Page 3 - The Decorative Painter Spring 2018

Official publication of the Society of Decorative Painters
SDP BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Wendy Watson
President
Kathy Swigon cda Vice President/President Elect
Linda Sharp cda Recording Secretary
Susan Herr
Treasurer
Pat Marler
Past President
BOARD MEMBERS-AT-LARGE Marilyn Corners mda Michele L. Heiser
Toni M. Hoffer
Dawn Knowles
Jeanie Miller
Susan Phillips
See page 4 for board member contact information.
SDP PUBLICATIONS STAFF
MAGAZINE COORDINATOR/ GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sheryl Born (ext. 119) sheryl@decorativepainters.org
DP EDITOR EMERITUS
Mary Jo Leisure mda, tda
SDP STAFF
ACCOUNTING MANAGER
Heidi Headley (ext. 109) heidi@decorativepainters.org
ASSISTANT MARKETING MANAGER
Kristen Farrell kfarrell@craftandhobby.org
CONFERENCE & EDUCATION COORDINATOR
Lisa Curry (ext. 104) lisa@decorativepainters.org
CERTIFICATION COORDINATOR/ CONFERENCE ASSISTANT/ MUSEUM COORDINATOR/ JAPANESE RELATIONS
Miho Shimizu (ext. 121) miho@decorativepainters.org
CHAPTER & MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR/ ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT
Pam Christian (ext. 105) pam@decorativepainters.org
ADVERTISING SALES
Tim Braden tbraden@fwpi.com (800) 344-0559 / (315) 789-0458
THE DECORATIVE PAINTER
Issue Date: May 2016
Volume XLV/Number 2
The Decorative Painter is published quarterly. Printed in the USA
PUBLISHER
Society of Decorative Painters 393 N. McLean Blvd. Wichita, KS 67203-5968 (316) 269-9300 / fax (316) 269-9191 sdp@decorativepainters.org www.decorativepainters.org
PRINTER
Fayh-Williams Publishing, Geneva, NY USA
ON THE COVER
Morning Fruit
Rumi Fukushima mda Photo/Steve Gerig
DECORATIVEPAINTERS.ORG
President’s lette
President’s Letter
Dear fellow SDP members,
It is hard to believe this is the last time I will be addressing you in The Decorative Painter as your President! Where has the time gone?
In my first letter to you in Issue #3
of the 2015 The Decorative Painter, I mentioned that our Society needs a lot of “new” in its near future and that in order to achieve the “new” we need to change. These were hard words to say. Yet, that viewpoint enabled your current Board of Directors to develop a strategic plan to fuel the Society’s longevity and prosperity. The plan will take time to implement. Some changes will be invisible to the membership at large, and some may have a large impact.
The current Board of Directors also had to make several difficult decisions for the financial welfare of the organization
over the past 12 months. One major decision was to put our headquarters building up for sale. The maintenance and utility costs were high and the Society could no longer justify the large expenses.
Another major decision that was made a few months before I took office
was to hire the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) as the Society’s management company. For several years, auditors have recommended that we hire a management company, but we were never able to find one that we could afford
or that was a good partner for our industry. CHA has been our management company for a year and a half now, and as a result we’ve seen many improvements. These improvements include regular communication through social media and
a monthly eZine; an increased number of advertisers in The Decorative Painter; increased awareness of the Society through CHA’s publications and social media; consistent management and oversight of staff; assistance with strategic growth planning, financial management and legal consulting; and enhanced online membership and registration processes with more secure processing.
With any change, there will be bumps in the road. However, we are moving in the right direction. It won’t always be fun or easy, but we are in it for the long haul!
One bit of advice as I part: Support the Society by looking for and promoting the positive and taking full advantage of your membership benefits. Resist the urge to spread negativity. The only way we can grow is to be a community that everyone wants to be part of.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your President. I have enjoyed my time in this role. Please continue to support your new President, Kathy Swigon cda, and the new officers who the membership will elect June 8th during the Annual Meeting at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, California.
Sincerely,
Wendy Watson
SDP President, 2015-2016
MISSION
To stimulate worldwide interest in and appreciation for decorative painting; to recognize the diversity of and excellence in the art form; and to serve as the educational resource center for all aspects of decorative painting.
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