Friday, October 16, 2009

Message from the President to Members of NBUA

It is with great humility and sense of great responsibility that I accept the office of President of NBUA.  We are a strong, vibrant, and dynamic organization, and I look forward to doing everything I can to help us move into the next season and seasons beyond.

The actual labor of making this entity work is vast and diverse.  We are only successful because so many people have stepped up to volunteer their time, skills, and efforts for NBUA.  Please join me in thanking everyone who has contributed in any way.

Most importantly, all of us owe a great deal of thanks and gratitude to President Rich Johnson.  No person over the past 5 years has worked more diligently and selflessly to help and grow this Association.  His dedication, skills, and professionalism have led us to successfully resolve many problems we have faced over the past few years.  We are the best “professional-amateur” umpire organization I know of, very much due to the work of Rich Johnson.

I am especially thankful for the dedicated people who assisted our efforts with Training over the past 4 years.  I love it that people come here and experience our curriculum and our methods and go, “Wow”.  Every volunteer to that effort contributed to that “Wow” effect.  Gary Coy is an experienced Senior Trainer and a tenured member of the Board and I have every confidence that he will do a fantastic job in 2010.  Please give him every assistance you can.

I am pledging to the membership Openness and Inclusion.  We will work to improve our communications vehicles and timeliness.  We do not work in secret and this is YOUR organization.  Tell us how we can serve you, and we will respond.  Note that we have just published an invitation for volunteers to either join committees or assist with any of their many tasks.  Want to be part of the infrastructure of this organization?  There are plenty of opportunities.

I and the entire Board look forward to the challenges ahead.  Got any ideas?  Let us know.

Mike Brancheau
President