I would like to take this opportunity to announce my resignation as volunteer Director of the Student Society of Arboriculture (SSA). It has been an honor to serve the students in my roles over the years.
I had announced my pending resignation in November 2002, at the 7th SSA Conference, but I was waiting for the completion and implementation of a strategic plan for the organization. The plan was created at a meeting last November with many of the SSA Board Members. A modified plan, not the one created in November, was presented by Rick Tagtow and approved by the ISA at the Board meeting on March 27.
My involvement began with the planning for the 1st Annual SSA Conference and Job Fair with the assistance of Don Roppolo. I served as the Conference Coordinator for all of 8 of the North American Conferences and the 1st European SSA Conference.
The new SSA Constitution adopted in 1999 created the Board of Directors as well as officially creating the position of Director. I served as Interim Director from the approval of the constitution in August of 1999 until the 4th SSA Conference in September, 1999, when I was voted in as Director. Betsy Co served as the Associate Director from 1999-2001. Don Roppolo assumed the position of Associate Director after Betsy stepped down in 2001.
Our goals have been threefold; provide educational and career opportunities for students, promote the SSA, advance the tree care profession. Since our involvement, the students have had numerous opportunities to work with some of the best tree care professionals in the world. Below is a list of the speakers that the students have had interacted with :
Tim Ard, Dr. John Ball, Dr. Rex Bastian, Don Blair, Dr. Robert Blanchette, Mark Chisholm, Dr. Kim Coder, Dr. Peter Donzelli, Tom Dunlap, Dr. Ed Gilman, Mark Hartley, Bailey Hudson, Jeff Jepson, Alan Jones, Les LaBranche, Mike Lawson, Melissa LeVangie, Sharon Lilly, Stanley Longstaff, Dr. Don Marx, Dr. Claus Mattheck, Liam McKeown, Sam Noonan, Dwayne Nuestaeter, Dealga O'Callaghan, Doreen Orist, Ken Palmer, Robert Phillips, Alan Reeves, Dr. Alex Shigo, Dr. Tom Smiley, Rip Tompkins, Klaus Vollbrecht, Mike Wendt (sorry if I missed anyone.)
We have had great support from the profession as well. The list of companies and organizations that supported the SSA over the years is too large to print here. I want to thank all who believed in the SSA and assisted with their time, expertise and fiscal support. Without the support of our sponsors we would not have been able to provide as many opportunities to the students.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the teachers, instructors, and faculty advisors who have supported the SSA and students over the years. Teachers and students have busy schedules and not much money to spare, but the opportunities that the students had were worth more than the time away from work and school. Thank you to all of the teachers who encouraged their students to participate and allowed them time away from class.
The SSA has grown beyond what a few volunteers can afford to do. We believe that the new organizational structure of the SSA and the support of the ISA, as laid out in the plan created in St. Louis last November, should continue to provide opportunities for students.
I am back in school working on a doctorate in ergonomics and safety and will be looking at accidents in the tree care profession. I will continue to be involved in the profession and will be working with students.
Tim Walsh
Director, Student Society of Arboriculture (retired)
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