Happy New Year to All of You!

As we begin a new year I would like to wish each of you a healthy and prosperous new year. I was going to write something sarcastic but I am trying to abide by my new years resolution to try to be more positive and up beat. Twelve days down, 353 to go!

Seriously, we should all resolve to do something different this year. With the challenges we faced in 2009 that should not be a tough sell. As a Chapter, I would like our resolution to be to connect with every member of our chapter sometime during the year. It does not have to be much. In many cases, a phone call or a lunch invitation would be great.

To this end, you will be hearing about a Chapter-wide contest to be held over the course of the year we are calling “Just Lunch”. The concept is simple: call your peers and invite them over for lunch or a beer; send Sam Brewster an e-mail to tell him who, when and pass on any news that you gleaned from the gathering; and Sam will tally the connections. The region with the highest percentage of members touched will receive a traveling trophy at the next State Meeting and will have lunch served to them by the losers. Region Chairs, this is your cue to get the word out to your members.

Speaking of winners, we have several member accomplishments to recognize this year already. Congratulations to Marvin Jones, CCM (San Antonio Country Club), Peter Muller, CCM (Petroleum Club of San Antonio) and Bill Young, CCM (Escondido) for successfully achieving their CCM status. Congratulations to Dennis Petrash, CCM (Westwood Country Club) for achieving Honor Society status. Congratulations to Christina Toups, CCM, CCE (Ridglea Country Club) for earning her CCE designation.  Lastly, congratulations to Richard Lareau, CCM, ECM (The Briar Club) for his Excellence in Club Management award. You guys are awesome!

Finally, let me close by sharing some C.S. Lewis: “With the possible exception of the equator, everything begins somewhere”. So, let our quests to connect begin with you. If you have something interesting going on in your life or someone you know, please share it with us. It is the human side that connects us.
 
John Finley