Offices are assisting with overtime at ODAR.  DDS is handling remands! We all have to make it work together. We are only as good as any partner in the SSA process.  

I want us to think about the possibility and the potential of things that we can do.  We will always be challenged, but we need to continue to do what we need to do.   600 people at the card center at 3:45 pm is job security.  With eServices some of those people will not come into the office.  “Hallelujah”! 

I spoke with a man on a plane who told me he really likes receiving his annual statement but would really prefer to get it electronically.  The Agency will be working towards that. There will always be people that need to see us.  We will always have claimants who bring letters to be explained that haven’t even been opened.

“The Bottom line is you have done a great job!!!!!!!”   

The dollar is at its lowest level.  You need to intersect that with SSA benefits.  The American people say they need to have something they can count on.   “That is U.S.A.”

PACS - This has been quite a first year.  We have learned a lot and continue to learn.  Managers have more respect from our employees.  They expect us to take action with those people they know are not doing what they need to do. 

“We are only successful because of all of the people that we work with everyday".

Region IX’s LDP program is the most vibrant program in the country.   A class of 21 just graduated and the new class also has 21 participants who are full of enthusiasm and talent.  I encourage everyone to continue applying and consider the possibilities.

San Francisco is the only region that has Front Line Conferences.  This region invests in training for new supervisors by providing Nuts and Bolts training. 

Other regions do not have Regional Awards Ceremonies.  This will continue be a priority for me as long as I am here.  Our region sets the bar regarding Diversity.  Not one group of our population is a majority.  Hispanics are now the largest segment of our population.  Our region has Advisory groups that do a great job. Our region will continue to do this.  Commissioner Astrue is entertaining the idea of a national diversity conference.

Workloads in 08 will be different especially in the SSI world.  New numbers in RZs and LIs are being released.  We must be nimble and move and move and move.  There are two certainties in life - death and taxes. 

There is one thing certain in SSA “You will never have the resources you need and you will always face change”.

I am very proud to be your Regional Commissioner.

I have been a member of SFRMA since attending Nuts and Bolts training in September 2006. This is the first year that I attended the SFRMA annual meeting held at the Pacific Palms Resort in City of Industry.  I was not sure what to expect when I registered to attend, however, I was pleasantly surprised by the entire experience.  The GETA training on Friday was fun, upbeat, and informative; the social gathering that evening was just as entertaining.  It was a great opportunity to socialize and catch up with so many people that I have met throughout my career, and to meet new people.  The annual meeting held the next day was just as impressive, it was a great opportunity to hear our leaders speak and have our concerns heard.  The location, logistics and entire annual meeting was truly "magical" as promised. I can hardly wait for next year.

Too often, we get caught up in our busy lives, whether it’s reviewing ongoing lists, shuffling work because of absences and public demands, or seeing to the needs of someone wanting to speak with a supervisor or manager, to be involved in outside activities.

SFRMA helps put things into perspective, because we are not alone in our endeavors to serve the public and providing good public service. We often need a reality check and know that there are others who experience the same stress; we need to be involved and voice our concerns.

This past fiscal year we have seen a loss of experienced managers and staff for a variety of reasons. At the same time, our workloads have continued to grow, challenging our talents in order to get the job done. SFRMA and NCSSMA have kept us in touch with the budget battles going on the Hill, staffing, and other issues that affect us every day, in addition to carrying our concerns up to the Regional Commissioner and our leaders in Central Office. However, we need you to become more involved. We need you to voice your concerns and send your issues to me so that I can serve you better. Over the next several weeks, we plan to hold a joint area meeting with the TSC in Tempe at the Sheraton Phoenix Airport Hotel on Friday, January 25^th, after work. The time will be announced as we get closer to the date. We invite you to be involved, be heard, and if some of you have recently promoted new OS’s and MSS’s, please invite them to this meeting as well. Pete has often said that we need to have someone turn off the lights when we leave. Let’s get involved in the future of our organization as well as the Agency.

As a group, SFRMA brings a wealth of experience and ideas to the table; as managers, we know how to get the job. So please plan on attending this meeting, share your experience and concerns, meet new friends, and reacquaint yourselves with old friends. I look forward to seeing you all at what I hope will be the first of many more meetings.

Thank you for your continued support. Together we make a difference.

Thinking About Retiring?

It has been a busy year and we have had lively discussions on your issues.  We have discussed PACS, awards, equipment, labor relations and staffing to name a few.  Many of your issues have been made into action items and we are working hard to get the needed resolutions.

It was also a pleasure to see you at the Annual Meeting in Industry Hills!  What a great time!

Inland continues to lead along with SFRMA on the issues of the day and I want to thank you for your suggestions, comments and concerns.  It is through your discussions that we are able to get you the information needed to do a better job for the public we serve.

We're off to a great start! On September 18th, 2007 Hung Sa Kloeung, Bay Area AVP, and I co-hosted a reception during an on-going bi-area meeting being held at the Rocklin Park Hotel. 80 current management staff and retirees attended this event.  The reception provided a great opportunity to meet and share ideas with fellow managers from two areas. Then on November 9th and 10th, Connie Lofton and her staff from LA Metro hosted the amazing and magical SFRMA Annual Meeting at the Pacific Palms Resort. We all had a wonderful time and still managed to get the work of the meeting done!

As always, our strength is in our commitment to foster effective communication and provide a forum to share ideas. We can make a difference! I rely on each of you for your input. Feel free to contact me with any concerns or just to make a comment.

I am currently an Operations Supervisor in the Stockton District Office on detail from the Lodi office since mid-October 2007. 

I began my career with Social Security under the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) and was hired as a TII Claims Representative upon graduation from UC Davis.  Social Security is a great agency to work for; I was able to work full time and simultaneously attend graduate school in the evening.  After 4 years as a CR, I decided to explore management and applied to the LDP program.  Upon completion of the LDP program, I was selected as the Operations Supervisor for the SR and TII CR units in the Lodi office in October 2003. 

I began my SSA career in September 1999 as a Spanish Bilingual Title XVI Claims Representative in the Santa Ana District Office.  In September 2003 I was selected as the South Coast Automation Training Specialist, where I had the opportunity to travel and meet most of South Coast management and staff.  Currently, I am in the Whittier District office where I have worked as the Management Support Specialist and currently as the Operations Supervisor.  I have participated in the South Coast Operations (SCOPE) Exchange workgroup, whose objective was to compile best practices and share them with South Coast management in a newsletter-format.  I am currently on the Tri-Counties Disability Cadre and look forward to visiting your office soon this Fiscal Year.  This cadre accompanies the Area Director on his Field Office visits with the objective of conducting an in-depth, targeted review of office disability performance and practices. 

I want to thank you for your support in electing me as your Area VP, representing you and the TSCs.  I look forward hearing from you regarding your concerns and issues.   The challenge that we face is that we are so far apart from each other, so I encourage you to attend the SFRMA area meetings that are close to you, to see old friends, meet new ones and to discuss issues and concerns.  The area meetings are listed on the SFRMA website, so tune in to see when the next meeting will be in your part of town. 

The Southwest Area and members of the Phoenix TSC will be having an area meeting on Friday, January 25^th, 2008, so mark your calendars and plan to attend our meeting at the Sheraton Phoenix Airport Hotel in Tempe.  Come and meet all the new members and become reacquainted with senior members, in addition to raising issues that affect us all. Hors d'oeuvres will be served.  Contact Frank Cardoza at 480-649-7300 or myself at 602-248-0326 x 35407 for more information...hope to see you there!!!

At the 2007 Annual meeting, the TSCs showed a very high support of members who attended and received training presented by Mark Mayfield.  The 2008 Annual meeting will be hosted by the TSCs in Tempe Arizona, so start planning now to attend. The meeting and training will be well worth your trip, not to mention the weather.