By John Ensslin, Region 9 Director

Dear New Mexico SPJ members,

I’m happy to report that the first election of our newly revived New Mexico chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has been completed. Here are the results.

Betsy Model will be president of the new chapter.

David L. Brown is vice president for communications.

Julie Ann Grimm is treasurer.

Christina Durano is secretary.

All were elected to serve two-year terms.

The following people were elected to serve one-year terms on the board of directors:

Pilar Armstrong
Bill Diven
Gywneth Doland
Alysa Landry
Staci Matlock
Dan Vukelich

In addition, the board is pleased to announce that Joe Kolb, who  served as chair of the interim board, has agreed to accept a vacant seat on the new board. Joe offered to take on the challenge of Programs coordination.

The chapter’s bylaws also were approved.

The new board’s term begins on January 1 and the members will be sworn in by SPJ national President Kevin Smith during a reception on January 15 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Atrium of the Marriott Pyramid Hotel in Albuquerque.

I hope you will plan to attend this event. It will be your chance to meet the new board as well as members of SPJ’s national executive committee.

I also want to take a moment to thank the folks who served for the last six months on the interim board. They did a lot of work in a short span of time to help create this new chapter.

Thanks also to my Region 9 predecessor Deb Hurley for administering the election.

Here’s to a happy holiday season. I look forward to meeting all of you in person in Albuquerque on January 15.

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