A big congratulations go to Bob Fisher and Jerry Rosenthal for their appointments as President Emeritus to the Pioneers. They join a select group of past Pioneer Presidents who are recognized for their outstanding contributions. I would like to personally thank Jerry for his guidance and friendship as I take on the role of president. Jerry's leadership navigated us through the difficult process of selling the Jackson Ranch and restoring the Paulson House. He has fostered working relationships with both History San Jose and The Digital Clubhouse that will continue for years to come. I will be counting on Jerry's and Bob's insights and wisdom.

I would also like to take this opportunity to express my condolences to the family and friends of our past President, Jim Arbuckle. Jim passed away July 7 while doing what he loved to do, riding his bicycle. Jim introduced me to the Pioneer organization and was a personal friend. He was dedicated to promoting and preserving Santa Clara County's rich heritage. He will be missed.

Since I am a relatively new member of the board, I would like to introduce myself. I am a 53 year old San Jose native. My wife, Lynn, and I have two daughters. My family has deep roots in this area starting with the Ohlone and Californio periods. The balance of my ancestors came to this area in the mid to late 1800's from Great Britain and Sweden. I have had the pleasure of serving as the President of the Preservation Action Council of San Jose, chaired the Historic Landmarks Commission, served on the Planning Commission, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the San Jose Historical Museum. I hope to get to know all Pioneer members and look forward to hearing your "pioneering" stories.

My goals while serving in office are as follows:
1. Do no harm. The Pioneers have a long, proud history dating back 132 years. We have over 600 members, are financially stable, have a fantastic meeting center (the Paulson House), and have a small nucleus of board members and volunteers who dedicate their time to make this organization what it is today. I would like to Grow this Organization but, I would consider my term a failure should we alienate one individual who has helped us get to where we are today.
2. Stay true to our mission statement. It is critical that we focus on our mission statement to guide us as we determine our goals and objectives.
3. Expand and strengthen subcommittee structure. We need to ensure that all those who are interested in contributing and volunteering are given the opportunity to do so. Presently, too much of the work load rests on too few shoulders. If we wish to grow the organization, we must first increase the volunteer base.
4. Increase visibility of the Pioneer organization in the community. It is imperative that we better promote the Pioneers if we hope to attract a more diverse membership. Two ways we can accomplish this goal are by doing a better job of publicly honoring those who have gone before and re-establishing old Pioneer traditions such as the Grand Pioneer Bar-b-cue.
5. Expand education programs. We need to enhance our education programs and reach out to the youth of our community, in order to secure the future of the Pioneers.
6. Continue Pioneer financial stability. I hope that we, as a Board of Directors, will earn your trust and that we, as an organization, can develop collaborative programs that will interest and engage you. With that accomplished, I hope that you as a membership will contribute your time, energy, ideas and money to make our shared vision, a success.
I look forward to working with all of you to create that vision.