Summer 2024 3 Over the past few years, I have utilized this space to share anecdotes from my experience representing you before the General Assembly in Richmond. As I sat down to pen this column, I was reminded of another that I would like to share. The 2024 session of the Virginia General Assembly saw a record 45 freshman joining either the House of Delegates or the Senate. Most committee meetings, at which introduced legislation is considered, follow a pattern familiar to seasoned lobbyists. Legislators not serving on the Committee will sign up to present their bills beforehand and will sit patiently in the front row for their number to be called at the discretion of the chair. Amidst the chaos of a 45- or 60-day session, and because most members are pulling double duty on multiple committees that meet simultaneously, it is common for those with more seniority to go first so that they can run off to chair another meeting. Later in the session, in a rush to meet deadlines, this often means that the orderly sign-up queue gets thrown out the window. No matter the circumstance, freshman legislators often find themselves at the end of the line. On one evening this past February, I attended a committee meeting that had started two hours late due to significant floor action earlier that day as the annual crossover deadline approached. The agenda was long. Since everyone’s day had started well before sunrise, and had now lasted well past sunset, the usual discourse became understandably brief and dispassionate. Every bill received a fair hearing, but there was urgency to complete the committee’s business promptly. After a couple of hours, with only a handful of bills remaining on the docket, folks in the audience (myself included) were paying more attention to their phones than the dais. Just then, a bill number was called and up from the front row bounded a young, enthusiastic new Delegate to present her bill. She began: “Gratitude, Mr. Chairman!” Over the next two minutes, she presented a bill on behalf of one of her constituents with an energy and passion that would have stood out during the most heated of debates. Everyone in the room perked up and took notice. The subject matter had nothing to do with forestry, but I was transfixed. After waiting for hours, she eschewed boring platitudes and talking points to speak from her heart about something that was important to her and those she served. It was refreshingly different. The bill was unanimously advanced by the committee. What struck me most was that her successful efforts started with a genuine expression of gratitude. This is my final column for Virginia Forests magazine. In September, after nearly five years at the helm, I will be leaving VFA for another professional opportunity. As I reflect on my tenure, I am overcome with feelings that transcend a mere “thanks.” Virginia’s forestry community is, and will remain, special to me. I depart knowing that both I and the organization are in a better place than we were five years ago. And I am filled with the utmost gratitude for this wonderful organization and the people who make it so. I am grateful for VFA’s amazing staff. Day in and day out, the professionalism that both Sonnia Montemayor and Chris Frost bring to the organization is without peer. Stakeholders have found increasing value in our events, programs, and services during my tenure. But that has only been made possible through countless hours of diligent work by staff behind the scenes to make it happen. I am grateful for the incomparable Lesha Berkel. Working with her third VFA executive, Lesha has been the organization’s constant throughline and continues to do a masterful job of telling this community’s story in these pages. Her recognition as VFA’s 2024 Member of the Year was a true highlight of my tenure. I am grateful for the leadership of the esteemed VFA Presidents with whom I have had the privilege of working. John Magruder, John Gee, Scott Shallenberger, Stephanie Grubb, Dan Hockenberry, and Chris Harris have all epitomized what it means to be a servant leader. I have been truly blessed to serve alongside these individuals and all of VFA’s dedicated Volunteer Leaders on the VFA Board, its Segment Councils, and its committees. Finally, I am grateful for you. Time and again during my time at VFA, you amazed me with your steadfast support of this organization. The vision and mission of VFA predates me and will continue to endure long after I am gone. Together, I am certain that a bright future for this community remains in your most capable hands. My Gratitude to You FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UPDATE Corey Connors
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