I want to thank the Bluebills for their confidence in my ability to chair this organization. I hope that I can reflect the positive leadership Merv has given in the past.

First, I want to recognize and thank Merv for the many years of service he has given us. His reign will be hard to follow. Thank you, Merv.

My hope is that we can fly forward to continue the programs that the Bluebills have started and strengthen our relationship with the Boeing Company in helping them meet our mutual goals.

I intend to focus on two major challenges: increasing membership and expanding our interface with Boeing.

Our membership is aging and getting smaller. This is mainly due to the fact that we do not have the ability to contact current and recent retirees because of privacy laws.  We need to get our message to all Boeing retirees in the last five plus years.   I challenge each of our current members to contact at least five Boeing retirees and or spouses who you may know and invite them to your next Chapter meeting or join you on one of your active work projects.

We must spread the word about our good deeds.   Our members contributed almost 84,000 volunteer hours in 2009 and continue this remarkable record.  As a Boeing retiree, you have skills and talents that can make a profoundly positive impact in your community.   
One of our new goals must be to strengthen our Bluebills relationship with Boeing by categorizing our efforts to fit within the company’s newly established Corporate Citizenship strategy.   These strategies fall into six categories:

·      Arts & Culture
·      Civic
·      Environment
·      Health and Human Services
·      Early Learning
·      Primary & Secondary Education

As stated by Anne Roosevelt, Vice President, Global Corporate Citizenship, “We have one simple objective at Boeing: to make the world a better place.”  

This objective is certainly consistent with our Bluebills mission. “to provide opportunities for Boeing retirees and their spouses to volunteer their time, energy, skills, knowledge and experience to improve the quality of life in their respective communities and thereby to enhance their own lives.”

As we reform our directions it will be important that all of us provide input to fit our activities into the categories Boeing has identified as important.  I ask all members to give your Council ideas and thoughts to help us do this.  I look forward to working with you all.