Welcome members and guests!!

2008 is already off to a great start. We have been on some excellent tours in the first quarter (see the Photos and Meeting Announcement pages) and have several tours and panels already planned for the rest of the year.

There is a renewed excitement taking place in the organization. We want to thank Hirsch Bedner Associates for joining us recently as corporate sponsors. I encourage all of you who are not members to consider joining today. An organization can only stay alive if existing members bring in new members, so invite your associates to join you at a meeting to let them see how fun it is and how it might benefit them. You can go to our membership section and print off an application to mail in. There are great benefits to becoming a member. Most join for the contacts the organization can give, but this association is truly fun. Many strong friendships have developed from HIA.

As always, I must thank Don Howard for his hard work. The programs put on by HIA are second to none in the consistent quality presented. Dave Marten and Mort Landsberg are consistent help in advertising/mailing and Dave additionally with the treasury. Kathleen Smith from Wulfwerks has been a great addition in improving our website as well as with communications. There have been others who have helped when asked and I thank them.

One opportunity that is available for more members to provide service is check-in. If you would like to help on a periodic rotating basis, please call me at 650.245.4505. Another area where you can help is to help schedule programs with Don. If you know of a potential program (maybe a project you were involved in and would like to showcase) call Don at 415.334.0397 and let him know.

I look forward to seeing all of you at future meetings!!

Rich Buchner
President