A few years back, a fellow breed club president called to ask if I would share my tricks on how to make a breed association the success that he sees we are at NSBA. I had to admit that I knew no tricks, that being the leader of NSBA is much like being the conductor of a symphony orchestra. The workers make the music, I only keep the beat. It is everybody, and I mean everybody, doing the job that they signed on to do. I've said this many times during my presidency, and it merits being said again - We truly are like our breed of choice. Saanens are calm and cooperative in all ways, the first to show up at the parlor to work, steadfast producers even in the hottest summers and the coldest winters, with heads down and ears up diligently working for that milk check. It is the temperament of the Saanen breeder that makes NSBA such a success. It has been my honor to serve as president for such a strong, reliable work force. In 1998 when I came on board, the internet was just coming into common usage. It was exciting to be able to be in contact with other officers and NSBA members through email. Expensive phone calls were now a thing of the past. Communication became easy. We were able to discuss NSBA matters and make decisions quickly rather than the six to eight week process we had in place before the internet. The internet gave us the ability to grow in leaps and bounds. By 2000, we had a state-of-the-art web site designed by Joyce Lazzaro, which she still maintains today. We began to create programs that would honor those animals and herds who lead our industry. Linda Pearson created the Total Doe program. Jim Kirk created the One Day Test Awards program. I updated the DHI Awards program and created the Linear Appraisal Awards program. A few years later, Lisa Shepard created the Total Buck program. Most recently, the Young Sire program was created in collaboration by NSBA members too numerous to list. We've done many things to continue to promote the Saanen. We've had a presence at every convention and at most national shows. We have an outstanding breed brochure that was first designed by Lindsay Beyer in 1999. For our year-long centennial celebration in 2004, Krystal McManus designed a new layout for our Saanen brochure that gave us an unparalleled breed brochure in the dairy goat industry. Sue Estrada designed our centennial logo, which we used in all of our promotions throughout 2004. Our 100th Birthday Party held during the week of convention was a huge success. Fran Brown came up with the idea of having a birthday party. Fran's ideas were brought to fruition by Monica Kaplewski and Meg DeWitt. Monica arranged for cakes adorned with our new logo, and the cakes were displayed on Monica's handmade Saanen tablecloth. Meg arranged for white plates with purple napkins and party favors of chocolate coins and purple pens. Meg also set up the NSBA display board which she had covered with photos of beautiful Saanens. The week was topped off with another Saanen News newsletter award at the Friday night banquet. Convention 2004 was yet another example of a NSBA team effort to make a splash promoting the Saanen! In a sea of cooperative workers here at NSBA, we have two ladies who deserve special accolade. Joyce Lazarro, Web Site Editor, and Sue Estrada, Newsletter Editor, have been the backbone of NSBA for many years. An organization's media personnel will make or break an organization that has a nationwide membership. Our media team of Joyce and Sue are superb. NSBA members can count on receiving their four newsletters a year in a timely way, and can count on "seeing it first" at our web site. Just as the Saanen shows up at the parlor on the coldest winter morning ready to milk, Joyce and Sue are tireless workers who have done their jobs with diligence through thick and thin. Joyce served as District 8 Director for many years and compiles our Show Champions list each year in addition to keeping our web site on the cutting edge. No other breed club comes close to matching the quality web site that Joyce does for us. Sue has worn many hats here at NSBA - District 8 Director, All American Chair, History Chair, Elections Chair - in addition to serving as editor of the Saanen News. Our newsletter has won the prestigious ADGA award for top newsletter in the country several times in the last decade under Sue's editorship. My last act as president is to tip my hat to both ladies as I go out the door. Joyce and Sue are the best workers I've ever known in my 20 years of volunteering in goat organizations. Please thank them when you next see them. It has been a wonderful experience to get to lead such a great group of breeders who share the common goal of promoting the Saanen Breed. The next Saanen News will bring you a new leader with new ideas. Please support our new president as you have supported me. Yours in Saanens,
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