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Director’s Report: Looking Back, Looking Ahead, Looking Around
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Beau Cainby Beau Cain
Region 8 Director-Sponsor
 

This time of year, I feel like examining my recent past and seeing how it might help me foresee the near future, perhaps like the Roman deity of portals, Janus, whose two faces looked into the past and into the future simultaneously. Here's my attempt at that for December 2004 and January 2005. I hope you'll read it and consider whether I, as Region 8 Director, am delivering what you expect of me.

Looking Back

Since I took office as Director of Region 8 in May 2004, I've done the following:

  • attended Board of Directors meetings in Baltimore and Montreal
  • met chapter leaders and volunteers at the STC SoCal Leadership Forum in Chatsworth
  • directed the resolution of the 2004 Regional 8 conference (my trial by fire, I sincerely hope) with guidance from hearteningly dedicated and humblingly knowledgeable volunteers and leaders
  • deliberated how to produce a technical communication competition with STC NorCal chapter presidents at a charming French bistro in Berkeley
  • represented the Board and presented at the Region 5 conference in Salt Lake City
  • addressed chapters and councils about the Transformation Initiative and about the current Rechartering in Berkeley, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Honolulu
  • presented at chapter meetings in Berkeley, East Bay, Orange County, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, and Silicon Valley

Along with gratitude for all the kindness my colleagues lavished on me during my travels, I feel most impressed by the dedication and competence of the leaders and other volunteers who gave their time, effort, and expertise to keep our operations running. More than anything else, I'm looking forward to collaborating with these and other leaders and volunteers throughout the rest of my term of office.

Looking Forward

The rest of my term of office is two and a half years long, which seems rather a lot to prognosticate. So instead, I'll write about what I'm looking forward to for the next six months, which should take us as far as the upcoming 52nd Annual Conference in Seattle in May 2005.

By the time this article is published, I'll have enjoyed both the San Francisco Chapter and Silicon Valley Chapter's end-of-year holiday gatherings. Both are significant. This will be the first time in a few years that Silicon Valley Chapter has offered a chapter meeting in December, and it will be a social event rather than a presentation, a very rare event for the Silicon Valley Chapter. I hope the event proves popular enough to produce again next year.

More poignant is San Francisco chapter's holiday gathering, which will be their last one at the intriguing London Wine Bar. The chapter has been meeting in the cellar of the historic watering hole for many years. The current president of the Silicon Valley Chapter, Marie Highby, tells of romantic rendezvous there that she and her husband Paul enjoyed years ago. I'm sure there are other stories of pleasant evenings shared with friends at the London Wine Bar.

Susan Becker, San Francisco Chapter president, I salute you and your chapter's officers as an era passes on your watch.

January 11th, I expect to present at the Los Angeles Chapter's meeting, and also to present a half-day workshop for the Houston Chapter January 29th. As well, I'll be semi-sequestered with your Board of Directors in Houston the weekend of January 21st for my third Board meeting. However, it won't be as onerous as it may sound. I was a member of the Houston Chapter for seven years, and I'm certain there will be some happy reunions with long-time friends while I'm there.

March 12th is the date for STC NorCal's Leadership Event III, which I may be MCing. If this one is as successful as the first two, then STC NorCal will move into the future providing improved inter-chapter collaboration among the six STC Northern California chapters.

Looking Around

After that, the only clear STC plans that I have are to remind chapter officers on a more timely basis to submit Chapter Activity Reports, PR Award, Newsletter Award, and Chapter Achievement Award applications, and nominations for Distinguished Chapter Service Awards and Associate Fellowship. Pursuing recognition is a good way to ensure that our chapters provide value for their members. I've set repeating reminders in my computer's calendar program, so that should help keep us on schedule in the future.

Things I'd like to do between January and May 2005, either as Region 8 Director or as a technical communication professional:

  • attend the next STC SoCal Leadership Event
  • present workshops on Oahu and Hawaii
  • meet with officers of the Sierra-Panamint and Southern Nevada chapters
  • make a significant contribution to the Board committee to examine regional conferences
  • become better acquainted with leaders of the Australia and New Zealand chapters
  • publish my first book, Building Books With Microsoft Word
  • see all my friends and colleagues at the Society's 52nd Annual Conference in Seattle

Have I learned enough in my first six months to help me be successful in my second six months? Am I addressing my constituents' needs as I serve the Board of Directors? Let me know what you think.

I thank you for helping me bring 2004 to a satisfying close, and I wish everyone a happy New Year! Top of page
 

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