----forwarded message---- On Friday, September 10, 2004 8:24 PM [GMT+5=ET], Shari Handley <srh@tyaskin.com> wrote: > Name: > Mike St. Clair > > EMail: > mike@saintclair.org > > Positions: > County Coordinator - Taney County Missouri and Grainger County > Tennessee > > URLs: > http://www.taneymo.us and http://www.graingertn.us > (note that the latter is a brand new assignment and I have just > started my work there) > > Why I wish to be considered: > > Although I haven't been one of the pioneers of the USGenWeb Project, I > have been one of the pioneers of the concept of helping genealogists > by using the Internet and some of it's predecessors, such as the GBBS > and Fidonet systems. I see the great potential of this Project to > help genealogists in their research, as it has helped me personally > and as I have seen it help countless others I have worked with as > neighbors, friends, family, and members of classes that I've taught. > I would like to give something back to the thousands who have been > contributing of their time, talent, and energy over the years by > serving them on the AB. One of my personal goals in life is to > contribute to the advancement of genealogical computing and USGenWeb > is currently the area I see with the most untapped potential. I have > great admiration and respect for the many of the current board that > I've become somewhat acquainted with over the last couple of years. > I truly believe this would be a fun group to work with. > > > Why I would be a good choice: > > I'm going to start by saying I don't know if I would be the best > candidate, not even knowing who the other possibilities are, which is > why I changed the title of this section to "why I would be a good > choice." > > I am an experienced genealogical researcher and understand the value, > the sources, and the difficulties of the broad range of records that > are of value to genealogists. Having worked on my own genealogy, as > well as having helped others over the course of 37 years (that's NOT > my age but my tenure as a researcher), I'm seasoned and have learned > much about what works and what doesn't, what's available and what > isn't. In this time I've spent many years in two of the major record > centers in our country, Washington DC (16 years) and Salt Lake City > (20 years), and have learned how to use the records available in both > places. I've also been able to research in the state archives of > half a dozen states, the county archives of dozens of counties, and > libraries and archives of many universities and other organizations. > I think my experience as a researcher would be helpful in serving and > representing the members of the Project. > > I have substantial experience with the technology that supports > genealogists and this project as a practicing information technology > professional. I currently provide technology planning and support > for a small startup company. My employer is pioneering an innovative > approach for our country's public schools that is similar in some > fashion to what USGenWeb is pioneering for genealogists. We provided > support for a fee to school systems who primarily use one vendor's > computing products but we are also developing an open source system > that is being made available without license fees. The hope is to > help stimulate a movement of the open source concept into other areas > such curriculum development and sharing. I work with computers, > software, networks and the Internet every day and am experienced in > helping find and solve problems, and coming up with solutions that > prevent future problems. This includes developing, learning, and > taking advantage of standards in the technology arena. I have a good > understanding of what works, and what developing technologies are > bringing. I think my experience with technology would be helpful to > me in serving and representing the members of the project. > > I have worked with many other national volunteer genealogical > organizations in technology roles. This not only gave some insights > into how such organizations work, but put me into close contact with > many of those who are currently in leadership roles in such > organizations. It's not clear to me that USGenWeb has spent any time > on developing relationships with other organizations that could work > cooperatively with us to help us accomplish our objectives. Over > time I think this would be a good thing to do, and I believe I could > help that to happen should the Board buy off on the concept. Those I > have worked with include: The National Genealogical Society (I've > spoken at several of their national conferences, I was their first > webmaster and have been elected a Fellow of the NGS, one of just a > few dozen nationally), Federation of Genealogical Societies (I was an > early webmaster there and helped promote making many of their > materials available on the Internet for free), Board for > Certification of Genealogists (first webmaster), Association of > Professional Genealogists (first webmaster), GENTECH (early > webmaster, speaker at conferences, on several conference committees, > program chair for one of their national conferences). > > I am a long time proponent of making free resources available to > genealogists through the Internet, starting in fact before the > Internet existed. My efforts prior to becoming part of USGenWeb > helped deliver resources like tools and education, rather than data, > and one of my efforts remains very popular approaching 20 years after > it was first launched (that one is called PAF Review). I think this > experience will help me in all aspects of service on the Advisory > Board. > > I believe those in leadership positions such as the Advisory Board are > both leaders and servants, but not masters. I'm especially good in > the servant role, and am effective in being a peacemaker, and in > persuading opposing parties to compromise. I know how to be polite > to those who are angry, upset, even obnoxious, and I can listen > through the strong words that come from strong feelings. I tend to > get along with the nice people as well as the ornery ones. These > attitudes and skills would be valuable when dealing with some of the > issues that come before the Advisory Board. > > Let me assure you that if chosen I will give this my best, and if > someone else is chosen I will do everything in my power as a project > member to help them and the project be successful. I greatly > appreciate the service of those currently on the Board and think I > would be a good fit with the current group. I'd be happy to answer > any questions from any member of the board as they consider the > candidates for this board vacancy. > > If you want to learn more about me, you are invited to visit my > personal home page at http://www.saintclair.org. > > If you'd like to check out some of the free resources I provide to > genealogists, take a look at: > > www.saintclair.org/numbers/ - Genealogical Numbering Systems > www.countylookup.us - Helps you find US counties > www.paf-review.com - Resources for users of Personal Ancestral File > www.taneymo.us/forum/ - Ozark Conversations, part of the Taney County > Missouri USGenWeb site