Winter 1999 ESP Newsletter

The Alpha Tau Chapter presented three awards during the UO/E Annual Conference. Mrs. Ruth Mellor received the Friend of Extension Award, Terry Gatewood the State Meritorious Support Service Award, and Dale Watson, Outstanding Regional Faculty Award.

The Alpha Tau Chapter welcomes new members Chris Beaugard, South Central Region Consumer and Family Economics Specialist; Shelley Bush, East Central Region Community Development Specialist; Glenda Kinder, West Central Region Nutrition Specialist; Sandra McKinnon, Northeast Region Consumer and Family Economics and Information Technology Specialist; Susan Mitchell, Northwest Region Human Environmental Sciences Specialist; Brenda Procter, State Consumer and Family Economics Specialist; Ron Turner, UO/E Executive Vice President and Director; and Barbara Willenberg, State Food and Nutrition Specialist. Retirees Jerry Carpenter and Glenda Hawkins became ESP Life Members.

The Alpha Tau Chapter once again sponsored and hosted an ice cream social for all annual conference participants. An estimated 500 colleagues were served the very best from MU's Buck's Ice Cream Parlor.

The annual Alpha Tau business meeting was held during annual conference, featuring recognition of retirees, remembering those who died since the last annual meeting, reports by all committees, acceptance of new members, and installation of new officers.

Alpha Tau Chapter members hosted eight downlink sites for the National Professional Development Program on "Building a Learning Organization for the 2lst Century." The program received positive feedback from across the country. ESP national officers are planning similar programs for the future.

My first duty as President of the Alpha Tau Chapter is to thank Dale Hagerman for his leadership. Dale passed the reins of an organization in sound condition.

At this point, having had one board meeting, prospects are good for another year of solid service to and by ESP members. This year will prepare the Alpha Tau Chapter to enter the year 2000 with renewed commitment to service by and for its members and University Outreach and Extension in general. While it is tempting to use 1999 as time to make lists of things to begin to accomplish in the new century, we must resist this temptation and continue in a proactive mode. The Membership Committee headed by Mel Zielinski, Professional Improvement headed by Susan Mills-Gray and Awards Committee headed by Gail Carlson all have action plans for 1999. 1 trust that anyone called upon by these committees to lend a helping hand will do so.

Having had the opportunity to attend the annual National ESP Meeting, I was impressed on a couple of fronts. First, that this annual session has made significant progress toward becoming truly a professional development conference. This activity is no longer a gathering of ESP officers but is attracting a broad range of both active and retired Extension staff to a broad array of professional development offerings. Keep the December, 1999, Indianapolis meeting in mind as you consider professional development opportunities.

Secondly, I was impressed that this organization has maintained focus on its five-year plan, has tracked progress per that plan and is now in the process of updating and extending the plan. This effort was initiated during the tenure of our former Missouri, now Illinois, colleague Pat Buchanan and is paying great dividends.

I also had the opportunity to attend the North Central Regional Leadership Development Meeting sponsored by the Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP). This session featured a presentation preparing individuals to participate in the national Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) meeting in Washington, D.C. At PILD, representatives of Extension staff organizations study the national scene and meet with members of each state's legislative delegation. Here again, ESP is providing significant leadership in telling the Extension story at the national level.

I was reminded at the regional meeting that the number of ESP members applying for ESP sponsored scholarships, awards, and interest-free loans continues to be very limited. Anyone interested in this information can contact an ESP board member or go directly to the National ESP website http://ESP-nat.tamu-edu

Awards Committee Chair Gail Carlson reminds all of us that recognition is one of the primary objectives of ESP. Award categories include:

In the not too distant future you will have the opportunity to nominate colleagues for any and all of these awards. Your ESP Board encourages you to make the time to submit nominations for deserving colleagues.

Jim Ollar	President
Karla Spencer	President-Elect
Bob Schultheis	Secretary
Tom Henderson	Treasurer
Dale Hagerman	Past President
Dale Hagerman	Nominations
Gail Carlson	Awards
David Lindell	Memorials
Eldon Cole	Annalist
Susan Mills-Gray	Professional Development
Pat Snodgrass	Loan and Fellowship
Melvin Zielinski	Membership

Web Manager: Bob Schultheis
Webster County Extension Center
Email comments to: schultheisr@missouri.edu
Last revised: 11/05/09