Sunday, December 12, 2010

Verklempt

If you ever watched Saturday Night Live when Mike Meyers was on, he had this on-going skit called "Coffee Talk'' and got `verklempt'' at the mere mention of Barbra Streisand. I'm really not Yiddish, but I've studied German and Hebrew, and I think this is the best word at the moment.
Flattered but overwhelmed.

Overcome.

Saturday I was installed as the president of the Utah Genealogical Association.

Yikes.

I would be scared spitless, but Luana Darby has done a wonderful job the last two years getting UGA into a place where someone in their right mind would be willing to take on this responsibility. During Luana's presidency, the organization has completed a new website and new social networking communication avenues including a stronger newsletter system, facebook, twitter, blog (Thanks A.C. Ivory). This last year we've put together a better organization including a renewed committee structure and books for each committee chair to begin passing down the institutional knowledge that will sustain UGA in the future. And Barry Ewell has orchestrated the purchase of a new virtual meeting system that will not only make the organization run more smoothly, but also has facilitated the development of our new Virtual Chapter, and the UGA Online Training and Tutorial Library. While Luana was in office, our journal Crossroads (yea David Ouimette and Christy Fillerup) has been revamped and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (go Adele Marcum) has remained one of the premiere sources of genealogy training in the country. And probably the biggest accomplishment of Luana's presidency was the immensely successful hosting of the National Genealogical Society Conference in 2010 which showed off Utah’s assets to the genealogy community at large, strengthened UGA’s status in the genealogy community and set UGA on a strong footing for future development.

So we are in good shape. We have a great new board. I have two fantastic Vice Presidents, Sue Maxwell and Christy Fillerup. And we are excited to take UGA into a new year. It is the 40th anniversary year and there is lots to get going on, lots still to do. Let me know where you want to help.

4 comments:

Randy Seaver said...

Congratulations, you will very well i n this assignment. The best part is that you can leave to hosannas when your term is over.

I learned when in engineering that the best thing to do in a volunteer organization was "up and out" then pick what you really want to do as a "past President" and support the later presidents.

You have two excellent VPs and I'm sure your orher officers will make your term successful.

Enjoy -- randy :)

Polly F. Kimmitt said...

Congratulations, Janet! You'll do a great job!

Elizabeth O'Neal said...

That sound you hear is me applauding!

footnoteMaven said...

Congratulations! They could not have chosen a more accomplished woman.

I love everything you do, and now, so will the entire state of Utah.

You go girl!

-fM