On my mind ��

Since my appointment to the Services Vice President position in the month of February, 2002, I have worked for the Society in a constantly changing position. The Photographic Society of America (PSA) is in constant flux ... always improving and upgrading and the Services VP position is no different. It is an exciting time as we keep our Society current in the fast-moving and ever-changing field of photography. Let me tell you a bit about the job as it is now:

Currently, the Services Vice President is responsible for TOPS, TRAVEL AIDES, PERMANENT PRINT COLLECTION and AUDIO VISUAL (A/V) PROGRAMS. A brief description of each program is as follows:

TOPS: Bill Smylie, APSA, Director. The Services VP works with the director to insure that new programs are assembled annually and sent to PSA Headquarters for distribution.

TRAVEL AIDES: Eleanor (Ellie) Webster, FPSA, Director, is in charge of all Travel Aides--national and foreign. Ellie is in the process of reorganizing the often "forgotten" Travel Aides program. She says, "if you travel and do not use PSA's Travel Aides, you are missing a bet!"

PERMANENT PRINT COLLECTION: Heinz Otto, FPSA, Director. The Permanent Print Collection is located at PSA Headquarters. The Permanent Print Collection Director is charged with overseeing the Society's priceless Print Collection. The Services VP works closely with the director to insure that outstanding prints offered to the Society are accepted and appraised.

QUALITY CONTROL RELATED TO THE AUDIO VISUAL PROGRAMS: A specific responsibility is providing for periodic review of sets to insure that the subject matter of sets is relevant given current photographic techniques, that slides are in good condition, that scripts are clean, and that tapes are clear and without disturbing levels for music and synch signals. Sets which do not come up to standard are to be withdrawn from circulation immediately. This process is currently in progress.

PRODUCING CDs FROM A/V PROGRAMS: Ted Peterson is doing a fine job in producing CDs from a number of AN slide programs. This is in addition to our library of fine A/V programs, and is aimed, of course, for our computer owners. Details on how to obtain the CDs will be published later.

TRANSITION OF THE TECHNIQUES DIVISION: A number of activities and services under the Techniques Division now come under the Services VP rather than a separate Division of the Society, effective at the close of the annual conference last month in Pittsburgh. Transition is not yet complete and at this writing, fine details have not been fully worked out. This new view of "Techniques" will be different, but over time, will be a fine improvement to PSA.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank so many great workers over the years who have volunteered in the Techniques Division including: Don and Marion Smith, FPSAs; Sil Horwitz, FPSA; Sidney Goldstein, FPSA; Lynn Thompson; Walter Ross and Ted Peterson.

I also want to thank my predecessor, the late Billy Turner, FPSA, for the fine job he did as the Services Vice President.

The Photographic Society of America is a wonderful organization in which we have the opportunity to make changes, making the Society an ever-viable photographic association.

John Dean, FPSA
Services Vice President

COPYRIGHT 2002 Photographic Society of America, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group