I must begin by congratulating Dick and Sheila on a great year. They represented our Association proudly and with honor. Thank you Dick and Sheila. Thank you Warren Johnson for being my mentor this past year. I called on him many times and he was always eager to assist me with whatever questions or comments I had.

I want to thank the members of this great State Association for electing me as your State President for 2012-2013. I appreciate the confidence and trust you have placed in me for the forthcoming year. I promise that Sandy and I will do our best as your representatives wherever we go. I thank those who accepted the appointed positions this year and I am looking forward to working with each and every one of you for the better of our association.

Today is Father's Day and I can't be more proud as a dad to have here today my son Jay, his wife Tammy and my grandsons Logan and Liam. My son Michael, his wife Tiffany and grandson Macklin. Sandy's brother Mike and his girlfriend Susie and the members of Oakland Elks Lodge for being here today.

My goals for this year are to maintain $9.00 per capita for Elks National Foundation, $1.50 per capita for the William J. Jernick Memorial Fund. After meeting with the newly installed Vice Presidents yesterday, they will be visiting your lodges in the near future and delivering my message for this association. I am asking lodges to service our communities by better public relations. Each lodge does something in the community that makes you stand out and it's time we let everyone know that we are elks and proud of it. The many youth programs, scholarships, veteran's works and community involvement should be being broadcast statewide. I would like to see better support from the lodges for our state major project, Elks Camp Barrett by sending at least 2 campers or a monetary value of the same to the camp this summer.

Have lodges within our association continue to show their pride as an officer by memorizing their parts and participating in the Ritual Contest and bring Elkdom back into our lodges by conforming with the Statutes, Rules and Regulations of our Order. Closed doors, good business practice and asking for advice and assistance when needed from our district and state chairpersons.

My motto for this year is soldiers of service and my pin represents us, elks that support youth, handicapped, veterans and country. I gave a lot of thought to what I wanted a pin to show, but I really wanted to display what we represent. Hoop Shoot, a basketball sinking into the net, a wheelchair, representing the Jernick Fund, Soccer ball , a cap and diploma for ENF scholarships and a marine in blues, who is a veteran saluting our flag and proud to be an American.

Thank you again, Sandy and I are truly looking forward to visiting the lodges and as many events as possible this year and being soldiers of service for the greatest state association in elkdom!