Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1422563
12 I PSAI Association Insight, October 27, 2021 A History of Leadership (continued from page 10) Karleen Kos Ewald Consulting partnered with the PSAI with the objective of providing additional resources and expertise to the Association. From a staff of two working with Karleen—Emily Newberg and Todd Ginter—to the availability of dozens of experts in various fields, the PSAI is poised to grow to the next level. FINAL THOUGHTS We are all leaders. The individuals highlighted here were chosen and elected by the membership to serve on all members' behalf. With the support of the membership, the PSAI has continued to flourish after 50 years. If you are reading this and have never considered joining the Board of Directors, please think about this possibility. You will be helping the PSAI, you will sharpen your organizational skills and knowledge of the industry, and you will have no shortage of current and past officers and supporters to help you to fulfill your position. Thanks to Todd Hilde and Michael McCarthy for your help and assistance with this chapter. An incredibly special thanks to our dear friend in Heaven, Lothar Vermillion, for his exceptional and diligent work in logging and maintaining a list of all PSAI presidents, conventions, Nuts & Bolts Educational Conferences, international meetings and Gump Award winners since 1971. Lothar contacted me shortly after I had completed PSAI Through the Decades in 2011 and said that he had this information "should I be interested." After not fainting, I gave him a resounding "yes" and I have continued to update this information every year. This document will be shared at the end of this publication. "Lothar's List," as I have always referred to it, is a "gift that keeps on giving." accepted this position and moved from Tampa to Minneapolis to accept it. Holding the distinction of a Certified Association Executive (CAE) with the American Society of Association Executives, Karleen was soon able to implement policies and procedures that not only strengthened the PSAI but also propelled the Association into the realm of "professional associations." The list of her accomplishments is many, varied, and appreciated. From 5-year growth plans to yearly goals and objectives to Board Training Sessions to well-qualified speakers at conventions and events, Karleen raised the bar in terms of the PSAI's status. She is also a very prolific writer and her articles in PRO Magazine and numerous other publications brought the PSAI to the forefront on many issues such as the role of portable sanitation in the aftermath of natural disasters, industry standards, and the COVID-19 response by our industry. She always believed that the PSAI was at the tipping point in terms of recognition and acceptance by the general public and she diligently worked to advance this goal. I was a member of the Executive Search Committee that hired Karleen. We quickly became close as I shared my industry knowledge with her. Since my retirement in 2017, I thoroughly enjoyed working with—and learning from—a true leader, an outstanding professional, and a devoted friend.