The nice weather is finally here. I’ve split my time between work, getting our house ready for summer, and following Boston teams through their extended playoff runs. But I’m also trying to wrap up what would normally be the end of the Chapter year. This, too, has been extended.
I’m looking forward to the end-of-year reception in Waltham on June 19. If you’ve volunteered for us this year, please come so we can acknowledge your contribution. If you’ve benefitted from the efforts of those volunteers, whether by attending a program, workshop, webinar, or InterChange, please come and offer them your thanks for a job well done.
We are going to delay the election for the next Council. We’ve identified candidates for most positions, but we continue to search for candidates for treasurer and vice president. You can help with our search.
The position of treasurer is important—we all want our money looked after—but it’s not difficult. As outgoing treasurer Jason Dickey describes it: “As Chapter Treasurer, you have the chance to play a key role in the Chapter’s operation with a set of responsibilities that are uniquely your own. Chapter treasurers use their communication skills to provide the Council with the information they need to set realistic and ambitious goals for future programs and activities. As Treasurer, you have a decisive impact through your problem-solving and communication skills, while working independently.”
The treasurer is not asked to assume responsible for whether the Chapter makes or loses money (that’s the Council’s collective responsibility), only to disburse funds and account for where the money comes from and where it goes. If the accounts are square at the end of the day it’s all good. We typically make only a few transactions a month, so the time commitment is not large. Are you a Society and Chapter member who has been a treasurer for a club or organization, or even just managed your family or personal finances? Then you are qualified and equipped to do the job for us. You will have to make at least one in-person bank transaction (transferring account ownership and signature authority) with the leadership team at a mutually convenient time and place; otherwise, this position is open for telecommuting.
We have interim options for the role of vice president, but we are searching for someone who will make the commitment to carry the Chapter forward over the next few years. As I can personally attest, the experience is both fulfilling and rewarding. It distinguishes you at the Society level, and, in more lucrative terms, it distinguishes your résumé from other people’s in a meaningful way that employers notice. The role requires a Society and Chapter member, and because we hold some in-person events, this position is not open for telecommuting. The team and support structure is in place; we just need you.
Please contact me directly if you have questions or to volunteer for either role.