[Nfbmt] David Andrews

[d m gina]

David AndrewsTo:david.andrews at nfbnet.orgSubject:[nfb-talk] Fwd: 
[Nfbv-announce] Retirement of Dr. Maurer

> From: "Fredric Schroeder" <fschroeder at sks.com>;
> To: "NFBV Announce" <nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org>;
> Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2013 11:12:29 -0500
> Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Retirement of Dr. Maurer

> Friends:



> Over the weekend, I participated in a meeting of the board of directors 
> of >the National Federation of the Blind. The meeting was held at our 
> national >headquarters in Baltimore.



> As you know, Dr. Marc Maurer has been our national president since 
> 1986. He >has served as president longer than any of our previous 
> presidents and has >guided us through a period of unprecedented growth 
> and change. It was under >Dr. Maurer's leadership that we established 
> the Jernigan Institute and all >of the programs that have been so 
> successful in demonstrating the truth of >our assertion that given 
> proper opportunity and training, blind people can >live and work as others.



> In particular we have developed many programs designed to provide blind 
> >children and youth with the skills and confidence they need to compete 
> fully >in their education and to develop their life ambitions. We have 
> conducted >the Youth Slam, Science Academy, and more recently the BELL 
> programs. >


> In the area of technology under Dr. Maurer's leadership we developed 
> the >KNFB Reader Mobile allowing blind people to have immediate access 
> to print >with nothing more than a cell phone and special software. And 
> then there was >the Blind Driver Challenge. There is no question that 
> lack of access to >reliable transportation remains a major barrier for 
> blind people. Yet, the >Blind Driver Challenge showed that we could 
> develop the technology to enable >a blind person to drive a car, not 
> simply sit passively in a car that drives >itself.



> These are the expressions of Dr. Maurer's leadership. Yet at the heart 
> of >his leadership is his spirit and his belief in every blind person. 
> He has >inspired and encouraged us, faced the most difficult challenges 
> with >resolution and strength, and he has kept us together, and never 
> let us >waiver in our belief in our own right to live normal, 
> productive lives. >


> On Saturday afternoon Dr. Maurer told the board that it is his 
> intention to >not seek reelection to the presidency next summer at our 
> national >convention. He feels the time is right to transition to the 
> next president, >the next individual who can lead us for a quarter 
> century or more. Dr. >Maurer is in good health and believes that it is 
> important that he step down >from the presidency while he is able to 
> assist with the transition. Dr. >Maurer told the board that he, Dr. 
> Maurer, plans to support Mr. Mark >Riccobono as the next president of 
> the National Federation of the Blind. >


> Mr. Riccobono presently serves as the Executive Director of the 
> Jernigan >Institute. He is an accomplished individual with the strength 
> and wisdom to >assume the serious responsibility of leading our 
> movement. He has brought to >his work the imagination and competency we 
> demand from our president. >


> We are truly fortunate that within the Federation we have individuals 
> who >are able and willing to give all they have to furthering our move 
> toward >true equality. The demands of the NFB presidency are 
> unimaginable. We >require our leader to give all of his time, all of 
> his imagination, and all >of his personal reserve of judgment to 
> leading our organization. This is >what Dr. Maurer has done for the 
> past 27 and a half years, and it is what >Mark Riccobono will do for 
> the time of his presidency.



> The transition brings to an end one chapter in our history and what a 
> >glorious chapter it has been. We cannot face the loss of Dr. Maurer's 
> >leadership without a sense of sadness; but the transition to a new 
> president >is not just the absence of what we had before. The 
> transition heralds a new >chapter in our history and with it, new 
> opportunities-the chance to take all >that has come before and build 
> something bigger and more powerful than we >have ever known.



> Please join me in thanking Dr. Maurer for his leadership, his 
> friendship and >his faithful devotion to our cause; and please join me 
> in wishing Mark >Riccobono the very best as he seeks to take the 
> foundation that is all that >has come before and build upon it the next 
> great chapter in our history. >

-- 
--Dar
skype: dmgina23
  FB: dmgina
www.twitter.com/dmgina
every saint has a past
every sinner has a future