Shipmates,I’m deeply honored to have been elected as the Division Commander for 2010. Thank you to the board for the vote of confidence and to all of my shipmates who have proffered congratulations and offers of support.
Carol and I are fortunate to lead at a time when we have been experiencing growth in our membership, growth in our capability, and record levels of mission execution. Your Flotilla and Division leadership and your personal dedication to duty has created outstanding momentum for our Flotillas and the Division. The most important contribution we can make to our future success is keeping this momentum. In the remaining weeks ahead of the holidays I’d ask that you:
- Support our current leadership in meeting our 2009 goals
- Continue to focus on recruiting followed by mentoring of our new members
- Seek out one or two additional opportunities educate our fellow boaters about the risks of boating in Oregon and Washington – it is a great time of year to talk about cold water and life jackets
- Consider an elected role in your Flotilla for 2010
- Consider a staff role in your Flotilla or a staff role in the Division for 2010
On this final point, one of the most critical duties of a Division leadership team is the selection of the Division staff. It is the responsibility of the Division leadership to select the best possible candidates and persuade them to serve as Division Staff Officers, on Division committees, and as project leads on special projects. To that end I invite each of you, not already serving as a Division staff officer, to put yourself forward for any Division staff role that ignites your passion. If you submit your name please include the following:
- The office(s) where you think you could make an exceptional contribution
- Past Division and Flotilla staff and leadership roles
- Coast Guard qualifications relevant to the staff role and past activity relevant to the role
- Outside relevant experience
- A brief statement as to why you are interested, your vision for the position, and a few specific actions you would take to pursue that vision
We are looking for members with the ability to manage a program, not simply execute the mission – at the Division level the staff role needs to be focused on enabling participation and capability rather than individual execution. We are also looking for members who are interested in assisting the Division staff in particular roles or assisting the Division leadership with projects.
Thank you for considering a staff role, for your dedication to duty and for your service,
Daren
