Candidate for 2nd Vice-President

by Deborah F. Sauer, Candidate for 2nd Vice-President

My name is Deborah Sauer and I am writing to you about why I am running for second vice president and why I am qualified to serve in this office. I am running because I want to work with you to ensure that the STC serves you in the best way possible. I will represent your interests in this critical time of change. My professional career and STC experience gives me the skills necessary to achieve this.

I have clear priorities. You, the members, are first. The STC is a member-based organization. Everything in the STC, the board, the office, the communities (chapters and SIGs), exists because of you. In fact, it exists to serve you. The board is at the bottom of the organization; you, the members, are at the top. I want to find out how you want the STC to serve you and then work to implement that vision. Tell me what you want your organization to be in three years, five years, or ten years. I'll ensure that your voices are heard, not just the voices of the vocal few.

I am a leader and a manager. The Boston chapter experienced a great deal of change during my presidency. We changed our approach to managing our newsletter by creating an editorial team, we changed our approach to planning for the future by creating a strategic plan, and we changed the way we managed our chapter affairs by revising the chapter bylaws. I initiated, facilitated, and participated in these changes.

I am a team player. My experience on several annual conference program committees and as assistant to the president for conferences proves that I work well with individual members, committees, and the office staff. In managing the annual conference, I consult with leaders and members to ensure that we all have a balance of input before making changes or launching new initiatives. This experience will be useful in managing the Transformation as we need to consider all of the ramifications and make careful decisions before proceeding.

I can balance long-term vision with near-term results. While vision is important, the ability to execute it in a practical and timely fashion is critical. I have a proven history of taking input, processing it, distilling it, and acting on it with clarity and focus. I have done this in various aspects of my professional life, including my career as an employee, as the owner of a consulting business, and as an STC volunteer in the role of assistant to the president for conferences for the past five years.

I have listened to your input and provided results. Post-conference survey feedback from attendees showed that you felt that 30 concurrent sessions was too many. There are now about 20 concurrent sessions, so there's less risk of missing a session that you want to attend. Conference attendees also wanted more time in the exhibit hall. Now, you can visit the exhibits after the keynote session and there's extra time before lunch one day. There have been many other changes. So, you see, we've been listening to you.

I have a vision as to what the Society can be for you in the future. You said that you want more in-depth training. In October, 2005, the Society will offer the pilot program of what we hope will be a series of two-day training courses taught by well-known, experienced instructors. A variety of people contributed their ideas to this program, so I will not take sole credit. But, the idea started with the seeds you planted in your post-conference surveys, and my vision for what the Society can provide to its members. The pilot for the training program is just one aspect of that vision. We're working on other initiatives that will add value to your membership.

I am a diplomat. I have successfully managed difficult situations with positive results in which all parties feel that their needs have been addressed. I work to ensure that everyone feels that their concerns have been heard, that they have been treated fairly, and that they can live with the solution. These skills are important in managing the Transformation.

I hear your concerns about your relationship with the STC. The primary goal of the Transformation is to provide member value. Value as you define it, not as I define, it, or as the board defines it, or as the office defines it. Defining that value and providing it to you requires that the members, the board, and the office to work together. I have a proven track record of working well with all of these groups. I will work to provide member value while closing the gap that members feel between themselves (as individuals and as communities) and the Society (both the board and the office).

I foster an environment that encourages change, innovation, and idea exchange. We must have the vision to embrace change to our advantage. We must view change as an opportunity. It allows us to reinvent ourselves, or, in this case, reinvent your Society. This is your organization. You must provide the direction for the change.

As second vice president, I'll be your voice in a place where voices can sometimes get lost, to make sure that your voices are heard, and to help set the direction of the Society in light of what you, the members, want the Society to become. For these reasons, I am asking for your vote in the upcoming election. Let's work together to make a better STC.