Your AGO Regional Leaders

All AGO officers at National and Regional levels are volunteers just like your chapter leadership. Your Regional leadership can be especially helpful to you in many ways. All of our contact information is accessible on the AGO National website (www.agohq.org) or under the "Links of Interest" at the right side of this blog.

As your Regional Councillor, I am part of the conduit of information flowing to and from the National office. Therefore, it’s important that I hear your opinions and concerns so that I can adequately represent you on the National Council. I am available to you via e-mail and phone throughout the year. I welcome your chapter's newsletters and e-mails. This ensures information flows to National. To help it flow from National to you, I publish this blog, a regional newsletter, and provide advice in response to your e-mails and phone calls. I can also personally visit your chapter if you’d like – to present a program on Guild matters, install chapter officers, offer a pep talk, meet with chapter leadership, talk about hosting a Regional Convention or POE … whatever you need. Let me know how I can best help you and your chapter!

Be sure I am on your chapter's mailing and e-mailing lists for newsletters and notices of upcoming events. After chapter events, send me updates -- and ensure your chapter submits those also for publication in The American Organist as well! Send me e-mails frequently, or post comments at this blog -- share feedback, questions, and concerns.

We have twelve additional dedicated volunteers at your service in our Region. Your District Convener is another important part of the conduit of information throughout the Guild, representing the chapters in your state. There are also two Regional Coordinators in specialized areas: Jeff Verkuilen, Region VI’s Coordinator for Education, and Marlene Hallstrom, Coordinator for Professional Development. All of these people are available to assist you. Regional budget can cover some expenses for chapter visits by any of us.

Get to know your state's District Convener, and keep him/her posted about your chapter and individual activities and concerns. Involve Jeff and Marlene in your chapter's Education and Professional Development programs.

Often in our profession, we feel isolated ... we spend many hours alone in rehearsal, and if we serve a church, we seldom are able to observe and learn from our colleagues facing similar challenges, because we are involved in our jobs at the same time they're doing theirs. But you are not alone. Your chapter, Regional, and National leadership is ready to help you.