Hello Utah Chapter Membership,
As you now know, I am finishing my second term as Chapter President. I want to thank each of you for the honor of serving as your president and representing this chapter. It has truly been a privilege. I have always felt that I was in very good company and I hope that I have served you well.
Over the past four years, we have accomplished a great deal together. We successfully defeated an effort to apply sales tax to massage therapy, we continued to grow and strengthen our Sports Massage Team, and we hosted three outstanding state conferences that provided education, connection, and inspiration for our profession.
This year we chose to cancel our conference due to lower enrollment numbers, as the board felt it was important to be responsible stewards of the chapter’s resources. However, we are already working toward next year’s conference, which will likely be at the same hotel and with many of the same instructors who were scheduled to teach this year. So be on the look out for our state conference 2027. We are encouraging you to come to Denver, Colorado for the national convention this year in August. All chapter members that come to nationals are invited to the chapter dinner held on Friday night at a nice restaurant. The chapter will cover your dinner that evening. If you would like to have a drink you are and will be responsible for those costs.
One of the things I am most proud of is the strength of our leadership team. We have an incredible board and group of chairs who care deeply about our profession and our members. I am confident that the next Chapter President will continue that tradition of strong leadership and will guide the chapter toward even greater accomplishments.
I often hear members say they would never want to be president or serve on the board because it must be a tremendous amount of work. The truth is, the work comes in waves. Sometimes those waves are big — like when we had to defend and protect our massage therapy license. We did have to make some compromises within the legislation, but the most important outcome is that our license remains protected and enforced. That victory happened because members were willing to step forward and stand together.
There are many ways to serve our profession besides holding the office of president. We always need board members, committee chairs, volunteers, and engaged members willing to lend their voice and experience. We are also fortunate to have tremendous support from the National office.
When we asked for help defending our license many of you stepped forward. Some wrote letters to state representatives, and several members and non-members came to testify before the Labor and Commerce Committee. That kind of engagement truly makes a difference. We are fortunate to have an active and committed membership. When many people participate, the work becomes lighter for everyone.
What inspires me most about this chapter is you — the membership. We have so many compassionate, dedicated professionals who truly want to make this industry better for therapists and for the clients we serve. In my view, some of the best examples of this dedication are our Board members and Committee Chairs.
If you feel that I have been a good Chapter President or that we have accomplished meaningful things during my time in this role it is because of them. Our Board and Chairs give their time, energy, and expertise not because they have to, but because they believe in this profession and in the future of our chapter.
Some volunteers serve for a season and move on, and we are grateful for the impact they made during their time with us. Others stay and continue helping the chapter grow stronger year after year. Every contribution matters and every volunteer helps move this profession forward.
To my Board and Chairs: I truly do not have the words to express how much I have appreciated working with each of you and how much I have learned along the way. We have not always agreed on every issue, but we have always had thoughtful discussions and worked toward what we believed was best for the membership. I have been honored to stand beside you in guiding this chapter forward.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for having my “six” these past four years.
As I step away from the role of Chapter President, I do so with tremendous pride in what we have accomplished together and great confidence in what lies ahead for this chapter.
And while my term as president is ending, my service to this chapter is not.
The strength of any professional organization does not come from one leader — it comes from members who are willing to step forward, raise their hands, and say, “How can I help?”
If you care about the future of massage therapy in Utah, I encourage you to consider serving — whether on the board, on a committee, or simply by lending your voice when our profession needs it.
Because the future of this chapter is not built by one person.
It is built by all of us.
“Leadership in massage therapy begins the moment you decide to stand up for the profession.”
With gratitude and respect,
Ivan Thompson
Chapter President