The National Association of Campus Card Users (NACCU) Annual Meeting is always a great event, but this year was special. The crowd was large, the education was fresh and strong, and the events and social activities were first class.  

To express my appreciation and extend the praise that I heard from so many at the conference, I want to congratulate the association’s board of directors: Your San Antonio conference was a first-rate event that, in nearly every facet, surpassed previous NACCU events and rivaled any of the “larger” higher ed conferences I have attended in recent years.

Conference chairs, Cindy Vetter from the University of Northern Colorado and Dianna Norwood from Florida State University, did an amazing job. As well, the rest of the NACCU board deserves our thanks for their efforts during the conference and throughout the year.   Thank you Shirley Everson, University of Minnesota, Jane Barrantes, Santa Clara University, John Beckwith, Loyola Marymount University, Art Gallagher, Johnston and Wales, Mark Kuchefski, Indiana University, and Kathleen Kelly, Carlton University. And certainly, the association’s staff-Kevin Pearcey and Pat Faulkinberry-was instrumental in making it all come together.

Orchestrating an event of this magnitude is no easy task. By my rough estimates, the NACCU team had to successfully coordinate more than 2000 meals, 1500 hotel room nights, and 100 hours of educational sessions and speakers.   An event of this size likely means one-half million dollars in revenue for businesses in the host city and peripheral service providers. And remember that the conference chairs and the association board are volunteers-doing all this work on their own time after they have put in a full day on campus.

Several board members have concluded their term of service.   To Cindy Vetter, Art Gallagher, and Mark Kuchefski we thank you for your dedicated service.   Filling their ‘big shoes’ are Dale Witenhoefer, Arizona State University, Charles Giles, Sinclair Community College, and Gerald Inman, Rhode Island School of Design.   Welcome and thank you for agreeing to take on this important role. Likewise, we welcome Lowell Adkins as NACCU’s new Executive Director.

For all those who benefit from NACCU or any other association, I remind you to not take for granted the volunteer boards. Too often it is a thankless job.   When you have the opportunity, thank the board members for their service and let them know you appreciate their efforts.   They do the job not for financial gain or praise, but simply to better the industry. Let them know that their efforts don’t go unnoticed.

Chris Corum
Editor
[email protected]