June 5, 2006

Dear NSA Board of Directors,

Thank you for openly publishing your email addresses on your website:
http://www.nsastutter.org/material/index.php?matid=193

You wouldn’t believe how insulated some officers are in other corporate environments.  Or how difficult it is to find out whose running it.  Or communicate with them.  Even former leaders.

Sorry I've been a bit confused about who's running the NSA these days.  I know I've been away a while.  Sorry about that too.  Indeed, I've missed all of you very much.  Nice to see your Conference "back out here" again (on the West Coast).

Anyway, apologies to Tammy! "Director of Operations" -- I don't know why it sounds like CEO or "Executive Director" or something.

Hopefully, I've gotten it right this time -- I'm so grateful to have had the pleasure of meeting one of your co-chairman, Joseph Diaz (in '91: a while back! .. my, how time flies) at your Dallas convention.  Our tour leader for the Kennedy Memorial outing.  Who I very much look forward to meeting once again.  As well as all those 'new faces' on your Board I have yet to meet.

I wish to make a Request of you all involving some Historical financial records.  I wish to request your permission to review the NSP books.  Which I learned last Winter still exist. 

In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if you (our current NSA Board) knew nothing of these records.  Actually, all this may indeed turn out to all be "nothing at all".  And I'm sure you will have no problem with allowing me to verify this.  For I've known many of the key officers of the NSP and known them all to be of good character.  Especially John Albach.  Who I've missed very much over the years.  And hope to someday see once again at one of your Conferences.  In fact, I remember and heartily joined in that standing ovation he received from us all at that Convention (in San Diego - '95, I believe) around the time of his resignation.  For he was someone after my own heart.  I remember hearing some rather colorful stories about his spirited protests of various injustices in this world.  I think it's a miracle he never got into trouble from it all.  Though I could be mistaken.  I very much missed his presence at out last Holiday Social: "Any unusual disbursements of money?" I queried to our former officers.  "It's a mystery" I heard from somewhere.  And then I heard myself saying to myself "Shredded?" .. "I heard the word 'shredded'".

Anyway, I remember a buoyant and confident John Albach at our '93 San Francisco NSP Convention wanting me to get pictures of it all and giving me a sense that this organisation was finally coming into some financial health.
Which I mentioned at a meeting here and was told "It ran out".  I'd like to know where it all went.  Wouldn’t you?

I gather in '99 the name was changed from NSP to a more befitting NSA.

So let's see what we have. An organisation finally blossoming into financial health after two decades under a spirited and popular leader.  Suddenly he is replaced.  Along with the resignations of key officers (gosh, maybe all of them).  And then a name change.  And finally, what appear to be some missing financial reports surrounding all this that to my knowledge were never published in your newsletter: "It's a mystery".

As a member of the NSP during the time of these events, I wish to make a request to inspect your financial records from '93 through the time of the name change.  Records spanning almost a decade.  And which still exist.  And if you are not aware of their existence, this would also interest me greatly.  And why you haven't been told of their existence.  Or their location.

In fact, I'd think you yourselves would want to inspect these records also.  I know I certainly would if I were a Board member.

I gather your Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday June 28.  That means I'll have to arrive 2 days earlier than I had planned in order to attend it.  Do you have a procedure required for members to place items on the Agenda?  Perhaps there is a Secretary or something I must formally make this Request to.  Please tell me when and where you'll be meeting and how to proceed.

And keep up the good work. That website of yours is fabulous.  My compliments to Russ Hicks.  It was nice to meet him in Dallas also.  Where I saw the name "Harold Luper" on your roster and remembered the name from the Stuttering Foundation books I've read.  It has a Ph.D. on the end and I'm glad I got to meet him too.  While he was still with us.  That roster is so useful to me each time to make sure I won't miss anyone.

Really looking forward to seeing you all.  Hopefully John Albach too.


All the best,
Geoffrey
www.stutter.name