President's Message

By Robert Griswold

This is my last President's message. I don't know who is happier - you or me!

I would like to offer my view of the state of the Press Club and thank all of those great people who have made the last two years as your President so memorable.

Looking back, it seems like the time just flew by and you know what that means. I am very pleased with the tremendous accomplishments we have enjoyed. We have increased membership, increased cash reserves, and continued to offer great programs including our successful San Diego Salutes events. This year we set a record number for entries in the J-Awards contest. I am not going to bore you with any more details but it can be summed up in one sentence: Your San Diego Press Club is on a roll!

Our success did not just happen. We weren't the unworthy beneficiaries of some random event. No, our progress towards the goals we established two years ago was the collective effort of your Board of Directors, several excellent committees and many of you, our dedicated members. I want to thank all of you for making me look pretty good. I did have a secret weapon - Terry Williams, our Club Manager, who is superb! I must also personally acknowledge my mentors Ron James, Gayle Falkenthal and Reid Carroll. You are the best. Thank you, thank you, thank you! It may be a cliché but I truly couldn't have done it without you.

And the prospects for our continued growth and success are outstanding. I am sure I am not the only one that had a very difficult time voting for the board candidates this year. What a great slate of nominees! A public thank you to election chairperson Barbara Metz. Our incoming President Laura Walcher will have a very strong team and I look forward to my new role as Past President. But this is one that I only want to serve in for one year.

Well, maybe I am getting ahead of myself, as my year isn't quite over yet. One more great event is ahead in my term: the Journalism Awards. This is one not to miss. Haven't been to the J-Awards lately? Dreading the thought of another rubber chicken evening? Is your spouse less than enthusiastic about being dragged to another night out with speech after speech after speech? That is exactly the type of mundane and never-ending event that Chuck Fox and his dynamic committee were out to eliminate. Instead they have planned an evening that will keep your attention while honoring the best in San Diego journalism. You can be assured that we will knock your socks off with a nonstop party. I'm even cutting short a conference in Hawaii so I expect to see you there too!

Posted Oct. 2006