Anner Whitehead

[John Jones <jijones@usjoneses.com>]

From Anner Whitehead

(In addition to Anner's message below, she is also a valued contributor to the Registrar's committee)

Mr. Killingsworth,
 
I am Anner Whitehead. I am an AIS Member in Richmond, Virginia. I joined the AIS in the mid-1990s and served as President of my local AIS Affiliate, as a Commitee Chair for HIPS, and under Presidents Mahan and Aitken as the AIS Membership Secretary. I currently sit on the Board of SIGNA. I also serve as consultant to the Historic Iris Collection at the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants at Monticello, Charlottesville, Virginia. My other contributions to the cause these days are in the form of research. Should you be interested, you can review some of my potboilers here:http://irises.org/About_AIS/History.html 
 
I have always been an outspoken proponent of the rights of the general membership--- under the Bylaws in place when I joined--- to witness and participate in the deliberations of the AIS Board of Directors, generally and through AISDiscuss-- albeit I fear that right may have been abrogated in the last revision--and so I claim my right to participate when I think I have something meaningful to contribute. I claim this as an AIS member, you understand, not as a former Administrative Officer of the Society.
 
My friend and longtime colleacgue John Jones posts my contributions at my request, because he always has done so, or has done at least since it became necessary to control access to the List. It used to be that anyone could post, but security concerns arose. I have never asked to be officially a member--there is no need for this, really. as I can follow such discussions as interest me on such issues on which I may claim some insight in the public Archives. Nor do I know whether what I understand to be a rather restrictive current List membership policy would permit my being a member. I was startled to read once that someone thought the President might object to my speaking here. I would be sorely disappointed were that to prove to be the case.
 
Speaking as a former AIS Administrative Officer, I will tell you that I am of the opinion that membership is the AISDiscuss should be open to any AIS Member in good standing who wishes to participate in discussions, or raise questions. If for logistical reasons that is not feasible, then certainly they should be permitted, and indeed encouraged, to follow my example.
 
I trust this answers your questions.
 
Cordially,
 
Anner M. Whitehead

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