Jack Goldhorn, Norfolk Fire-Rescue, has been elected to the National Information Officers Association Board of Directors as Vice President for 2010. Elections were held Tuesday, August 25 during the 2009 Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

Goldhorn has been an active member and has attended every training conference since becoming a member of NIOA. He assisted with the hosting of the 1999 Conference in Norfolk, VA.  He has worked for the City of Norfolk Fire-Rescue for 25 years and has been an active public information officer since 1995.

Jack says, “Being active on not only local and regional PIO councils has given me the passion to continue on the national level to share my experience and guidance with NIOA.”

Lou Thurston, Newport News Police Department, has been elected NIOA Secretary. This is a two-year term commencing at the end of the 2009 conference through the end of the conference in Phoenix in 2011. Thurston is not new to the role. He has served previously as secretary of the NIOA and is a past-president. Andrea Summers, Delaware Department of Highway Safety, served as secretary for two-years.

Marlee Boenig, Bowling Green Fire Department (KY), assumes the role of president of the NIOA for one year. She served as vice-president of the association this year and has been active in increasing communications to the membership and to the regional director team. Rich Palmer, Washington Township Fire Department (Montgomery County, OH), will continue to serve on the Board of Directors as Immediate Past President for one year.

As we move toward the Nashville conference we must also prepare for a new year for the leadership of the NIOA. Nominations for Secretary and also for Vice-President are being accepted. The deadline for submissions is fast approaching.

Here is a quote from VP Marlee Boenig as it appeared the March/April 2009 issue of the NIOA News:

With the conference comes the important matter of electing officers. At this year’s event, we’ll be holding elections for Secretary and for Vice-President. The NIOA Secretary serves a two-year term, while the Vice-President serves a one-year term as VP, followed by a one-year term as President and a one-year term as Immediate Past President.

If you’re interested in running for either of these positions, you MUST declare before June 1, 2009. A Letter of Intent, a short biography and a photograph must be submitted to your Regional Director [or any member of the executive board] and Don Kelly, our outstanding NIOA News Editor, before June 1. This allows the membership time to get to know the people running for office so they can make an informed decision at election time.

Now is your opportunity to get involved in the NIOA. If you’ve been waiting on the sidelines for the perfect moment, here it is. If you’re not interested in running for office, that’s perfectly ok. Instead submit an article for the newsletter, make a worthwhile suggestion to improve our organization or encourage someone to join that isn’t already a member. There are tons of ways you can support the NIOA. Just find your place and help make the NIOA even better.