Betsy Ertel
After obtaining a college degree in Medical Office Administration, Betsy Ertel was hired by the Medical University at Charleston, SC for intern physicians as a medical transcriptionist on an original typewriter keyboard with 5 layers of carbon paper as copies. That turned into a longtime career working in acute care settings transcribing thousands of medical audio files. I grew with the industry through much technology change transcribing from the micro mini tape players now to the digital audio files with ASR and AI on the table. In 1991 I transitioned over to the Stenotype Institute in Jacksonville, FL to learn stenography with my original stenograph machine still in my possession. Learning thousands of brief forms and sound blends for stenograph writing, I still utilize those today inside the SpeedType™ system when at the keyboard. However, my love for people, crowds, associations, and a convention atmosphere placed me in a leadership role where I have served for over 30 years. Serving in local chapters on the executive board level as well as multiple committees, I became state president for several years and serving at a national level on educational platforms. I helped grow the student sector through initiating an Externship program along with an Educators Alliance group. These provided training materials and support from a national level down to the grass root’s membership level. We also created an online presence for over 2,000 new students with a viable student community and new members to the association which is still intact today.
I have been a member of AAERT since 2008 serving on committees as well as having a vendor presence through the SpeedType™ system. However, previous service to AAERT since 2014 has allowed me the privilege of serving as a Director for 7 years, serving on the Executive Board as Treasurer and multiple committees established by the Board, i.e. membership, conference committee, speaker committee, vendor committee, sponsorship committee, bylaws, and executive forum planning. One of my major service areas was through education. Having served as Education Chair and the Educators Alliance Chair, I was successful in initiating our LMS online program to build a robust CEU library conveniently providing professional growth to our members and nonmembers. Many educational relationships were built during board terms and years associated with AAERT. I would like to continue assisting in populating that sector for the court reporting industry to provide well qualified staffing to the local firms, deposition market, and legal industry overall.
So, my interest in once again running for the Board is to continue to support membership growth through actively providing educational support tools, bringing together the educators through an Educators Alliance group and providing helpful student online content at the AAERT website. A certified body of high achievers adds value and relevance to the association. Supporting our court reporting market, firms and deposition marketplace also lend credibility to our association. I would love to again serve another term with my peers in supporting AAERT’s reputation of providing excellence and reliability to the court reporting market.
Betsy Ertel, CEO SpeedType™ since 1999
AAERT Member 2008 – Present
AAERT Director 2014-2020
AAERT Education Chair 2013-2019
AAERT Treasurer 2018-2019
AHDI Florida State President 2013
AHDI Education Chair 2011-2015
AHDI Educators Alliance 2012-2016
AHDI-Fellow 2006 – Present
AHIMA Member 2010 – Present
NVRA Vendor Member 2003 – Present
Your Business/Occupation
In one or two sentences, explain your services or products.
My early educational foundation of 1971 with a 2-year degree in Medical Office Administration promoted my professional growth and efficiency inside the medical transcription industry. After attending the Stenotype Institute in Jacksonville Beach, FL from 1991-1993, I acquired the groundwork in preparation for my involvement with AAERT and the legal industry. I have served as CEO of SpeedType™, a universal Windows text expander system, since 1998 with a very large transcriber customer database and global vendor presence.
Our Industry
A. How would you describe the challenges and opportunities that our industry faces (in the Court, Agency, and Deposition markets)?
B. What do you see as the challenges and opportunities?
There is a demand to attain balance between legal proceeding increases in quantity and staffing of our community, especially since the onset of COVID. To assist in this achievement, we must embrace industry educators with this initiative which will drive court reporters and transcribers who seek our support to become our newest members.
We need to succinctly roll out qualified and well- educated electronic reporters and transcriptionists to meet the market’s demands for both the official and deposition marketplace. This support system would be launched as a student campaign to build accurate and proficient staffing for the industry. Generating a stable relevant online support presence for professional growth and skillsets would efficiently staff the Court, Agency, and Deposition marketplace.
Reason(s) To Run
A. What is/are the reason(s) you decided to run for the board?
B. Whom and what do you want to impact?
I would like to run for the Board to address our market’s need for qualified, educated, and well-trained new members to the Association. B. Whom and what do you want to impact?
My interest is to impact the future members of AAERT through education embracing certified training programs for the CER® and CET® credentials. The credentials are a significant identifier of high achievers and qualified staff within the industry.
Your Goal
A. If you had a mandate—board authorization, financial resources, member support—what do you want to do?
B. How would you improve the capabilities of our members (reporters, transcribers, proofreaders, videographers, business owners and executives)?
My desire is to build a strong student community of relationships throughout the industry, fulfilling the individual needs of both the student and the stakeholder. New relationships will also enhance AAERT’s membership drives that would launch our membership numbers very quickly.
Capabilities are improved through solid educational programs, a collaboration of relevant content material, whether it be vendor showcases, curriculum overview, job postings, and providing the tools that allow proficiency and accuracy of workflow processes and output. AAERT’s webinar initiative needs to continue for the professional growth of our members and to accommodate our CEU requirements.
Involvement
A. How long have you been a member?
B. How many conferences have you attended? If you have not attended conferences, would you explain why not?
C. Do you plan to attend this year’s conference?
Since 2008
I have never missed a conference whether it be as a presenter, Director, or vendor.
Absolutely.
Experience
A. What has been your leadership experience?
B. Do you have experience as a board member of a non-profit organization?
C. Please list the organizations, your positions, and duties.
I have been involved in leadership since graduating from college. That includes HOA organizations with executive board positions, medical transcription local chapters, state chapter president, serving on the national board and AAERT Director 2014-2020
Yes.