IT HAS BEEN A BUSY YEAR

A year ago when I conceived this idea of a quarterly column on the ES website, I fully intended to keep in closer touch with the ES membership. However, this has not been the case and I apologize for keeping you in the dark. However, let me assure you that I have not forgotten the ES during the discussions and negotiations within the AC meetings, and the AC members have not forgotten the ES, either. We can be especially proud that the AC and the EC have chosen Gerry Friedman as this year's Sidney Powers recipient, and past ES President Paul Catacasinos as one of four to receive Honorary Membership.

The AC met in September, October and February, and will meet twice in New Orleans, a total of five face-to-face meetings, as well as two teleconferences, this year. I served as Recording Secretary again this year, so I guess this gave me the feeling that I was keeping someone informed with all the words I typed. Unfortunately, it was not you. Sorry again.

THE NEW ADVISORY COUNCIL

As I wrote last time, a bylaws amendment that was passed at the San Antonio meeting by the HOD restructured the AC. We have grown from 15 members to 17, and will expand again to as many as 20 as the new International Regions continue to grow. To have a representative on the AC, an International Region must have 750 active AAPG members.

Additions during the year included new representatives from Latin America (Nilo Azambuja), Europe (Richard Hardman) and Canada (George Eynon). Africa, the Middle East and Asia still need to grow to have a voting member, although each of these regions now has a President and an infrastructure is being put in place to allow the Regions to function as our domestic Sections function.

In addition to the new members from the Regions, the immediate Past Chairman of the HOD, Tom Mairs, was added, as was a second member from the Gulf Coast Section, because that section has more than 5000 active AAPG members.

Subtractions from the AC were the three members who previously were appointed by the EC. Under the new bylaws, all AC members must be elected. This means that during the next year a ballot with two names will be mailed to all ES members to elect my successor to the AC for 2001-2004.

YET ANOTHER SUGGESTED BYLAWS CHANGE

A hot item for the HOD meeting in New Orleans should be the proposed amendment to change the way in which the slate of officers for national elections is determined. Currently, the AC can send two or more names to the EC for each office (except Editor). Usually, however, more than two names are sent forward, in which case the EC has the responsibility of determining the two names that go on the ballot. The proposed change would pass this responsibility back to the AC by requiring the AC to send only two names forward, thus determining the ballot. In addition, the AC must have received a written acceptance by all candidates placed on the ballot that they will indeed run for office.

The AC looked at both sides of the issue, and the Pro and Con positions were described in a recent article in the Explorer.

CANDIDATES FROM THE EASTERN SECTION

Current national Vice President Carl Smith gives the ES one person on the Executive Committee. However, prior to Carl's election in 1999, it had been six years since Skip Hobbs was elected to the office of Secretary, in which he served two years. Prior to that, Jeff Greenawalt ran for Treasurer in 1992, Art Van Tyne defeated Bob Jordan for Secretary in 1989, and Gerry Friedman defeated Larry Woodfork for Vice President in 1984. The last President from the ES was John Moody in 1976-1977. Two things are clear: 1) it is hard, but not impossible, to get someone from the ES on the national ballot; and 2) it is hard, but again not impossible, to get them elected, unless they run against another ES member.

What I'm saying is, we need strong candidates from the ES to step forward and agree to throw their hats into the ring. If you would like to serve your association at the national level, let me know and we'll lay the groundwork now, even before my replacement is selected. It's never too early to start.

BUT, NOW IS THE TIME FOR HONORS AND AWARDS

June 1 is the deadline for submitting nominations for national Honors and Awards to Regina Gill at the Tulsa headquarters. You can either submit your nominations through me, or directly to Regina. If you choose the latter, please let me know so I can prepare to be a legitimate champion of your candidate at the summer AC Honors and Awards Committee meeting. During May, I will be working closely with our ES Honors and Awards Committee, chaired by Jeff Greenawalt, to identify those we have honored in the ES who should be nominated for national recognition.

EASTERN SECTION WHO=S WHO

Several years ago I began a compilation of everyone in the ES who has served as an officer or served on a committee to help put on one of our annual ES technical meetings. I did this to help our section committee find those who might have "fallen through the cracks" in the selection process, and to help me identify those worthy of national consideration.

Look for this compilation elsewhere on the ES website. A second listing also is provided, one that lists all previous awardees. So, you can check to see if your candidate has already received the award for which you are considering him or her before you make your nomination to Jeff or one of his committee members (Carl Smith and Brian Keith).

If I get some more ambition, I'll provide a list of national awardees from the ES to help you select candidates for national nominations (above).

Doug Patchen, AC Rep, 1996-2001

W. Va. Geological Survey

(304) 594-2331, or (304) 293-2867, x5443

dpatch@wvunrcce.nrcce.wvu.edu