My time at SNAME has come to an end as I leave the staff of the Society to accept a new challenge. It has really been a privelege to work here. I can't tell you how rewarding it has been for me to be here serving this august society and its members, but this message is my attempt to do so.
There are so many people to thank for making the experience of working at HQ all it has been. That list starts with Nancy Ostin and Phil Kimball who made the decision to hire me. It continues through the staff who have made the day to day experiences of working at HQ so memorable. Barbara, Joe, Susan E, Susan N., Jun, Tommie-Anne, Alana, Linda, Prof. Rowen, Erlinda, Leni, Karin, and more. Thank you for all you have done with and for me. I also want to especially thank Erik Seither for his support and friendship. While my time on his watch as Executive Director has been brief, it has been long enough to know that he is an exceptional leader and that SNAME is fortunate to have him at HQ.
It is the members who make this organization truly unique. From President Keith Michel to the greenest student member, I can honestly say I have never worked with a collection of smarter, harder working people in my life. What SNAME members do on a daily basis are things I still am unable to truly fathom. From deep under the arctic ice (Glenn Walters) to the offshore industry (Peter Noble) to the ships that stand as America's pride (Suzanne Beckstoffer, among many others) I am amazed by the depth of your knowledge and the intelligence you bring to bear. This was apparent to me every day I spent working with Prof. Alan Rowen on the Technical Papers search page. How any one person can know so much about 5,000 unique math-filled documents still boggles my mind.
It has been amazing to be a part of your world, and I know I am better off for it.
I am also glad to say it is not over. I will be continuing to help SNAME in my new capacity and as a volunteer for the 2012 Marine Forensics Symposuim co-chaired by Bill Garzke (when Bill asks you to pitch in, you pitch in). I'll be developing the symposium website as a volunteer. It is a work in progress now, but the beta version is online.
So, in a meaningful way, I will be "staying SNAME".
Thank you again, and Godspeed!
Best, Mark Eichler