Hey, have you ever thought of running for the Board?
It’s 9 March, and that means the STC elections open today! Be sure to check your email for the link to the ballot site and your special pass code to access it. Choosing the newest leaders to take STC into the future is always an important moment in our year, so please exercise your member right to do so and vote!
All this is making me remember when I was first approached about running for Director. I say “approached,” because it never entered my mind to do such a thing. I was quite happy managing one of the Society level international competitions, when a good friend (and then member of the Nominating Committee, or NomCom) thought I’d be a good candidate for the position. In fact, this person literally chased me through the Baltimore Convention Center to tell me so. There I was, wandering around, talking to people, browsing the bookstore, and making my way to the next session, when I thought I heard my name being called out. The voice got louder and louder and louder, until I was sure I heard my name! (It was a BIG hall.) I stopped and turned around; he stopped and caught his breath, and then he said, “Hey, have you ever thought of running for the Board? I think you would make a great Director!” I said, “Whuh? You chased me down the hall here to ask me that?” I was incredulous. But, that’s where and how it all started, in May 2004, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Beginning in May 2010, we’ll be looking for more members who are interested in running for the Board and the Nominating Committee (also elected positions), so whether you have or have not thought of running for the Board (or the NomCom), now might be a nice time to start thinking about it.
Our current Immediate Past President, Mark Clifford, will be the 2010-2011 Nominating Committee chair. Mark will be holding at least one session during the upcoming conference to discuss open Board and NomCom positions. Look for an announcement of when this session is planned; or feel free to email Mark at mark@cliffordsells.com for more information.
Also, did you know that you can suggest someone else to the NomCom for consideration for one of these roles? Perhaps you know someone who you think would “make a great Director!” If you do put a name forward, the NomCom will follow up directly with that person to ascertain their interest in a position.
So, hey, have you ever thought about running for the Board? I think you really should!
Cindy,
Like your story and the cute avatar!
I’ve seen similar stories from others, re being tracked down at conferences.
Ed
My story is similar to yours, Cindy. No one ran after me, but it was also at an STC conference, and we were having dinner. A member of the Nominating Committee asked me to run. I thought, “Really!? You want me to run?” It was not even on my radar of things to do. I was already serving as a competition judge, speaker at various technical communication events, and advocate for Summit first-timers. But here I am running for Nominating Committee.
I can’t remember when I was approached (presumably, it was at the Baltimore conference in 2004), but I remember that the concept was not on my radar either. I first ran for office in 2005 as a Region 7 Director-Sponsor candidate against John Hedtke, and lost. My 3rd try at office was successful, and I was on the STC Nominating Committee from 2007-2009. Now I’m running again for Secretary in 2010. I continue to want to serve STC, and I feel as Secretary I can do that.