NASBP 2024 Highlights: The Year In Review

Many of us have the privilege of serving construction business clientele, so we understand the critical importance of a proper foundation for any building structure. Without a solid foundation in place, a structure will not have the necessary integrity and resilience, likely degrading over time. The foundation is the essential backbone of the structure holding up and distributing its weight; a deficient or insufficient foundation can lead to shifting, cracking, and even to the collapsing of the structure itself. Careful attention to the design and construction of the foundation is necessary for the longevity of the structure.

I chose my presidential theme, “Backing Our Future,” with that analogy in mind—that the Association, through its leaders, activists, and staff, would focus on actions and initiatives that would lay a solid foundation for an enduring future for surety bonding. I am pleased that so much energy and effort in 2024 has been directed toward that end. We have been Educating, Advocating, Connecting, Investing, and Partnering all towards engineering a proper foundation of collaboration and innovation on behalf of and for the advancement of surety bonding and the surety community.

Famous American novelist Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple, once related: “Look closely at the present you are constructing. It should look like the future you are dreaming.” When I see the cumulated strength evident in NASBP initiatives and accomplishments I cannot be other than excited for the future of surety bonding for which we are presently preparing. My sincere thanks to all those expending their focus, energy, and time; it is gratifying, indeed, to witness the dedication of so many NASBP volunteers, whether engaged as teaching faculty at NASBP’s Surety Schools, membership ambassadors at the Annual Meeting, surety advocates at the Federal Legislative Fly-in, committee members engaged in committee work, or young leaders at 5-15 leadership events. They are the dedicated individuals propelling the Association onward, and their impressive work is appropriately highlighted and profiled in the pages of this 2024 NASBP Highlights—Year In Review.

I wish everyone wonderful holidays and a successful conclusion to 2024, and I look forward to what lies ahead for NASBP and our surety community in 2025! Best regards,

Zach Mendelson 
NASBP President
EPIC | Edgewood Partners Insurance Center
Pittsburgh, PA