FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY EMAIL

VOTE PHILIP JOHNSON FOR SECRETARY-TREASURER

https://www.philipforapa.org

A PATH FORWARD versus BULLET POINTS:

APA Members,

My name is Philip Johnson. I am reaching out to share my candidacy for the position of Secretary-Treasurer and to ask for your vote.

The role of the Secretary/Treasurer is defined in our Constitution and Bylaws, Article IV, Section 4.C.  Summarizing, among other things, the role and responsibility to support and facilitate funding for the services our Association provides our members, and is generally not a highly visible position; the effective and hard work is done in the background, seamlessly, and without a lot of fanfare. In coordination with the National Officers, Board of Directors, and Staff, I will carry out my duties and responsibilities transparently.

If you don’t read any further, please know that I have a 12-month, actionable plan, achieving industry-leading financial visibility across the Association. 

While many candidates have shared vague emails that lack specific plans or concrete details on how they will provide the membership with the financial transparency they desire.  My approach centers on tangible results; I am committed to delivering a clear, actionable plan rooted in my extensive experience as a long-time APA volunteer, with a track record of success.  A plan that I have already begun to implement.  Not just bullet points.

But let me take a moment to reintroduce myself.  As a long-term APA Volunteer, both as a member and as the Chair of the IT Steering Committee (ITSC), I have spearheaded significant enhancements in APA’s IT systems, focusing on cost efficiency, security, transparency, and empowering committees, staff, and membership with superior tools. A prime illustration of this commitment is the APA Pilot Application, which was developed with the explicit goal of serving our memberships.

FINANCIAL AND UNION LEAVE TRANSPARENCY:

I have extensive experience working with the APA Accounting Department, the underlying Epicor accounting software system, and the many APA internally developed financial products. I understand how the various American Airlines reporting mechanisms feed into our system, where the current limitations lie, and what needs to change to create an easy-to-understand, near real-time financial dashboard that provides clear visibility into the Association’s financial performance.

I’ve already discussed the steps below with the National Officers and members of the APA Financial Audit Committee (FAC).

0-6 MONTHS POST-ELECTION:

  1. FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

    1. APA Expense v3.2 – Transparency from the Ground Up
      Just last week, the APA ITSC oversaw the successful release of the APA Expense v3.0 product to our membership, marking a significant milestone with its ground-up rewrite and integration within the APA Pilot Application. This new version offers a streamlined user experience across any device, simplified expense submissions, and a more intuitive APA FAC interface. Looking ahead, the upcoming v3.1 and v3.2 iterations will further enhance the platform with performance optimizations, additional security controls, greater audit granularity, and expanded administrative reporting capabilities, all aimed at enhancing validation and visibility for our users.

    2. AFE/Invoice Authorization and Tracking System v2.0– Paper-Free. Transparent. Accountable.
      As APA Expense v3 transitions from development to support, we will focus on overhauling the Authorization for Expense (AFE) and invoice approval workflows by developing a completely "paper-free" authorization process.  This will also incorporate a document management platform for tracking and reconciliation (i.e., what was authorized and what was spent). By connecting transaction-level details directly to authorizations, this platform will offer APA Leadership and our membership a user-friendly dashboard that promotes transparency and traceability.

    3. Epicor Software Requirements – Building the Foundation for Long-Term Financial Visibility
      Bringing our accounting software up to date to support the financial transparency that the membership deserves.  I will partner with APA Leadership, the Accounting and IT Departments, and our software vendor to clearly define the requirements and end goals for upgrading the Epicor platform. Establish a strategic implementation roadmap based on industry best practices and make that roadmap public, because financial transformation should never happen behind closed doors.

  1. UNION LEAVE

    1. Pre-Plotting Absences (CBA 15-D.5.):  

Being developed in parallel with the AFE/Invoice Authorization and Tracking System, the APA Pre-Plot v1.0 tool enables Committee Chairmen and Members, the Board of Directors (BOD), National Officers (NO), and Department Coordinators (DC) to request, approve, or deny absences related to Union duties.  This will replace the archaic process of emails, authorizations, and spreadsheet tracking. It is also designed to bring the Association into full compliance with CBA 2023. Perhaps most importantly, the APA Pre-Plot tool will integrate seamlessly into a membership-facing, near-real-time dashboard of Union Leave. Currently, the project has progressed from the planning phase to active developer tasking.

  1. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

Work directly with each APA National Committee Chair to define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)—measurable values that demonstrate how effectively a person, team, or organization is achieving defined objectives. These KPIs will be specific, quantifiable, and aligned with each committee’s core responsibilities. Once established, they will be displayed alongside the Union Leave dashboard, providing the membership with clear insight into organizational performance and a tangible view of their Return on Investment (ROI).

6-12 MONTHS POST-ELECTION:

  1. FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

    1. Complete the Accounting Epicor Software Implementation: 

Complete the Epicor implementation as outlined in the delivery roadmap, providing industry-leading financial visibility and financial transparency.  Engage the membership during the iterative delivery to ensure the final implementation meets the needs of the membership.

  1. UNION LEAVE

    1. Pre-Plotting Absences (CBA 15-D.5.):

Complete and deliver the APA “Pre-Plotting Absence” application, and ensure it, as well as all other PU mechanisms, feed a membership-facing, near real-time dashboard.

  1. CONTINUED PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT (CPM): 

Continue to work collaboratively with APA Leadership and National Committee Chairs to regularly review goal-tracking, provide real-time feedback, as well as adjustments to the KPIs as needed.  These frequent check-ins will ensure the membership-facing dashboards are as accurate as possible, supporting the true activities of the Committees based on current events.

+12 MONTHS POST-ELECTION:

  1. ADJUST AND IMPROVE

    1. Through rigor and discipline, continue to refine and revisit all the processes above with a singular focus on transparency and visibility.  Constantly solicit the membership for feedback, and based on this feedback, prioritize future improvements. 

There is just one week left in this Election Round for all three national officers. If you have not yet taken the time to vote, please vote.  If you need any assistance, please reference the APA Elections page: https://www.alliedpilots.org/MemberHome/MemberPages/Elections .

I look forward to continuing to serve the membership as your next Secretary Treasurer.

Philip – (314) 853-1188