The Torch Magazine

From the President

This will be my last article for The Torch, as my term as your President will end in June. A retiring President is expected to write a valedictory piece, listing all his accomplishments over the previous years, but even though I am proud of my stewardship of IATC during my terms as a Director and Officer, I would rather look forward to the future.

    Norine Haas, our incoming President, will be a good Torch leader, one supported by a very engaged and active Board of Directors.

    As far as I can determine, our membership has remained steady with a possible growth of 5% or more since the beginning of the Torch year. If that growth can be sustained, it will be the first time in many years that Torch has grown. Given the hard work of our Director at Large for Membership, George Heron, I expect that growth to continue.

    Under the leadership of Jim Coppinger, our Communications Committee Chairman, and our editor Dr. Paul Scott Stanfield, the Torch magazine is undergoing a continuous change for the better. New Board member Dr. George Conklin has dramatically heightened the magazine’s web presence. Publication costs have been and will continue to be reduced, even though new features will be added. The 2014-15 Torch Year will also see a streamlined article submission system.

    At the Board of Directors Winter Retreat, we also closely reviewed our website. There, too, we can expect improvements at a reduced cost. Many non-profit organizations are finding that the cost of a website has increased, and now is the right time for IATC to hold the line. The upcoming Torch year will also see improvements in how IATC responds to requests for service from the local clubs.

    However, all is not rosy. Our 2014-15 draft budget has an unacceptable shortfall. Neither President-Elect Haas nor I support a dues increase, and there are a number of proposals under consideration to reduce or eliminate the deficit.

    The Annual Meeting at the Convention, as you know, is where IATC business is conducted. At one of the early sessions, I plan to present a first time “State of Torch” address that will outline where we have been and what I think the future will be. We have also programmed additional time to discuss membership development and the future of Torch. The St. Catharine’s Torch Club has a tradition of doing everything well, and Jerry Bass, our Director at Large for Conventions, has been working closely with the St. Catharine’s Annual Meeting and Convention Committee to make this an outstanding event. I look forward to seeing you all there.

Charles Carlson
President.