Reviewing PROBE

During the last three years, it has been my pleasure to be president of this great organization, PROBE. I have met some wonderful people, all willing to help, often without having to be asked to do so.

The friendliness and cooperation of PROBE members makes the job of president a lot easier. A lot has been accomplished and the only reason that I was able to accomplish anything was due to the GREAT executive and volunteers that I had working with me. Grant Carson, the VP for Bulletin Editors, has been one of the hardest workers.

Most of what has happened is due to Grant's efforts and without this, a lot of things would not have been done as effectively as they were. He found new volunteers when I needed them and revamped the bulletin editor score sheets and contests rules, just to mention two of his many accomplishments.

Thanks, Grant!

John Sugg, the VP for Marketing and Public Relations has gotten the marketing and public relations side of PROBE moving again which really helped. I do hope that this keeps on developing.

Arnie Wade, our Webmaster, what a treasure! Grant spoke to Arnie and had him volunteer his services. Arnie, without you we still would not have an effective Web page. Thanks for all of the work that you have done and are continuing to do. The PROBE Web page is one of the best and most useful pages around, and is constantly being updated. Check it out if you have not done so lately.

John Petterson, what a job on the PROBEmoter! Thanks for stepping in and taking over. It has developed into something that all members eagerly look forward to. John is another one of Grant's great finds.

Our treasurer, Brian Lynch, has been doing a great job of keeping our books straight. PROBE has a healthy balance due to Brian's diligence. It now is time to start undertaking some of the new ideas that we all have. Let us make PROBE into one of the foremost associations in the Society. It always has been the "most influential association in the Society."

Of course, I can't forget Dick Girvin, my immediate past president. Dick has helped me considerably with his advice (as I know he has also done with many of you). Dick also was the IBC chairman during my tenure and did a wonderful job of avoiding problems by his foresight and planning. Thanks, Dick.

During my three years as president, there have been a number of others who greatly helped me with the functions that they performed. Herb Bayles was the PROBEmoter editor when I started. He agreed to remain as editor until a replacement could be found. Tom Pearce stepped in and took over from Herb, continuing the PROBE tradition of having a first-class bulletin and John Petterson is now continuing the tradition.

Dave Stock was the VP for Bulletin Editors during my first year. He helped me keep things organized until he found that pressures of business required him to resign. Thanks, Dave, for all your help.

Of course there are many others I have not mentioned. If it were not for all of the category specialists who keep track of what is working and what needs to be changed in the judging categories, we would be in difficulty. Thanks to all of you.

To the judges who have given up a lot of their valuable time to help editors and PR people improve, thanks. It sometimes is an onerous task, but it is appreciated by many. Often you do not hear about it, but I know that the editors do appreciate all of your effort. Keep up the good work!

The PROBE contest coordinators in each district are another group of hard-working individuals. They are the ones who run the contests for the PROBE members in each district, organizing materials and sending it to the judges or contest administrators as required. Without them, the members in the district would not be able to enter contests. Thanks for your work!

And, to all of the members, it has been a pleasure serving you. I am sorry if I have not responded to all of the questions and suggestions (although I believe that I got most of them, if not all). I do enjoy reading your letters and receiving the bulletins. It is you, the members, who allow us to keep PROBE going in the right direction. If you have any suggestions or comments, please make certain that you give them to the new executive, or you can send them to me and I will forward them.

I know that the new executive is eager to get started, and so I will finish my term of office by simply saying, "Thanks. It has been a pleasure serving you!"