President's Letter

Welcome to the spring

2000 issue of the Mason Spirit. It's hard for me to believe that the year has passed so quickly. We have made tremendous progress for the Alumni Association and for the university.

At the March Board of Directors meeting, we approved several changes to our bylaws. The most important change was to extend the term of the president's position from one year to two. This will allow my successor, and those who follow, an opportunity to develop and implement new ideas and initiatives. Our annual Celebration of Distinction was an unqualified success. Amidst great competition, Joe Heastie, M.P.A. '84, a past president of the Alumni Association and veteran of many other leadership positions, including former Rector of the Board of Visitors and member of the Minority Advisory Board, was the recipient of the Alumni Service Award.

Teresa Klaassen, B.S. Business Administration '77, was named Alumna of the Year. Her accomplishments in building an incredibly successful business, as well as her involvement in and service to the community and the university, are testimony to her dedication to making a contribution in diverse settings. She truly reflects the alumni spirit so essential to George Mason. We have enjoyed other achievements this past year, not the least of which was the development of a strategic plan for the Alumni Association. We have made progress in updating our alumni database, although we require your ongoing support of that endeavor. Please continue to apprise the Alumni Affairs Office of changes to your business or personal address, as well as telephone number changes.

We can be proud of the alumni representation at Homecoming! It was the first time ever that the Patriot Center sold out for a basketball game. And we won! Finally, I want to thank you for the honor, privilege, and opportunity to serve as your Alumni Association president. I have received so much more than I have contributed. Please join me in my commitment to our university and to the Alumni Association. Get involved!

Jeffery M. Johnson
President, Alumni Association
B.S. Business Administration '75