[Travelandtourism] Qualifications and Announcement About Running for Division Secretary

[Mary Donahue]

Good evening everyone,

    I think Madam President will be pleased that I am back on this list, as 
it's been almost a year since I was. It seems like yesterday, but then 
sometimes, it seems ages ago.

    At any rate, I want to post why I want to run for division secretary. 
First of all, as far as my qualifications are concerned, I feel as though I 
am very qualified to run for the position of secretary. First, when I was 
still on the state board of the Wisconsin affiliate, I filled in for the 
secretary a couple of times when she had to leave early, and then gave her 
the notes later on. When I was a member of the Austin, Texas Chapter, I was 
Chapter secretary for two and a half terms, and would have continued, but a 
job in San Antonio came as a priority. Luckily, there was another member of 
the Austin Chapter who was very good at taking her notes in shorthand, and 
filled in as interim secretary after I left. In 1990, I was voted in as 
corresponding secretary of the San Antonio Chapter, which mainly had to do 
with writing letters and sending out cards to members if necessary. In 1992 
and 1994 I was elected as secretary of the San Antonio Chapter until 1996, 
when I decided not to run for that position. However, in 1996, I was elected 
as secretary of the National Association of Blind Secretaries and 
Transcribers, now the National Association of Blind Office Professionals. I 
was re-elected again in 1998. In addition, in 1998, I was elected as 
secretary of the National Association of Blind Musicians. I was reelected 
for that office in 2000, and held that position until 2002, when I could not 
make the convention because of a job change. Finally, in 2009, the San 
Antonio Chapter secretary was called away to enroll in graduate school out 
of state, and I filled in as interim secretary, and from 2010-2011, I served 
as Chapter secretary when I was elected. I stepped down in January, 2011 
because of another Chapter commitment. However, that commitment will not 
stop me from running for Travel and Tourism Division secretary.

    When we have the phone conference elections, I will have my Pac Mate 
ready and waiting to take notes. In addition, I will have the phone on 
speaker phone so I can take notes hands-free.

    At any rate, if anyone has questions, please feel free to email me. But 
those are my qualifications in a nutshell. It is great to be back on list!
d
Mary Donahue

"Be well, do good work, and keep in touch."
Garrison Keillor