President's Message:

The very successful NAAWS Training Conference in Cleveland is now behind us and we’re anxiously looking forward to Memphis in ’09, as CCA’s Kevin Myers and other great Tennessee folk start the planning process.  But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  The Ohio Host Committee, co-chaired by Warden Frank Shewalter of Cleveland, needs some recognition.  They really put on a wonderful conference.  The long hours of work and detailed planning essentially guaranteed that the event would be good, but I believe even the committee was a little surprised at just how well things turned out. 

The revised Constitution and By-Laws draft is the next thing on our agenda.  During a very productive meeting in Cleveland, the Officers and Board made some suggestions that generated changes to the original draft sent out several weeks ago.  Those suggestions have been incorporated into the new document and we will soon be voting on a new Constitution and By-Laws.  If adopted, we will have accomplished the second of our two goals for this term. 

The third goal of bringing younger members into active roles in the association will occupy most of my attention over the next 16 months.  I’ve always seen membership as the hardest nut to crack for any professional organization.  But this initiative is critical to the ongoing and future stability of NAAWS.  Here is our strategy.

First, as our younger members step up and prove that they are engaged and active, we are responding by putting them in leadership positions.  Most recently, I appointed Ed Banks, previously serving on the Board of Directors, to the vacant Sergeant-at-Arms Office and appointed Frank Shewalter to the Board of Directors.  The next part of our strategy is to establish membership as a priority to our Officers and Board Members.  In the case of Ed and Frank, they have had their role explained to them in no uncertain terms: to recruit and involve young deputy/associate/assistant wardens and superintendents, bringing them solidly into the NAAWS fold.  The last piece of this plan is to accept the responsibility of developing the new members into the type of active NAAWS members and leaders we have grown to admire and emulate over the years.  While NAAWS is modernizing and updating in many other ways, one staple of our association should never change:  we need to continue to pass on the character, wisdom, and passion that we were so fortunate to be exposed to when we joined this organization.

The 2008 Congress of Corrections in New Orleans will be one of the best ever for NAAWS members.  First, NAAWS will showcase the completed New Orleans playground in the Ninth Ward, one of the three Make A Smile project locations.  Then we will crown Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc of Louisiana as Warden of the Year at our annual banquet.  And, as if all that were not enough, we will celebrate with Executive Director Art Leonardo as he accepts the E.R. Cass Award.  If for some reason you thought you would not be able to make this trip, I suggest you go back into your calendar or planner and take another look…you really do not want to miss this one.

I so look forward to seeing you all in New Orleans.  Every day I thank God that I am associated with so many wonderful people, and I certainly count my fellow NAAWS members among that group.

Mark