President's Message

Looking Back on 2001 and Ahead to 2002

By Hans Fenstermacher

2001 was probably not the ideal year for many of us. But, at this traditional time of stock-taking and reflection, I look back on the Boston STC Chapter and its accomplishments last year, and I can't help but smile. We can be darn proud of ourselves! Let me share some of the reasons:

• The 2001-2002 program season has been off to a phenomenal, even roaring, start. We have held a program every month since September, and we have had record turnouts. Our goal this year had been to have at least one program with 100 or more attendees, and we have had three so far! One event brought in nearly 150 participants. So, thanks to all of you who have continued to support us. And thanks to the hard-working Programs team members who keep putting together these superb events!
  
  
• We are very pleased to have so many non-STC members at our programs this year. Quite a few have joined STC since, and we welcome their commitment and participation as we move forward. Our Membership team has been doing an awesome job of attracting and serving Boston Chapter members.
  
  
• Competitions 2001 came off beautifully. Even in a tough economic climate and under the cloud of the events of September 11, we put together a great event with the help of the Competitions team, and we were rewarded with great entries and supportive judges. The capstone of Competitions 2001 will be our STACIES banquet on February 7, which promises to be an event to remember. You don't want to miss this one. Thanks to the whole Competitions staff for making this year's competitions such a success!
  
  
• Our annual InterChange Conference in October was a big hit. Once again, despite tough economic and political circumstances, attendance was surprisingly strong and the conference sessions full of extremely useful content. The conference garnered uniformly high marks, and that's a direct reflection on the InterChange committee's hard work. Thank you all.
  
  
• Somewhat behind the scenes, we have been making great strides, too. Our PR teams have been very busy spreading the word about STC to the community at large, and we have an updated Chapter e-brochure in the works that will knock your socks off. (Stay tuned!) We are getting great feedback from the corporate and academic communities in the form of new sponsors for our chapter. Our Web site, the Hub of the Boston Chapter, is alive with constantly new features (check our members' profile bank, for instance) and information. We continue to look to the Broadside as a source of great pride for our chapter, thanks to the dedicated work of the newsletter team. Efforts by our SIG (Special Interest Group) team have created renewed vigor and interest. And we are especially encouraged by the growing connections our chapter is forging with the student community in and around Boston, thanks to targeted efforts by our Student Involvement team.

As I look back on all this and more, I realize—and I hope all of you do, too—that none of these accomplishments could happen without the dedicated time and effort of the volunteers who work on and with the Boston STC Chapter Council. As president, I'm pleased and proud to be working with all of you, and I look forward to many more great things as we move into 2002.

Looking Ahead...

As we enter this new year, let's look forward with hope and renewed determination, but also with an appreciation for the people and richness around us. In that spirit, I'd like to share with you an ancient Sanskrit verse that I recently came upon. This year, it seems to be particularly relevant because of the upbeat message that it holds for all of us:

Salutation for the Dawn
Look to this day for it is life,
The very life of life.
In its brief course lie all the verities
  And realities of your existence;
The bliss of growth,
The glory of action,
The splendor of beauty.
For yesterday is but a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision.
But today well lived makes every yesterday
  A dream of happiness and every tomorrow
  A vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day.
—Kalidasa

Hans Fenstermacher (hansf@architext-usa.com) is president of the Boston Chapter STC. In his day job, he is president and founder of ArchiText Inc., a provider of localization and globalization services.