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The American Association of Woodturners

Spring 2009 President's Letter

From Bill Haskell ...

At our November AAW Board of Directors meeting, we thanked outgoing Board members Al Hockenbery, Corey Anderson, and past president Angelo Iafrate for their service and wished them well. We look forward to working with and welcoming new 2009 Board members, Dale Larson, Binh Pho, and Cassandra Speier, knowing they will bring fresh energy, ideas, and effort to our organization. In early February, the Board met in Albuquerque to finalize plans for the symposium this summer in that enchanted Southwestern city. It should be an exciting conference in a delightful area of our country.

This past year, the AAW continued to grow, adding new members and chapters. Membership ended at just over 14,000, and the 301st chapter joined us in December. Along with this growth, your Board continues to look for ways to better serve members and local chapters. With that in mind, here are some recent and in-process initiatives that keep the AAW moving forward:

 
  • Staff changes in the home office and the promotion of Mary Lacer to our Executive Director.
  • Bringing a new American Woodturner editor, Betty Scarpino, on board who has creative ideas and also restructuring the journal’s production in order to be more cost effective. We are preparing for expanding publication of American Woodturner from four to six issues per year, hopefully in 2010.
  • Arranging cost-effective insurance for AAW members for medical, dental, and other insurance coverage.
  • Implementing new software systems so that communications can be sent to every local chapter and each member, keeping everyone better informed. A new system to better serve the Professional Outreach Program members is under development.
  • Planning for a special 25th AAW anniversary celebration in St. Paul in 2011, including a colorful and expansive book on the AAW and woodturning.
  • Initiating new programs for helping local chapters with youth activities and education.

I truly believe we have much to be proud of in the AAW, and we can be appreciative of all that is offered and available. There is much more to be done, however, and we look to our members for their involvement, energy, and ideas. Take a look at the organization and committee structure on the AAW website, to see if there is an area where you can focus your passion and experience and become involved. Then contact the lead person for that committee or program and offer your services. You can make a difference and the AAW can be better for it.

Bill Haskell
President AAW