My Time in the Hot Seat…

In July of 2011 I started my journey as President of the Professional Photographers of California.  It was an honor being asked to serve and an amazing and challenging experience that I will not soon forget.  Now, 2 years later, my time as Chairman of the Board – the position President’s move to following their term – is winding down.  With one quarterly board meeting to go in October this journey is feeling very nearly over.    As you might expect this is a bit bittersweet.  My involvement with PPC goes back a long way and through many, many different tasks and positions.  From brute labor convention volunteer, ethics committee, Digital Cafe chairperson, Bylaws re-writer, Affiliate chairperson, (4 years) Director, (2 years) Secretary, 2nd Vice President, 1st Vice President, President (18 months) and now Chairman of the Board. I can’t even begin to describe the personal fulfillment I experienced being able to make a meaningful contribution to a cause dear to me and seeing my window for that closing is the bitter, but there is sweet in the dozens and dozens of friendships and relationships I’ve made that will continue, and of course, to see the admittedly difficult burden of responsibility pass to others who have stepped up to shoulder the heavy lifting in their turn.  I’m gratified to see the leadership shift, but saddened to see it go.  I hope I make a good ex-leader.  🙂

As a professional photographer living, working and playing photography I firmly believe it is vitally important that I’m an active, contributing member of all the trade groups that separate me from just any old person with a camera who’ll take money to push a button.   Part of being a member of those groups is being involved, and that is a choice I happily make.