From The President
H. Edward Reiley
Woodsboro, Maryland

Where have the years gone? This is my last message as your president and I leave with conflicting feelings. It will be nice to be released of the responsibilities, yet there are some projects I would like to carry further. Upon accepting the presidency, there were some goals which I reported to you and stated that we would see how well these goals were met. I will speak to them briefly here. An outstanding Board of Directors made meeting these goals possible.

1. While on the Education Committee this committee decided we needed a full color planting and care guide. Under Wayne Mezitt's chairmanship, along with Ed Reiley, Dee Daneri, and Sonja Nelson, we were able to put this together and distribute them along with a plant hang tag.

2. I envisioned a Rhododendron of The Year program and through much hard work by Laura Kentala and Len Miller this is well on the way. Most of the educational and ARS promotional activities of this committee will be coming up within the next two or three years.

3. A major goal was to activate our Test and Display Garden Committee. Tom Schuetz has done a great job starting this activity and you will hear much more about this in the future.

4. Another goal was to get Board minutes out to chapter presidents no later than two weeks after the meeting. Dee and our secretary are working on this and I believe this will soon be routine.

5. Most chapters have submitted and are updating the Proven Performer lists.

6. Our Endowment Committee is more active and Bill Mangels is doing a great job here.

7. The Resource Development Committee, chaired by Jack Root, offers much potential. This committee has the pre-conference loans program in place and more is to come. Dee and Mike Stewart are very active on this committee.

8. Our website is second to none, thanks largely to Bob Weissman, Don Smart, and Electronic Media Chair Dick Gustafson. I was of no help here, but certainly support this activity.

9. The Publicity Committee, chaired by Gerry Reynolds, is ready to go and will be a great assist in our educational outreach.

Others have contributed greatly as well. My report is only on major goals for the past two years. I feel very good about what has been accomplished. Much credit must go to committee chairs and a very professional and devoted Board of Directors. Without their help these goals would have been only dreams and I thank them all for their support and for their commitment to the ARS.

Thank you for electing me president and for your strong support. I'm not going fishing yet; there are still two more years on the Board as Immediate Past President. My best wishes go to Mike Stewart as he accepts the presidency for the next two years.