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PRESIDENT’S REPORT

A Year of Transitions

Change remains the constant and this past year at the Geological
Society of America (GSA) saw many transitions begin and continue
to unfold in GSA’s evolution. The planning for the retirement of our
terrific Executive Director, Dr. Vicki McConnell; the sale of our
headquarters building; the continued commitment to DEI; and the
implementation of a key feature of the Decadal Strategic plan—
spinning up GSA’s Center for Professional Excellence. Driven by
members, leaders, and staff, the stage is set for strengthening GSA,
reaching out into a larger geo-ecosystem, and highlighting the vital-
ity of the geosciences as a critical component needed to solve some
of society’s thorniest issues.
Beginning the Transition of the GSA Executive
Director A generous leaseback allows GSA to occupy the building for
My term began on 1 July 2021, the beginning of the FY2022 fis- two years, providing time to assess new workplace needs in an
cal year, with a high priority task: initiating the search for the next increasingly hybrid landscape. The pandemic brought a myriad of
GSA Executive Director (ED)/CEO. With the impending retirement changes to the workplace environment, with GSA staff, Council,
of our current ED at the end of 2022, the multicomponent process of and leadership transitioning seamlessly to a remote work environ-
formulating transition plans and selecting a representative and high- ment and now to a hybrid work environment. Assessing the new
quality search committee was a critical first step. While this change HQ needs will be in the hands of the incoming ED/CEO, with
will be a challenge, it is an opportunity to explore a range of leader- more transitions to occur.
ship models. With that as a backdrop, ED Vicki McConnell and I As one final detail in the building sale, GSA Council had a special
organized the annual leadership retreat in August 2021 with the June meeting with the explicit task of investing the funds received.
expert facilitation by Seth Kahan of visionaryleadership.com. While exciting and daunting at the same time, Council met with our
Thirty-five GSA leaders, councilors, staff, and past presidents strategic investment advisors and, informed by our highly talented
embraced Kahan’s thought-provoking presentations focused on Investment Committee, made the decision for investing the funds to
leadership models for the ED, as well as transformative and scalable provide operating funds for the future HQ. These funds will be
models for the Society. Spirited discussions resulted in a consensus explicitly used for relocating into a new HQ space, buildout that may
document outlining essential and desired attributes of our next ED/ need to occur, upkeep, and other related expenses. With our stellar
CEO. Commensurate with this is GSA’s desire to reach out to a Investment Committee and advisors, GSA members can be assured
larger ecosystem of membership, becoming more sustainable, and that funds are secure, well invested, and will bring the needed
move beyond our traditional sphere of influence. To maximize our resources to GSA for its continued success.
ED/CEO search options, we employed the search firm, Storbeck, to
guide us through the search and identify strong candidates. They Transitions at the GSA Connects Annual Meeting
have been superb at every step. The ED/CEO search is well under- and Section Meetings
way, led by past president Doug Walker and past Councilor Wendy Excitement permeated the Portland Convention Center as GSA
Bohrson. More exciting news will certainly follow as this effort Connects 2021 reunited geoscientists in October for one of the first
comes to fruition. in-person professional meetings following the COVID-19 shutdown.
With local, state, and national rules changing daily, GSA Council
Transition of Headquarters unanimously voted to move ahead with the in-person meeting, hop-
Nearly two years ago, the Ad Hoc Campus Vision Committee ing for the best, while also having a hybrid component such that
outlined a plan for the GSA campus. The specifically designed and members could choose their comfort level. GSA meetings staff
constructed headquarters (HQ) building, on a street—Penrose superbly navigated the technological challenges and seamlessly
Place—named to honor an early GSA benefactor, is now 50 years transitioned to the various oral delivery styles. With vaccinations
old and is showing its age. Facing many facility issues, the 2020 required and safety protocols in place, the many social engagements
Council voted unanimously to begin the sale of the building and brought time for the oh-so-missed networking events.
campus. ED McConnell worked tirelessly to find a like-minded, GSA is unsurpassed in its student events, mentoring opportuni-
mission-oriented, not-for-profit organization to purchase the build- ties, and interactions. One of our biggest successes to foster
ing and surrounding land. Requiring mountains of paperwork, engagement and a sense of belonging in underrepresented groups
hours of legal consultation, and many negotiations, the sale of the is GSA’s On To the Future program. Supported by generous dona-
building took place on 5 April 2022. A signing ceremony was held tions, this year inaugurated the largest class and had standing-
in Boulder followed by a reception at GSA headquarters for the room-only events. To further inclusivity and the sense of belong-
new and old occupants, with online and in-person toasts. I had the ing, LGBTQ+ events were included in the program and attended
pleasure of flying in for the event. by many. As always, there was the celebration of sharing excellent

12 Annual Program Report | FY 2022