The days are shorter, the nights are longer. Perhaps things slow a bit, we pause, and we think. I have many thanks to express. To my staff for assisting me on a day-to-day basis, to allow me to be State Bar president. To the local courts and attorneys for their patience, professionalism, and help. To George Brown and the State Bar staff for ongoing assistance and a pleasant work environment.

Thanks to those practitioners in the trenches day in and day out, serving the public and promoting the profession. You are the members without whom the Bar would not exist, and leadership would be a hollow concept. Thanks to our courts statewide for providing that ultimate access to justice, for holding our system together, and for nurturing practitioner relationships.

Thanks to our many member volunteers contributing by serving on committees and as committee chairs, contributing through our sections, contributing through our divisions, contributing through task forces, and contributing through our local and specialty bars. Your dedication to the issues of the profession and in establishing working continuity is much appreciated.

A special recognition and thanks to:

Nick Vivian, Finance Committee chair, for his thorough understanding of Bar financial issues, and for taking the issues and committee in a new and exciting direction;

Paul Swanson, CLE Committee chair, for his tireless efforts with regard to CLE rejuvenation;

BOG Committee chairs Sue Collins, Bill Curran, Fritz Kaftan, and Mike Waterman for their many hours of work coupled with competence and dedication;

Kelli Thompson, Executive Committee and BOG chair, for her organization, guidance, and input; and

Jim Boll, for continuing to lead, and participate on and chair committees, and take on special assignments despite having moved into that honorable category of past president.

A personal goal has been to set up a solid base for progress. We have done that both in format and in substance. It doesn’t happen by accident. It takes a lot of people and a lot of effort. We now have the mechanism in place and are poised to produce results. Progress can occur without delay. So at this time, take some time to pause, reflect, give thanks and look forward.

Have a happy and healthy holiday season! Happy New Year! Again, thank you!