Farewell and Thanks
This has been an outstanding year. The Delegates have shown unparalleled participation. At the House of Delegates meeting in Houston we had a whopping 85% of the Delegates present to vote on the new amendments and the reunification of Russia. Over 50 delegates served on the House committees. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your efforts. Together we have made AAPG stronger.
Larry Jones gave us a scare just prior to the Houston meeting. He is recovering well from his heart surgery and a small stroke. Larry will be back into the middle of it soon. Make sure that you give Larry your best at the next AAPG meeting. While you are at it , please offer Larry your services to serve as a member of one of the House committees. Please consider the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, the Resolutions Committee, the Rules and Procedures Committee, the Honors and Awards Committee, the Officer and Candidates Committee and the Credentials Committee.
This is my last article as Chairman of the House of Delegates and I want you to know that it has been an honor and a privilege to serve you this past year. I have gained many new friends and learned so much from you all. Thank you.
I would like to thank the House leadership for an outstanding job. David Hawk and the Constitution and Bylaws Committee considered a boat load of work and gave us the new amendments. Jeannie Mallick brought efficiency and organization to the selection of awardees. Patrick Gooding quantified and educated us about the Credentials Committee. Ed Dolly brought his great knowledge of the House to the selection of new officer candidates. Sigrunn Johnsen brought an international flavor and a new focus to the Resolutions Committee. Bob Cowdery provided sage advice and experience to resolve several critical issues in the Rules and Procedures Committee. I would like to thank all of the House committee members for their time and efforts.
Many thanks to Donna Riggs, who provided the House of Delegates with AAPG staff support and became a trusted advisor to me. She helped me through several tough times.
I would also like to thank Friends of the House AAPG President Pete Rose, Treasurer Clint Moore, and Past President Pat Gratton for their immeasurable help. With their help we were able to better inform the membership on House activities.
I thank Ernie Mancini for his sage advice on how to work through problems. Thanks to Mike Party for his clear views on issues, to Lee Billingsley for his moderating skills and to Steve Veal for his calm energy and support. The support of the entire Executive Committee was instrumental to our accomplishments this year.
Larry Jones has been the word of reason. His ability to analyze the tasks at hand and deliver a fair and impartial analysis has been superb. I leave office in complete confidence that Larry will continue to steer the House toward a bright future.
Finally, I would like to thank Bob Shoup for his truly outstanding job as Secretary/Editor. Bob was able to catch the essence of each problem while simultaneously putting the issues into a new light. This perspective made The Delegates’ Voice come alive. Through it, Bob was able to show both sides of the issues.
Please give your support to our new House of Delegates officers. Larry Jones, the Chairman, Jeannie Mallick, the Secretary/Editor and Marty Hewitt, the Chairman-Elect are wonderful people and will serve you well. Thank you again for the honor and opportunity to serve you as Chairman of the House of Delegates.