What a great week and what a great year we’ve just had. would like to thank a few people who have made this meeting and the last year which encompassed my term as SWATA President successful and amazing. I first want to thank Outgoing Past President Dan O’Connor as he rotates off of the executive board for not only his years of service to the association, but also his friendship and guidance. I also want to thank our now SWATA secretary Lorna Strong for her hard work and dedication in this difficult time for her and also as the SWATA Parliamentarian and for keeping me on track and moving in a positive direction. Arkansas, you should also be proud of outgoing state representative Doin Dahlke. He has represented your state well. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank each and every executive board member for their dedication to our association. Each member that you see in front of you today whether elected or appointed has given a great deal of time and energy into SWATA and because of that we should all be thankful.
An association is only as good as its leadership, and I can assure you that your current leadership is outstanding. In addition to the executive board there are other people who have help to keep our association at the top of the NATA and those are our committee chairs. They are the life blood of the association and without them our work on the executive board would be all but impossible. I would specifically like to thank Convention chairs BJ Maack, Melinda Terry, and Roy Rudewick and their convention committee for the great week we’ve just had. Also committee chairs Carissa Spraberry of the Young Professionals, Kelley Henderson of the Student Leadership and Development, Luzita Vela of EDAC and web master DJ Gililland are just a few of the committee chairs that make us all as an association look great. There are so many other people that have helped to make this past year so memorable and successful. If you have communicated with me or any executive board member I would like to thank you as well for helping us to lead you.
Since I was fortunate enough to be elected by you to this executive board we have done great things that will help insure the long term success of this association. We have rewritten and passed a new constitution and standing rules that will help us to adapt to changing times in a more timely fashion. These new documents will finally allow the president to serve a two year term which will not only benefit that person by allowing them to have more time to achieve their goals, but also for more continuity in overall programs. Beginning next year we will also have a seat at our table for the TSATA and this is a positive step that will allow us to strengthen an already strong relationship by having them directly involved in the decision making that goes on. We have established a new student senate that will help to build our student side and start to develop tomorrow’s leaders today. We have improved the way that our annual meeting sight is chosen and also how the annual meeting is run which will help to save the association time and money which can then be turned around and used to bolster an already incredible program which will benefit all members. We have done many other things to help benefit the association as well. It has been an honor to serve you and I look forward to continuing to serve you in the future.
Mike Carroll
SWATA Past President
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