By Karen Lane
President
Orlando Central Florida Chapter STC
president@stc-orlando.org
Friends, it is with mixed feelings that I write this, my last President’s Message. The feelings are mixed because while it’s always good to be able to pass along a responsibility to another person, one who is as qualified as Debra Johnson is, it’s also a bit sad, too, since I’ve really enjoyed being super involved in the chapter governance for two years. The last two years have been very rewarding ones as I’ve learned firsthand what goes into leading a chapter of committed and talented professionals and students. You have all taught me so much about dedication and commitment. But most of all, you’ve displayed outstanding collegiality. I can honestly say it’s been my privilege and pleasure to work with you all. It is all of you who make the Orlando Central Florida STC Chapter possible. Thanks are so insufficient, but THANK YOU!
Over the last two years, it’s been so exciting to see so many of our most active student members transition from sideline supporters to full-fledged chapter members, and some of them have stepped up into leadership roles even while they were still students. I would like to particularly honor Bethany Bowles, Candace Du Lac, Richard Ries, and RD Sharninghouse. These are by no means our only active students; they are just the ones whose ongoing roles in the chapter have distinguished them most recently. In addition to these students, I would like to single out a few more who were active during my two-year presidency and have moved on in their careers either to leave our geographic area or move into other professional arenas: Rachael Blankenbecklor, Patricia Cruz, and Jennifer Dalhoven. Thank you to these outstanding former students.
I was thinking about whom I would like to thank for all their hard work and spirited contributions to the chapter over the last two years. But now I’m thinking that it is really impossible to mention individuals without guaranteeing that I’m leaving out others whose chapter activities were valuable but perhaps unrecognized by official position. So I say thank you to everyone who ever attended a chapter meeting and helped with setup or cleanup, everyone who shared ideas and questions, everyone who offered to search for information or whose questions inspired others to think in new directions about common practices and generally accepted knowledge.
If you are a chapter member, thank you for your continued support of the chapter, support that enables Orlando Central Florida STC Chapter to provide services to the community of technical communicators in our local area and even world-wide. If you are not a chapter member but you attend our meetings, thank you for providing us with an audience for our programs.
Your Executive Board consists of the officers and directors of the chapter, and it is these members who direct the running of the chapter through their lively discussions and enlightened opinions, which translate into votes for and against initiatives considered each month not only at our Administrative Council (AdCo) meetings but also during the intervening weeks as we consider various topics of chapter governance via our online discussion list. The members of the board are Debra Johnson (vice president and president elect), Mary Burns (secretary and hospitality chair), Sarah Baca (treasurer), David Coverston (director, membership manager, and recognitions manager), W.C. Wiese (director, nominating chair, and active member chair), and Erika Higgins (immediate past president, communications manager, Rising Stars chair, and Jaffe Award chair). Thank you to all of you who have served so capably and well.
In addition to these positions, we have a few other committee heads and managers who deserve our appreciation. Thank you to Bethany Bowles (mentoring program student manager), Candace Du Lac (Community Achievement Awards Chair), Alex Garcia (Memo to Members editor), Jon Kessler (webmaster), Loretta Lott (employment manager), Richard Ries (publicity chair), RD Sharninghouse (AdCo minutes taker), and Dan Voss (Education Chair and mentoring program manager).
At our June end-of-year banquet, we will be reviewing our accomplishments and celebrating our successes. And it is at that meeting that we pass the gavel to our new president, Debra Johnson, and welcome our new officers to their 2013–2014 positions. As we transition to our new chapter year, I hope you will join me in wishing them well: Debra Johnson (president), Sarah Baca (vice president), Mary Burns (secretary), Alex Garcia (treasurer), David Coverston (director), and Mark Wray (director).
I offer a sincere and heartfelt thank you to all have served the chapter, and I wish our incoming officeholders all success as they lead our chapter to even greater heights.
Thank you all!
I am SO incredibly proud of this chapter and my buddy Karen Lane! Karen, there was a time when I thought you would never be chapter president. As outstanding as I knew you were, for whatever reason, you weren’t comfortable considering that role. We are all so very, very happy that you finally accepted that challenge. Just look what the chapter has done under your leadership! You were smart enough to surround yourself with talented, committed people. You will now be remembered as one of the most beloved, most successful chapter members. I am proud to call you my friend. Congratulations on a GREAT two years!