Associates in Action

Associates in Action highlights BCG associates’ news, activities, and accomplishments. Contact Alice Hoyt Veen to include your news in an upcoming post.

Awards & Achievements

Rachal Mills Lennon, CG, has been elected to the American Society of Genealogists as its 167^th Fellow.

Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, has received the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Loretto D. Szucs Service Award, presented to recognize contributions of positive personal influence and extraordinary service to FGS and the genealogy industry.

Harold Henderson, CG and David McDonald, D. Min., CG, have been recognized for their service to BCG. Harold Henderson served one three-year term as a trustee and served on a variety of committees. David McDonald served the maximum three terms (nine years in all), as President from 2010–2012, and as Secretary from 2015–2017. He also served on a variety of committees, some before he was elected as a trustee.

Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, CG, has been recognized for her service the last three years as BCG President (2014–2017). Jeanne also served as Treasurer from 2010–2014. She was elected to her final three-year term as a trustee and will serve on the BCG executive committee as immediate past president for 2017–2018.

Brenda Dougall Merriman has been awarded BCG Emeritus status. Brenda has maintained her BCG certification for 38 years and has been a well-known advocate of genealogy standards in Canada. She authored About Genealogical Standards of Evidence: A Guide for Genealogists published in 1997 and updated three times. She first earned her certification in 1979, served as a trustee from 1998 to 2004, and was one of the contributors to The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual published in 2000.

The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG®) honored several members for their achievements and service to the profession at its 2017 Professional Management Conference (PMC) in Washington D.C. The following BCG associates received awards:

Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL, received the APG Professional Achievement Award. The award, created in 2007, recognizes exceptional professional achievement and ethical behavior with contributions to the field of genealogy. Powell served on the APG Board for six years, is a past-president for the Board for Certification of Genealogists, and is a co-director of the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). Powell is a longtime genealogy instructor, having taught at SLIG, IGHR, and Boston University’s Genealogical Research certificate program, and at many other genealogical events and conferences.

Christine Rose, FASG, Certified Genealogist Emeritus, was awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership for her contributions to APG and to the field of genealogy. Rose is a former APG Vice President and was the recipient of the APG Professional Achievement Award. She is the author of several books and was a lecturer/coordinator at IGHR for many years.

Yvette Hoitnik, CG, received a Certificate of Appreciation for her work on the APG Website Committee.

Deborah Hooper, CG, received a Certificate of Appreciation for service to APG as a member of the Board of Directors and the Code of Ethics and Professional Practices Committee.

Ruy Cardoso, CG, received a Certificate of Appreciation for service to APG as member of the Code of Ethics and Professional Practices Committee.

Catherine Desmarais, CG, received a Certificate of Appreciation for service to APG as Vice President, on the Bylaws Committee, and on the Code of Ethics and Professional Practices Committees.

Career News

Mary O’Brien Vidlak, CG, has been elected President of the Virginia Genealogical Society. The Society encourages public awareness of family history and fosters research and understanding of genealogy through its publications and activities.

BCG Officers for 2017–2018 are Richard G. Sayre, CG, CGL, President; Stefani Evans, CG, Vice President; LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG, Treasurer; Patricia Lee Hobbs, CG, Secretary; and Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL, Member-at-Large.

Publications

Harold Henderson, CG, "A Stitch in Time: Female Descendants of Polly Holmes (1805-1839) of Madison County," New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 148 (July 2017):173-190. More information is found on Harold’s blog: https://midwesternmicrohistory.blogspot.com/2017/09/five-generations-of-new-york-women.html

Yvette Hoitink, CG, “Attract More Visitors to Your Website,” Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly 32 (September 2017): 42-45.