President's Letter: Reflecting on a Year Well Spent

July 27, 2020

As I sit here and I write my final President’s Letter, I’m reflecting on the past year. It’s hard not to think about the trials and tribulations over the past four to five months in particular.

Yet, as I take the time and think before COVID-19, I think about all the good things I experienced as FNGLA president: many Chapter installations and meetings, golf and fishing tournaments and charity events. All that good stuff! I got to meet a lot of new people and interact with FNGLA members in many Chapters.

I was really honored last July to accept this role as president of our Association. It means a great deal to me that FNGLA members would elect me to fill this position. I hope I lived up to everything you expected me to accomplish. It has been a great honor.

Despite all the traveling and the time away from home and my business, it was 100 percent worth it.

I just feel honored.

I wish to thank all of the executive officers who helped me with their support through this past year: FNGLA Immediate Past President Will Womack, FNGLA President-Elect Martin Hackney, and FNGLA Secretary/Treasurer Sarah Spatola. I also wish to thank my Chapter (FNGLA’s Northeast Chapter), my family and my friends for their support in helping me fulfill this role as president.

Moving ahead: I look forward to Martin Hackney taking the reigns as FNGLA’s 2020-21 President. I know he’ll do a great job!

I’m hopeful in the coming months we can get past this pandemic and look to returning to holding in-person Chapter meetings. I also can’t wait to get back on the road to visit any FNGLA Chapters I may have missed during my term.

And, even though FNGLA’s 2020 Annual Convention was postponed to June 11-12, 2021 on St. Augustine Beach, I congratulate all of this year’s FNGLA Industry Award winners. Hopefully, next year, we’ll be able to properly acknowledge their incredible milestones!

In closing, being FNGLA’s 2019-20 President is probably one of the greatest accomplishments I’ve ever attained in my life. It’s meant a lot to me. I encourage anyone who gets this opportunity to jump at it – you won’t be disappointed.

I wish everyone the best and I look forward to getting together with you all – sometime in the future post-COVID.

ShawnThomas.sig