As you know from the Board meeting, Andrea Hartlage has had to step down as Vice Director because of her change in residence. Greg Sarratt just sent the following message to Southeastern Division members. A web story will be posted around midday. Dave K1ZZ Message Subject: ARRL Southeastern Division Vice-Director Appointment Dear ARRL Southeastern Division members, Today ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN has appointed James Millsap WB4NWS of Acworth, GA to the position of ARRL Southeastern Division Vice-Director. The current ARRL Southeastern Division Vice-Director Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM recently graduated from Georgia Tech and has accepted a job offer in Virginia. Andrea will be moving her residence to Virginia, and this move out of the Division requires ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN to appoint a replacement Vice-Director. Andrea wanted to send a personal message to all Southeastern Division members, regarding this leadership change. Her comments are below. While I am incredibly excited about my new career and my future, it has not come without cost. I am sad to report that because of my move outside of my division, I am no longer eligible to serve as Southeastern Division Vice-Director. I assure you that this decision has not been an easy one; in fact, it has been one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make. I thought long and hard about it, but in the end, I had to look at the big picture and choose the path that puts me in a position to pursue my future goals, both personal and professional. It has been my pleasure serving as your Vice-Director. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting each of you at hamfests, attending club meetings, and helping to represent you to the ARRL Board. I want to express my deep and sincere appreciation to each one of you for your support over the past year and a half. Serving you and representing the Southeastern Division on the ARRL Board has been one of the most humbling and gratifying experiences of my life. I will miss you all. However, that being said, I also want to make it clear that while I will no longer be a member of the Southeastern Division or a Board member, I plan to remain involved in ham radio and to continue serving the Amateur Radio community. I will continue to be an active member of the Youth in the Second Century Committee, will continue to help the ARRL staff and Board in any way possible, and look forward to becoming an active member of the Roanoke Division. I also hope to cross paths with each of you again, on trips back home. Please know that while I am no longer your representative to the Board, I still encourage you to keep in touch and to let me know if there’s ever anything I can help you with. Finally, I would like to ask for your support one more time. I would like to ask that you support my successor like you have supported me. I am confident that he will do an outstanding job as your new Vice-Director, and I encourage you to reach out to him and get to know him in the same way you have me. Andrea has done a great job as Vice-Director and now I want to introduce you to James (Jim) Millsap, WB4NWS. I believe that Jim will be a talented, qualified and capable ARRL Vice-Director. Jim Millsap’s Amateur Radio experience began at the young age of 12, operating six meter AM from Atlanta, GA. Jim has been instrumental in bringing new hams into the hobby from 1980 to now. He has served as ARRL Assistant Emergency Coordinator for Cherokee County Amateur Radio Emergency Service since 2002, was appointed ARRL Emergency Coordinator in 2010, and is currently the ARRL District Emergency Coordinator for Metro Atlanta District since 2011. Jim also serves as a VE for testing, is the Georgia Net Manager for the weekly Digital PSK-31 net, and was selected as Georgia’s “Ham Operator of The Year” by his peers for his volunteer work in 2010 for Georgia ARES. Jim enjoys bringing new hams, both young and “seasoned” into the hobby. Jim is active in working HF contests, voice and digital, weekly nets, is a VHF/UHF simplex enthusiast, and enjoys building homebrew antennas. He is active in supporting annual Field Day and Simulated Emergency Tests and strongly believes in building quality relationships with fellow hams and public safety organizations. Jim has a proven track record as a leader, mentor, and instructor with an extensive background in the field of radio and telecommunications and specialized experience in disaster communications and recovery in support of state, regional and local emergency management agencies. Jim works with the Lafayette Group as an instructor for their Department of Homeland Security-Office of Emergency Communication/ICTAP sponsored COMT and Auxiliary Communications training classes for state and local public safety personnel. Jim previously worked for BellSouth for 29 years, progressing through the ranks as a Field Service Technician, Regional Manager, and Network Engineer. During the past ten years, Jim owned and operated his own radio/telecommunications consulting company and served as a General Manager for the DISH Network’s Southeast Region. Please join me in congratulating Andrea on her exciting new career and life opportunities and in welcoming Jim to continued ARRL service as ARRL Southeastern Division Vice-Director. Thank you, 73, Greg Sarratt, W4OZK ARRL Southeastern Division Director www.southeastern.arrl.org -------------------------------------------------------------------- ARRL Southeastern Division Director: Greg Sarratt, W4OZK w4ozk@arrl.org --------------------------------------------------------------------