New LFS Board Officers, Members Elected

New committee chairs appointed

As required annually by the Libertarian Futurist Society's bylaws, the board of directors has elected new officers and board members and appointed committee chairs. Chris Hibbert of Mountain View, California, was elected board president. Hibbert, previously board vice president. replaces Michael Grossberg, who stepped down from the presidency after five years. If you have any suggestions or comments please contact Chris at 650-968-6319 or hibbert@mydruthers.com. Hibbert continues as chair of the Publicity Committee, with Melinda Pillsbury-Foster as vice-chair. This committee is responsible for sending press releases to the sf industry and libertarian media when the LFS announces awards finalists and winners.

Fred Moulton, of Santa Clara, California, is the new vice president, responsible for assisting the president and representing the LFS at events in the president's absence. Moulton continues as chair of the Worldcon Awards Liaison committee (which we're considering renaming the Programming Committee). Following its successful outreach efforts at the 2002 Worldcon, the committee is focusing on plans for the 2003 Worldcon over the Labor Day weekend in Toronto, Ontario. If you plan to attend, contact Moulton at 408-929-5712 or moulton@moulton.com.

Bruce Sommer, of San Jose, Calif., is the new secretary, responsible for maintaining minutes of quarterly board meetings and compiling and updating a list of all approved board motions and policies. Sommer continues as chair of the Special Awards committee, which considers occasional nominations in such categories as short stories, anthologies, dramatic presentations, and lifetime achievement. If you have a nomination, contact Sommer at 408-983-6905 or BESommer@netgate.net.

Victoria Varga, of Penfield, New York, continues as Treasurer and Director, with Fran Van Cleave, of Bedford, Indiana, elected as the new Assistant Director. As Treasurer, Varga also chairs the Finance Committee, which is responsible for submitting an annual budget retort to the bard.

New Board Member

We welcome a new board member: Joseph Martino, of Sidney, Ohio. Martino, a member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America since the 1960s, has written for Reason, Analog, Worlds of If and Galaxy magazines. He is the author of Science Funding: Politics and Porkbarrel, which presents the case for eliminating government funding of scientific research, and is an Associate Member of First Fandom, having been an active fan for over 50 years. Martino was a guest of honor at Columbus's recent Context XV. Martino fills the board slot left by the retirement of Amy Rule, who has served with distinction on the board for half a decade, as well as doing yeoman work as Assistant Director and Membership Services Chair. Rule rotated off the board to devote more time to her career.

In appreciation for Rule's outstanding efforts on behalf of the LFS, the board of directors unanimously approved a special motion honoring and thanking her for her LFS efforts, which included several bright ideas (such as adding PayPal to our Web site for membership dues, conference registrations, and donations).

The nine-member LFS board of directors is set up with overlapping three-year terms, with the terms expiring each fall. Grossberg, Moulton, and Sommer, who had the 2002 expiring terms, were re-elected to three-year terms. Other continuing board members include Tod Casasent, of Houston, Texas; Lynn Maners, of Tucson, Arizona; and William Stoddard, of San Diego, California. Stoddard is editor of Prometheus; Casasent serves as our Webmaster; and Maners chairs the LFS Hall of Fame finalist judging committee.

Within the board is a five-member Executive Committee, which consists of the four officers (president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer) and a fifth slots drawn from the remaining board. Grossberg was elected to fill the fifth Excom slot for 2002-2003.

Awards Committee

So far, the Hall of Fame finalist judging committee has the following members: Prometheus winner Brad Linaweaver; Grossberg; Melinda Pillsbury-Foster; Sommer; Martino; Stoddard; Matt Gaylor; Varga; and Steve Gillooly. A few additional judging slots are still open, and all LFS members may volunteer, but the deadline for volunteers is imminent. If you'd like to serve this year, please immediately contact Maners at lmaners@westga.edu and lynnmaners@yahoo.com.

Grossberg continues as chair of the LFS Best Novel finalist judging committee. The 2002-2003 judges, who pay additional judging dues for the privilege of serving on this important committee, are Jorge Codina, Steve Gaalema, Matt Gaylor, Bill Howell, Lynn Maners, Bruce Sommer, Adam Stepchild, Fran Van Cleave and Victoria Varga. We especially welcome Carina, Gaalema, and Varga. who are newly appointed judges. Unlike other LFS committees—which encourage all LFS members, of whatever membership level, to volunteer and join those committees—the Best Novel finalist judging committee is limited to 10 LFS Sponsoring or Benefactor members, chosen with the approval of the LFS bard.

Happily, all members on the waiting list were able to move up to a judging slot this year, which saw more rotation on the committee than we've had in about half a decade. Other LFS members are encouraged to join the waiting list to be considered for next year's committee, which is appointed in September, 2003 and will begin its work in October, 2003. If you have a Best Novel nomination or wish to join the judges' waiting list, contact Grossberg at mikegrossb@aol.com or 614-236-5110.

Finally, Dave Tuchman, of Windsor, Connecticut, chairs our Membership Services Committee. If you have any questions about your membership, expiration/renewal date, or receipt of dues, please contact Dave at me@davidtuchman.com.

All LFS members are encouraged to join a committee. Deadline to finalize committees is Dec. 31. Among the committees that need extra volunteers are Publicity, Membership Services, Finances, Hall of Fame Judging, Special Awards and Programming.

The board must hold annual elections every September for the next fiscal year and membership year. The current LFS year, which began Oct. 1, continues through Sept. 30. 2003.

-by Michael Grossberg and Chris Hibbert