By David L. Brown, President
This is an update on the state of your SPJ chapter as we get started into the new year. At its January meeting the board of directors approved several key organizational changes.
I have been appointed as president for a period of 120 days, after which a permanent president will be elected. The reason for this temporary appointment is to bridge the gap left by the departure of Betsy Model who resigned as president effective December 31. Because no one immediately stepped forward as a candidate, and because my personal plans did not include a long-term commitment, I offered to take the post in the interim. My goal is to use this breathing space to help organize our leadership to keep the Rio Grande chapter moving forward, building on the great start we made during 2010 and laying a solid foundation for the years ahead.
Also during the recent board meeting, Peter St. Cyr was appointed to replace me as VP-Communications and Rivkela Brodsky was named as VP-Development to replace Gwyneth Doland who asked to step down from that position. Rivkela had been our secretary.
The full list of current officers and board members can be viewed on this page. The office of secretary is now vacant and none of the present directors have stepped forward so we are actively seeking a volunteer to join the board and be appointed to fill this important position. If you are interested in becoming our new secretary, please contact me at david (at) nmspj (dot) org.
In another step, the board has approved the creation of several key “teams,” each with several members and specific tasks. Here is the team structure as it presently stands:
• Communications Team – Led by Peter St. Cyr, VP-Communications. Current members are Staci Matlock and Laura Paskus.
• Development Team – Led by Rivkela Brodsky, VP-Development. Members are Peter St. Cyr, Staci Matlock and Sandra Martinez.
• Programs Team – Current members are Gwyneth Doland, Rick Romancito, Laura Paskus, Rivkela Brodsky and Dan Vukelich.
• Student Relations Team – Staci Matlock, Sandra Martinez and Laura Paskus.
In addition to these permanent teams, the board voted to create three ad hoc committees that are charged with one-time or recurring infrequent duties. They are:
• Bylaws Committee – Dennis Roberts, Peter St. Cyr and Rivkela Brodsky.
• Audit Committee – Julie Ann Grimm, Peter St. Cyr and Gwyneth Doland.
• Elections Committee – The membership of this committee is presently open.
While all the present team members except for Dennis Roberts are chapter officers or directors, we encourage general members to volunteer and join in the effort to keep the Rio Grande chapter on the ascendancy. Last year we were named Small Chapter of the Year among the Society’s more than 200 chapters, so we have a tough benchmark against which to measure our future progress.
Our membership has now increased so that we are no longer a “small” chapter…we’re playing against the “big boys” now. Nevertheless, the 2011 board is challenging our membership to help make the Rio Grande chapter the 2011 Large Chapter of the Year, and without doubt we can achieve this ambitious goal. But it all depends on you (yes, I’m looking at you), because with each and every one of us pulling even just a little bit, we cannot be stopped. To paraphrase JFK, it’s not what your chapter can do for you…well, you can fill in the rest. Please think about what role you’d like to play in our continuing success story and email me at the address above, or call at 505-867-4840.
And, oh yes, we are looking for a new leader because as of April 30 my temporary term as president will end. The new president will be eligible to attend the three-day Ted Scripps Leadership Institute held each June at SPJ’s headquarters city of Indianapolis. This is a chance to learn leadership skills, meet members of the Society’s national board and staff, and rub elbows with other chapter leaders from around the country. I attended the Institute last year and found it to be a fun and worthwhile experience. It’s a fully-paid fellowship funded by the Scripps Howard Foundation.
If you’re seeking a challenge and the chance to “make a difference,” give some thought to helping lead the Rio Grande Chapter forward, whether as a team volunteer, director, officer or even as our future president. It’s a worthwhile opportunity that shouldn’t be missed, and as you serve the interests of journalism in New Mexico and West Texas you will take away new skills, knowledge and friendships to make your life just a little bit better. What more could one ask for?