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Message from the President- Looking Back…

By Vivian Holmes posted 11-20-2014 13:34

  
Upon joining NCURA in 1993 I could not have imagined the NCURA of today let alone that I would have the honor and
privilege to represent us.  There have been so many experiences, tasks, events, and outstanding moments.   For each,
there has been a team of mentors, partners, colleagues, and friends.   I will take this unique opportunity to reflect on my
term as Vice President and President to send out a few thank-you’s to some who carried the weight right alongside me.

I do want to give a big shout out to the federal government, OMB in particular, for choosing 2014 to deliver an update to
eight circulars that had not been changed since we dialed rotary phones.  The Uniform Guidance has bonded our community and inspired a burst of training and education.

I’ll bet there were Vegas odds on whether an NCURA Annual Meeting held in August would be a success.   If so, we’re all winners. AM55, “the first” was a booming success, ask anyone who attended and thank Bruce Morgan, Susan Zipkin and a fantastic Program Committee for everything including the weather.

2014 FRA and PRA brought us to San Francisco where Program Chairs Mary Louise Healy, Tricia Callahan, Dave Lynch, and Lisa Mosely hit it out of the park, like Giants!! 

NCURA’s International Region 8 convened in Washington, DC for their first Annual Regional Meeting.  At the rate Region 8 is growing, I know this will be an historic meeting to recall. “Danke” to Agatha Keller and Annika Glauner.

Dave Richardson embarked on an INORMS adventure representing NCURA partnered with CAURA and SRA to host the 2014 INORMS Meeting in DC. Past President Richardson always makes us look so good, thank you Dave!

It was awesome to attend my Region 1 meeting as President and they were so good to me.  A great meeting, Michelle Auerbach, and thank you, Jeff Seo.  I had never attended a Region 2/3 joint meeting but I did this year and attended excellent sessions however I did not learn to wobble or cupid. Thank you Region 2 for the cruise and Region 3 for my pink t-shirt.  The first Regions to have a “spring meeting” in the fall, Regions 6/7 – thank you to Sam Westcott and Leslie Schmidt for welcoming me to your great workshops and discussion groups.


As part of our global initiatives, I attended Annual Meetings of other organizations and learned a great deal about our counterparts abroad who face familiar challenges.  Evidently, last minute proposals are universal.

As NCURA is a grantee of BILAT USA 2.0, a project funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme to enhance and develop scientific partnerships between the EU and the US, I had the opportunity to present on the topic of strengthening European institutions’ expertise in US Funding for Foreign Institutions. Partnered with Past President Pat Hawk and colleagues Eva Bjorndal and Regina Notz, we ran three day-long workshops in five days in three different countries. Someday, I’ll go back to those cities to actually see where I was.  It was hectic but rewarding in every way. Thank you, Jesse Szeto and Vera Kammann!

NCURA’s Board of Directors continues to strategize for the future on behalf of all of our members. Our Board has a range of talent and dedication to the organization. This group truly has a vision for NCURA that will serve us well into the future.  I want to thank each member of NCURA’s 2014 Board of Directors for being excellent colleagues and friends.


During these terms as Vice President and President, I have been extraordinarily supported by our national office and I am grateful for the support and the friendship you’ve extended to me.


Although I cannot list each mentor NCURA has provided me, in this role, Past Presidents have helped guide me and offered encouragement.  My sincere thanks to Jane, Kim, Bob, Dick, Pat, John, Dan, Pam, Jerry, Denise, David, Judy, and Steve.

I am happy to offer my total support to Michelle Vazin as she begins her term as President, and to Bob Andresen as President-elect.  I wish you the very best, my friends. 
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