Please save Tuesday October 18 for our annual meeting, and let us know by September 15 if you have nominations for three Board members. We'll send the ballot out after nominations are in. If you are not interested in joining the Board but would like to volunteer on a specific project, please let us know. If you would like to submit a nomination, or volunteer, please contact Ellen Hoff at 301-654-1144 or email to e.hoff@wlpco.com.
Ellen Hoff
President, for the COMARA Board
Dick Arndt, Denis Curtin, Irv Dostis, Ron Garlow, Jack Hannon, Ellen Hoff, Bob Kinzie, Walt McKee, Peter Weiss
By popular demand, COMARA will again hold its Annual Meeting and Election of Board Members at the Brickskeller Restaurant in D.C., commencing at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, October 18, 2004. SAVE THIS DATE. Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served. Cash bar. The Brickskeller is a short few blocks from the Metro red line Dupont Circle Station/Q Street exit. However, if you are interested in carpooling to the meeting, let us know and we'll try to facilitate travel groups.
Three Board seats will be up for election this fall. If are interested, or if you have a former colleague that you think would make an excellent member of the COMARA Board, please contact him or her, obtain their consent to stand for election, then forward the name and contact information to COMARA President Ellen Hoff (e.hoff@wlpco.com, or mail to her at W.L.Pritchard & Co., LC, Suite 501, 4405 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD. 20814).
DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT IS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15. We'll send the ballot out after nominations are in. As usual, we will provide and email with a key to allow you to submit an online ballot. Paper ballots will be mailed to those without email.
If you are not interested in joining the Board but would like to volunteer on a specific project, please let us know. Help in updating mail/email addresses would be terrific.
If you have an email address and didn't get a copy in you email inbox, please send an email to webmaster@comara.org so we can get you connected. Paper mailing is expensive, but even more important takes a lot of time. An emailing to the entire membership takes only a few minutes. Electronic ballot counting takes only a few seconds.
In organizing this newsletter we discovered that several of you had sent in information on the back of your 2004 ballots. Those news bits are included below,
Bob Ames has served since 2003 as founding president of the Satellite Users Interference Reduction Group, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to reduce the number of satellite interference incidents.
Bill Billerbeck is working part-time for General Dynamics Corp. in support of a new earth resources satellite program (GOES-R) at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, MD.
Jeff Binckes continues his satellite/telecommunications consulting work (Jeff Binckes Associates, LLC) on a part time basis; but also devotes time to chamber music and solo piano recitals and outdoor activities at a 207-year old cottage in Washington, New Hampshire, in the Sunapee/Monadnack areas. He is arranging a benefit performance for the Apple Hill Chamber Players on October 2 at the Cedar Lane Unitarian Church in Bethesda. (This program brings young amateur chamber music players from conflicted cultures around the world(Palestine, Israel; Azerbaijain/Armenia, Greek Cypriots/Turkish Cypriots; Catholic & Protestant parts of Ireland), plus young people from inner city neighborhoods, for a month to Apple Hill each August to live together and play chamber music--to find commonality between conflicting cultures.)
Jeff also will appear in matinee concerts with members of the Ravel Trio November 14th, 21st, and 28th, at the Jewish Community Center's Kreeger Auditorium [Executive Blvd and Montrose Road]. The concerts are all matinees (check time with JCC, Kandy Hutman, at (301) 348-3864); admission is free; come early for a good seat. This series of concerts will feature all Russian composers- Rachmaninoff, Prokofieff, and Shostokovich- in some of their most famous chamber music.
Howard Briley writes that if any Comsat acquaintances plan a visit to Geneva or vicinity, he would be please to help with information on hotels, restaurants, etc, and meet during their stay. He has also volunteered to assist if there is interest in a Comara reunion for some of the many Comsat staff participating in ITU meetings in Geneva.
Carl Jeffcoat in September 2004 noted that the main event was the September arrival of Hurricane Ivan, which hit their Pensacola area very hard. The Jeffcoat house fortunately sustained no damage, although their boat and dock were destroyed. He and Ann were on a sailing trip in the Caribbean Windward Islands, a nice break from the storm damage. They are enjoying retirement and would like to hear from CQ friends.
Tim Logue joined Orbital Sciences Corporation commercial geostationary manufacturing group as a Senior Director, Business Development. He covers North America primarily. He works with fellow former COMSATers Dr. Ali Atia and Cliff Cummings.
Dorothy Paera in September 2004 noted that in her first year in Florida she had experienced four major hurricanes so far.
John and Cathy Talcott have moved to their new southwest-style home in Sierra Vista, in southeastern Arizona. They are enjoying great sunshine and high-desert living.
John A. Johnson 21-Aug-2005
George McKenzie, husband of Joyce McKenzie - 07-Jun-2005
If you haven't had a chance to send in membership dues for 2005, they are $25 for new members, and $10 for renewing members. Please mail your check to COMARA at PO Box 34594, Bethesda, MD 20827.
IF YOUR EMAIL HAS CHANGED, PLEASE LET US KNOW YOUR NEW ADDRESS!
Send it to webmaster@comara.org
And we would welcome any news for the next newsletter.