It is with deep gratitude that I accept the office of President. I extend my thanks to the members of the Chesapeake Bay Division of the International Association for Identification for the honor and priviledge of serving you in the year ahead.

To Paul Smith, we extend a very special thanks for the two outstanding and very successful conferences he organized.

The support of everyone is a necessity in achieving increased membership and individual participation in conference programs. Let us adopt the theme; "Try Us, You'll Like Us." If each of us would practice this theme and bring one interested person to our next conference, I am sure we would increase our membership.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to serve as your President. I hope that each and everyone of you has a very happy and prosperous New Year.