The Montreal chapter of the Society for Technical Communication has gone through a challenging and interesting year — may we all begin living in somewhat less interesting times in the months to come!

Before taking on the role of chapter President last year, I was aware that the Society faced some major financial challenges, and knew that these challenges would also affect our local chapter. As it turns out, the challenges facing the Society were much larger than I anticipated. We used the chapter website to communicate the substance of these issues as they unfolded, but here they are in a nutshell: The Society lost well over a million US dollars last year, put out an appeal to all its geographic chapters and special interest groups (SIGs) to return surplus funds to help cover this budget shortfall, and began cost-cutting activities across all of its program areas.

A major change that affected us in Montreal was the decision by STC’s Board to significantly raise its dues for 2010. Our chapter membership declined by nearly 50%, and members and non-members alike engaged in an ongoing discussion about the role of a geographic STC chapter, the value of membership and the kind of chapter benefits they would like to see. Despite this membership decline, Montreal retained over 60 dues-paying members, and a newly-elected Administrative Council now looks forward to a new year of local professional development programs and social events. Our chapter in Montreal is currently over 20 years old, is financially sound, has a core of activist volunteers, and it continues to provide a professional context for technical communicators in the Montreal area.

I’d like to thank this year’s Administrative Council — VP Charles Roburn, Secretary Ming Sabourin, and Treasurer Rolf Hecken — for their stalwart service during an uncertain time. I’d also like to thank immediate past presidents Poppy Quintal and Andy Gural for their energy, support and encouragement. People of this caliber are what makes the Montreal chapter a viable organization, and it has been a pleasure working with all of you.

Thanks also to everyone in STC Montreal; this is your organization and it will continue to become what you choose to make it. Please join me in welcoming a new Administrative Council — President Charles Roburn, Secretary Lydia Shuster, and Treasurer Rolf Hecken — to a new year of chapter service beginning in September 2010. Keep an eye on the chapter website for news and programming announcements, and I’ll be seeing you at an STC Montreal meeting soon.

Everett Larsen
STC-Montreal President 2009–2010

From left: Rolf Hecken, Everett Larsen, Charles Roburn, Ming Sabourin. Photo: Jim Royal. (Click for larger size)