By: Gary Vincent, AAEA Member, 1983 AAEA Past President
On the cusp
As I recall, the year 1983 was fairly uneventful in terms of AAEA-related stress in my life! Executive Secretary/Treasurer Paul Weller and the various committee chairs did the heavy lifting in terms of association management and meeting planning. All I really had to do was chair board and general membership sessions at the annual and summer sessions.
What I didn’t know, though, was that it was also the “brewing time” for several issues impacting AAEA and its members that led to “The Flame” meeting in 1985. It was that meeting – planned by 1984 president Len Richardson (California Farmer) with assistance from 1985 president Monte Sesker (Wallace’s Farmer) and 1990 president Larry Harper (Missouri Ruralist) – when AAEA began crafting a five-year strategic plan that led to eventual significant organizational policy changes.
When I joined in 1972, AAEA still retained many of the characteristics of its founders – a small group of farm magazine editors who met informally while attending the annual International Livestock Show at the Chicago Stockyards.
Though membership in the ‘70s was still mostly male, the number of women members was steadily growing. That change was recognized in 1982 by the election of my predecessor — Betty Lou Denton (Kansas Farmer)– as AAEA’s first female president.
Other issues “brewing” at the time included the solicitation, acceptance and acknowledgement of corporate (advertisers) financial support for AAEA activities, establishing a code of ethics, active membership eligibility and affiliate member representation on the board of directors. All those issues were on the agenda for The Flame.
My most meaningful contribution to AAEA’s future during my term, IMO, was helping convince the chief editor of one magazine to continue his staff’s memberships. That editor had great concerns about the ethics of AAEA’s corporate relationships and how financial support was obtained and recognized.
My argument to him was that he could more effectively create change by working within AAEA than by withdrawing from it. I’m sure he heard similar sentiments from others. To his credit, he chose to remain and was elected AAEA president a few years later.
Upheaval and Change
Born in 1945, my lasting impressions of our industry (agriculture) and our craft (communications) has been the overwhelming upheaval my generation has experienced, witnessed, and written about.
From the rapid mechanization following WWII to today’s GPS-guided cropping systems and technology-controlled specialty livestock production units – from U.S. Postal Service delivery of printed farm magazines to today’s instant digital delivery to smart phones and tablets in tractor and combine cab. It’s been an adventure!
I’m proud of my AAEA involvement and how our organization has grown, changed and adapted.
Keep up the good work!
AAEA Past President Gary Vincent proudly displays a cookie he received to commemorate AAEA -The Ag Communicators Network’s 100-year anniversary. (Courtesy: Gary Vincent)