By the time you read this the new officers and directors of the Lone Star Chapter will have been elected. Congratulations to the new president Kirk Kirkpatrick who serves as the Program Manager and Operations Analyst with Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, Texas who assumed the role of President in February 2009.   

Don Hartman, an Account Executive with GlassHouse Technologies will be serving as Vice- President. This will be a new role for Don who served as Acting President from November 2007 – August 2008 during my absence on military leave.  Don did a great job hosting LT GOV David Dewhurst that was well attended and provided contributions to the council and to other organizations.  

John Thompson a sales representative in DFW will be serving as Treasurer taking over from Pat King with Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control who held the post for many years.  

New board members elected in 2008 and in 2009 include: Steve Engel, Jim Gigliotti, Rich Linhart, Robert Malyska, Pres McGee, Steve Roser, Frank Swehosky, and Steve Thompson. These board members come from Hitachi Consulting, Bell Helicopter, Lockheed Aeronautics, Zedasoft, Inc. and Ernst & Young.   

I have appreciated serving as president since 2006 following Wayne Trimmer. With his mentorship and leadership and the help of the board and officers over the past year the Council has continued to move forward.  We created a website, hosted meetings with national and local leaders, donated to the ROTC programs, achieved Model Chapter Status with the National NDIA and grew from 609 members to 1,141 members as of February 2009. We are grateful to have two retired Admirals who serve on our Council – RADM William Retz and RDML Jim Lair. Both offer great counsel to our chapter.  Our new and revived board will continue to serve as we prepare for this next year.

Thanks to Molly Flanagan with the national NDIA program who would always answer requests and help with our email blasts to the entire counsel membership – those who gave their email address.  Our council can continue to grow and offer programs and analysis for the defense and commercial based industries in the Lone Star and north into Oklahoma.  

I plan to keep a column on the webpage and report on important events or matters.  With the help of Rita Arms, the Executive Secretary of the Lone Star who works the website we look forward to this year and to this new leadership