Mid-America
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Mid-America Regional Update: IACLEA Board Highlights, and 2026 Monthly Meetings
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Mid-America Regional Update: IACLEA Board Highlights, and 2026 Monthly Meetings
Dear IACLEA Mid-America Regional Membership, I wanted to post this again as I am not sure it went out to everyone last week.
I hope this message finds you well. I apologize for the slight delay since my last communication, and I want to assure you that I remain actively engaged in serving our region.
I am writing to provide you with an update on recent association activities and to announce important regional initiatives.
IACLEA Association Updates
Last week, I had the honor of representing the Mid-America Region at the inaugural Canadian Region Symposium. This successful one-day event provided excellent training and saw a strong turnout from our Canadian colleagues.
Following the Symposium, the IACLEA Board of Directors convened for its semi-annual business meeting. Our President, Rob Kilfoyle, presented a comprehensive report detailing the association’s progress over the past six months, including the establishment of several valuable resources and initiatives:
· Behind the Badge: A new online member spotlight initiative.
· Mentor Connect: A program designed to facilitate mentorship and peer-to-peer assistance for members.
· Inaugural Canadian Symposium.
· Domestic Preparedness Committee updates.
· Establishment of two new sections:
· Academic Medical Center and Hospital Section
· K-12 Safety Section
· Upcoming membership surveys.
· Securing new corporate sponsorships.
· Targeted outreach to new Chiefs and Public Safety Directors.
The Executive Director and association staff also reported a strong financial and membership position, including an impressive 95% membership retention rate. This success is a testament to the collective efforts of the membership, and I sincerely thank you for assisting in identifying new leaders who may benefit from IACLEA membership.
2026 Mid-America Regional Conference Hosting
We are seeking an agency within the Mid-America Region interested in hosting our 2026 Regional Meeting. I have not yet received any formal offers to host. If your department is interested in taking on this important role, please reach out to me directly at your earliest convenience.
IACLEA Annual Conference & Exposition
Please mark your calendars for the 2026 IACLEA Annual Conference and Exposition, which will take place in Orlando, Florida, from June 26–28, 2026.
The 2026 event is being planned to be more extensive and educational than ever before. Registration is now open on the IACLEA website. Group rate accommodations are available at the Caribe Royale Orlando and can be reserved via the Conference website.
Mid-America Regional Monthly Zoom Meetings
To enhance regional communication and engagement, I will be hosting ongoing monthly meetings via Zoom.
Schedule: These meetings will be scheduled not to exceed one hour on the third Wednesday of each month at 11:00 AM CST, beginning on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
Meeting Link: https://uca-edu.zoom.us/j/88573719300?pwd=kQMNaNkf3eexdV29DzWiEgnKY7Q5zA.1
Meeting ID: 885 7371 9300
Passcode: 319894
Monthly Meeting Topics and Speakers
To make our monthly meetings as beneficial as possible, I welcome your suggestions for relevant discussion topics. Furthermore, if you are aware of a subject matter expert or colleague who would be willing to present to our regional membership, please share their contact information or topic idea with me.
Thank you again for your dedication to IACLEA and our region. I wish you and your teams a productive and safe December, and I look forward to connecting with you all in January.
Update to IACLEA Connections. Be sure to update your notification settings within IACLEA Connections. Last week IACLEA Connections was updated to a new format and you will need to reset your notification preferences.
Sincerely,
Chris Bentley
IACLEA Mid-America Region Director
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1 Reply
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Booked for the conference and looking forward to joining the monthly meetings!
Bryant Jackson
Chief of Police
University of South Dakota3rd VP – IACLEA
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