I am proud and honored that I have been granted the privilege of serving you, the membership of NAPPS, as your president for the coming year. Although it is a serious responsibility, the numerous expressions of support and offers of assistance I've received in recent weeks have been especially heartening. I appreciate this opportunity and I will do my best to earn the confidence and trust you have placed in me.
I am also grateful to the members present and voting in San Diego for selecting a team of dedicated professionals to serve with me on this year's Board of Directors. Of the five members who are new to the board this year, two of them have served previously and three are serving for the first time. Conversely, three of the four board members returning from last year are past presidents. I'm confident that this board will demonstrate a new energy and fresh ideas borne of "new blood", balanced by the proper amount of stability and experience. It should be an exciting year!
Although individual board members will have varying duties and responsibilities, we will be working together as a team with education and member service as two of our major goals. With these purposes in mind, the following committee assignments have been made:
2nd Vice President David Nill is developing and will chair a Membership Committee. As well as an ongoing membership drive, this new effort will involve extensive "member outreach". Among other things, it will determine what changes or benefits members might like to see.
Director John Perez will head up a revamped Education Committee. This may involve several possible types of educational efforts from state-level seminars to the possible creation and implementation of a NAPPS Professional Process Server Certification program. This committee may also have a hand in suggesting topics and identifying potential seminar speakers for our annual conferences.
Director Thomas MacDonald will continue to chair the Chartered State Association Committee. However, he will be overhauling this committee to adjust to the changing needs of state associations. One of his first tasks will be to gauge the need for another State Summit meeting or to determine if it might better serve the membership by changing the focus of this event.
There are many different areas in which the responsibilities of the Membership, Education and State Association Committees can overlap. David, John and Thomas are exploring some of these possibilities and will be working together to develop programs and events that will increase the impact of their respective committees. All three committees will provide ample opportunity for members to get involved.
Secretary Lee Russell is exploring various means of getting the "NAPPS Message" out to the paralegals and attorneys who might use the services of our members. We want to educate the legal community as to how and why NAPPS is different from advertising services that list anyone for a fee. We also want them to be able to find our website and use it. Toward this end, Lee will research how we go about positioning the NAPPS website near the top of each search engine's list.
Another educational tool at NAPPS' disposal is the Arbitration & Grievance Committee. Although people will be ejected from the association when our policies & procedures dictate, it is much better for us to correct errant members, whenever possible, and help them to grow into being better members. Toward this end, I am very pleased that Paul Tamaroff has agreed to continue to chair the Arbitration & Grievance Committee.
Courts and Technology is an ever-changing area that requires constant attention. Jeff H. Karotkin has had his finger on the pulse of this important issue for several years and he has graciously agreed to stay on as Chair of the Courts and Technology Committee.
At the San Diego Conference, the first ever "NAPPS / D.C. "Mac" MacDonald Award for Professionalism & Distinguished Service" was presented to Mac MacDonald, the person after whom the award was named. Treasurer Ron Ezell will head up the Awards Committee and be responsible for developing the criteria that will be used to determine who will be eligible to receive this award in future years.
In addition to providing their expertise to the State Association and continuing Education Committees, First Vice President MaryLee Rustand and Director Peter Lazetich will develop and co-chair a program, which MaryLee has dubbed the "Long Range Planning Committee". The LRPC mission is to identify non-dues revenue sources for NAPPS.
Director and Immediate Past President Fred Blum will chair the International Relations Committee.
If you are interested in helping to improve the association, don't hesitate to contact the chairperson of whatever committee interests you. If you have an idea for a committee or program you feel has been overlooked, please bring it to our attention. Everyone is welcome to be part of the team!
