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VRA 2012, Awards

by Visual Resources Association

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A highlight of the Conference, the Awards Luncheon brings us together for a full buffet luncheon in an elegant setting as we announce the recipients of the Association’s major honors and awards.

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Introduction of Awards Ceremony MNWFirst slide Welcome to the 2012 presentation of the Visual Resources Association’s Nancy DeLaurier & Distinguished Service Awards. I’m Margaret Webster, the incoming chair of the Awards Committee, and am standing in for our chair, Brenda MacEachern, who for health reasons is unable to be here today. Please continue to enjoy your meal while celebrating with our stellar group of awardees.The awards committee worked hard this year and is pleased to present two Nancy DeLaurier Awards and one Distinguished Service Award to three exceptional representatives of our profession. We are very proud of the professional diversity exhibited by this group of deserving honorees. I extend a big thank you to all of the members of the awards committee (Linda Callahan, LiseHawkos, Madelyn Millen, and Martine Sherrill) for their thoughtful, collegial work during the year and in particular to our chair, Brenda MacEachern, who was instrumental in guiding us through the process. A very special thank you to Brenda.Finally, I want to give you all a head’s up. I will post a call for nominations for both the Nancy DeLaurier and the Distinguished Service Awards for 2013 immediately after this conference. Please, while you are enjoying your meal and this awards celebration, think about those have influenced your professional development, those who in your opinion have contributed so much to visual resources. Please consider submitting a nomination for a Nancy DeLaurier or Distinguished Service Award. The award guidelines and list of previous recipients are posted on the VRA web site. Furthermore, each member of the Awards Committee is prepared to help you with this process. Remember—no nominations equals no awards celebration. We have too many worthy potential honorees to let this happen.
Portrait of Nancy DeLaurierNancy DeLaurier Award MNWThe Nancy DeLaurier Award, named for one of the pioneers of the visual resources profession, annually honors a visual resources professional for distinguished achievement in the field. "Achievement" is measured by immediate impact, and may take the form of published work, oral presentation, project management, software development, technology application, website creation, or other outstanding effort. This year I am pleased to announce that the Awards Committee has chosen to award two Nancy DeLaurier awards. Each of the awardees richly deserves this honor but in distinctly different ways.
Portrait of Sheila MNWOur first Nancy DeLaurier Award goes to Sheila M. Hannah. Sheila is the retired director of the Bainbridge Bunting Visual Resources Library at the University of New Mexico here in Albuquerque. I call upon Mark Pompelia and Cindy Abel Morris to make the presentation. Would Sheila, Mark and Cindy please join me at the podium?
Next four slides = presentation by Mark Pompelia and Cindy Abel Morris. Visual Resources Association 2012 Nancy DeLaurier Award: Sheila HannahIntroductory RemarksDelivered by Mark Pompelia at the VRA Awards Luncheon, April 19, 2012, Hotel Albuquerque, Old Town Albuquerque, New MexicoGood afternoon. I’m so pleased to be speaking to you in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the “Land of Enchantment”—a slogan that is, well, a slogan, but nevertheless has the virtue of being perfectly true. We are gathered in a truly singular place for our thirtieth anniversary. The question remains at this anniversaryAwards luncheon at a time when record achievement is met with great upheaval and where the journey is equalto the destination: how did we get here? Co--‐nominator Cindy Abel Morris and I have an answer (and this is where our pleasure derives in being here this afternoon): Sheila Hannah is how we got here. I know that I am addressing an audience of doers, and mostly humble, quiet doers at that, but these remarks will show that Sheila is a pioneer of the initiatives that have come to define the Visual Resources Association. Like many pioneers, we often don’t know their names or the details of what they have done but their accomplishments are indisputably foundational, cumulative, and ultimately indispensible in getting us to this destination.At the start of the millennium at Rice University in Houston, a neighbor of sorts to New Mexico, I investigated the possibility of building an in--‐house database for visual resources. Sheila Hannah’s name turned up in the research since she had built one of the first databases for visual resources: VISIC, the Visual Information Checklist, and subsequently published on the topic of database automation. When I later explored the possibility of an internship program in visual resources, colleagues said, “talk to Sheila,” who had already presented andpublished on one of the most extensive and successful visual resources internship programs at the time. When I was confronted with the challenge of addressing the arts of Native America and the Southwest within the collection at Rice, again I heard: “talk to Sheila.” Sheila, it turns out, had created VIRCONA, the Visual Resources Catalog of Native American Artists, one of the first authorities to be contributed to the Getty Vocabularies program that is shared to the entire world today. Database creation; training of new professionals; and shared authorities: you should now have a clear understanding of why Sheila Hannah is a pioneer in visual resources—a pioneer in getting us to where we are today.With her achievements cumulative in effect, it is this last accomplishment that stands out in Sheila being successfully nominated for a Nancy DeLaurier Award here in Albuquerque. Databases will be locally adapted, internship programs will change, but the VIRCONA authorities represent an achievement of wide and lasting value and a precedent of shared contribution that harkens to our best nature as humble doers and inspires us still. She was one of the first critical and crucial voices to urge awareness and sensitivity to non-Western works of cultural heritage that directly informed the creation and early versions of the VRA Core. If that strikes us as a given in 2012, when our strengths lie in recognizing diversity of cultural objects, we have Sheila to thank for the intellectual and structural normalization of that attitude.Sheila had her origin in libraries, which gave her a foundational and unwavering appreciation of standards. She soon moved to visual resources and continued that normalization in data standards and took up the mantle of visual resources training. Minimizing local idiosyncrasy, she could see the bigger picture of her work and contribute to a wider audience beyond her immediate setting. Or maybe, being here in remote New Mexico, she understood that she had to be her own doer. Sheila will credit others, which is understandable, but that should not take away from her cumulative string of accomplishments.The Nancy DeLaurier Award hinges on the factor of a wide and shared impact. I won’t quote the letters of recommendation beyond what you’ve seen projected on the screen, except to say that universal to all were the sentiments: “I’m so glad to see Sheila being recognized”, “She was a critical contributor to our major initiatives, especially the shared authority”, “It’s likely we would not be where we are today without her.”So Sheila: I’m so glad to see you being recognized as a critical contributor to a shared initiative. And it’s very clear that we would not be here today in Albuquerque without you. Congratulations.Cindy Abel Morris; Bunting Visual Resources Library: University of New MexicoMark Pompelia; Fleet Library; Rhode Island School of Design
[Move to next slide] and Burns presentation.]
Award presentation by Maureen Burns. Sheila Hannah’s remarks:Award Remarks Mark, thank you very much for your kind words. I'm both humbled and thrilled to receive a 2012 Visual Resources Association Nancy DeLaurier Award. It is a great honor to be ranked with the outstanding people who have received this award before me. The fact that I was nominated for this recognition by Mark Pompelia and by Cindy Able Morris - two people who themselves do so much for the visual resources profession - is an added honor. Cindy and Mark, I thank you both. I also thank all those who submitted letters endorsing the nomination and I thank the committee for selecting me as a recipient. As many of you know, I 'm now retired from the field of visual resources, so this bolt from the blue in the form of Margaret Webster saying I would receive a VRA award really jolted me into thinking about the past. I honestly couldn't recall any single achievement worthy of the distinction. I was told my recognition was a bit different. It was for my general work in visual resources to support Native American topics - not for one project with immediate impact like those recognized in previous years, but rather for a collection of efforts linked by a single theme that together produced a slower cumulative effect. For me the slow accumulation began in 1980 when I co-edited with Zelda Richardson a now largely forgotten College Art Association Visual Resources Guide titled Introduction to Visual Resource Library Automation in which I naively suggested that not only main frame computers (which were the sole topic of the guide - does anyone even remember main frames), but also those new "Personal Computers" might have a role in our futures. There followed an article here, a book review there; a smattering of papers and panel discussions; the posting of a Native American classification system on-line, the commission of a slide label producing program that stored data in files that would later be ported to a custom relational database, submissions to the Getty Vocabularies, five years on the Data Standards Committee, participation in the VISION project, successful (and unsuccessful) grant applications, an on-line database, a permanently funded graduate internship program -- all always dedicated to insuring that any and all electronic visual resources activities could easily and accurately accommodate images of Native American art objects. I am deeply grateful I took this multi-faceted approach, because at every stage it rewarded me with the opportunity to work with many smart and inspiring colleagues in the visual resources profession. I thank every one of them for productive collaborations and lively exchanges of ideas. While I can't name them all here, I feel I must mention two - Jeanette Mills and Karen Kessel - who have always been there when images of Native American art were on topic. At my own institution I collaborated with dedicated staff members, many fine graduate students, IT heroes, database developers, generous deans and even legal counsels. I thank them all for giving me their support, hard work and valuable expertise. And on the home front, I thank my husband, Michael Hannah, who has always, always been there for me with his moral support, practical advice and true wisdom. While reflecting on my own history, I couldn't help but examine the accomplishments of our visual resources profession as a whole and I was struck by how much our discipline has to be proud of. Over the past thirty-five years, visual resources curators have evolved from cohort-starved image-wranglers isolated in their slide rooms to members of a vibrant and vital interactive community. As a community, our profession has moved from analog to digital, from slide cabinets to servers, from slide labels with limited information in teeny-tiny type to metadata rich electronic records. We've moved from light tables to terminals, from classification systems to search engines, from individual production to shared records, and from "I do it this way" to accepted standards in data, cataloging and vocabulary. We've gone from handing out carousel trays to managing Web services systems. And through our guides, bulletin, journal, listserv, workshops, summer institute, committees, website, conferences, amazing spirit of sharing and experimentation and yes -- even awards, we did it together - one measured individual effort linked to all the others over time. In conclusion, I came to realize that this Nancy DeLaurier Award is actually an acknowledgement of the accumulation of contributions each of you has made in the past and will make in the future to the collective success of the visual resources profession. This Nancy DeLaurier award is a reflection of what each of you do every day - share an idea, mentor a student, write an article, participate in a committee, apply for a grant, catalog an image, share a lunch. So it is on behalf of all of you, that I accept this award. It's been fun working with visual resources, rewarding to belong to the VRA, and exciting to meet so many professional people. Thank you.
Portrait of Patti MNWThe second Nancy DeLaurier Award is given to someone who truly needs no introduction -- Patti McRae Baley of the University of Nevada in Las Vegas and of VRAffle renown.Unfortunately, MerriannBidgood who submitted this nomination is unable to be here to present the award; I will, therefore, read her remarks.Would Patti please join me at the podium?
MerriannBidgood’s remarks: The Nancy DeLaurier award is for those individuals who have made a distinguished achievement in the field of Visual Resources. Patti McRae Baley has shown such a tireless and dedicated effort in promoting the VRA Raffle, which supports the Tansey Travel Awards. I am honored to present Patti McRaeBaley with the Nancy DeLaurier award. The VRA Raffle has been one of the most anticipated events in the conference schedule. Every one looks forward to seeing what the grand prize will be, or what new piece of Chris Sundt jewelry will adorn the lucky winner. The main focus of the Raffle is to promote the Tansey Travel Awards. Without the funding that is raised for the Tansey many of our colleagues and friends would be unable to attend the annual conference. Every person who knows Patti comments on her skill at coordinating and managing the donations, the volunteers, and the main event of the VRA Raffle. The hard work is often rewarded with cheers from the crowd for another fine performance and a bigger pot of funds for more travel awards for the following year. One of the best things about Patti and the VRA Raffle was her ability to make even the shyest new member in VRA to become a Raffle Rouser. It is this welcoming spirit that many look forward too. [Move to next slide].
Conclusion of MerriannBidgood’s remarks:Thank you Empress Patti for all of your hard work and dedication. As you have taught us: Figure 8, Touch Pearls. [Move to next slide] and Burns presentation.
Award presentation by Maureen Burns.2012 VRA Nancy DeLaurier Award Remarks: Patricia McRae BaleyA quick survey of past recipients of the DSA and The NDL awards reveals a surprisingly high percentage of them have been bestowed on members with the surname McRae. Between the great Linda McRae and myself, we have taken home 13.3% of the VRA’s two top awards in the past 15 years. Speaking as a resident of Las Vegas, the odds bode well for VRA member Erik McRae, and all future VRA members from Clan McRae. Thank you all. I would first like to thank MerriannBidgood, one of the original Raffle Rousers, who nominated me for this great honor and guided the process, and those who wrote such touchingly lovely support letters. I will treasure them. Also, profound thanks to the Awards Committee for having found me worthy. I am pleased and humbled to the point of stupefaction (but not silence) to accept this award, which is especially sweet as my husband Virko is here today. Thank you from the bottom of Our imperial heart. There are worthies I will probably fail to thank here so I beg forgiveness, pleading tiara fatigue.At the VRA/ARLIS joint conference in Minneapolis, I abdicated the VRAffle throne in order to tend to personal family matters. Last January 6, Margaret Webster informed me of this tremendous honor. I was accustomed on every first Friday in January to posting the first of a series of epistles to VRA-L publicizing the VRAffle (my weekly harangues), and for the first time in years there was to be no blurb that day. Since you are a room full of metadata fans, I am happy to pinpoint the creation date of the first VRAffle message to March 24, 2003. So, it was a delicious bit of kismet that the call came that first Friday. From that moment, I began to cogitate on how it is that I am standing here today.Just as no one becomes a scholar or artist by themselves, I am only standing here today because of a network of esteemed individuals of great charity. In other words, there is no “I” in VRAffle. Without donations from hundreds of caring vendors, chapters and VRA members, I am not standing here. Absent the volunteers who sacrificed part of their precious conference time, and I am not standing here. Remove the organizational skills, wit, and level head of Lady-in-Waiting Rebecca Moss of the University of Minnesota, and the likewise savvy Interim Lady-in-Waiting JenniRoddaLoory of NY’s IFA, I am not only not standing here, I am huddled in a corner, babbling incoherently. Withhold the brilliant talents of Allan Kohl of MCAD, who selflessly threw in his lot with the Empress starting with the Mermaids of Miami in 2005, bringing his fine theatrical talents and showmanship to the drawings, and I am in no way standing here. Delete the collaboration of the Development and Travel committees and the Executive Boards (especially the Treasurers) of the past 10 years, I am not standing anywhere near the dais. Withdraw the support of UNLV’s Department of Art and Dean of Fine Arts, I could not afford to stand here. And rescind the loving support of my soul mate Virko, and I am sitting in the audience. I thank them all here and now.Flash back to a conference room in St. Louis when I was VRA Secretary. A volunteer was sought to MC the ARLIS Silent Auction for the first joint conference and I heard myself say, “I’ll do it”. I shocked myself in taking this on because I had never MC’ed anything. What overrode my deep desire to wait for someone else to volunteer was a deeper desire to give back to the organization that had advantaged me so significantly. Without the VRA, I would have flamed out. Soon after earning my MA in Art History I got my first position in visual resources in July of 1994. My entire training as a VR professional consisted of a hands-on instructional by my University of Memphis predecessor that stretched across a span of 3 hours. That was it. Without help, I was headed for an epic fail. Enter the VR division of SECAC, which was meeting in New Orleans in October 1994. I obtained funding and a carful of undergrads to drive to the Big Easy. There I had the pleasure of meeting Christina Updike and Sandy Walker among others, who enthusiastically welcomed me into the fold, introducing me to this organization called the VRA. The next spring my education continued at my first VRA conference in NY. Year after year, I advantaged myself with the wisdom and knowledge of my generous-to-a-fault peers, eventually bridging the digital divide in my UNLV solo shop. VRA gave me every practical and technical tool I needed to succeed. It is the sine qua non of my career, at the root of all my professional achievements of the past 18 years.Rewind back to that fateful Board meeting. “Who wants to MC this Silent Auction?” “I’ll do it.” Because, how could I not? I didn’t feel I was doing enough for the VRA even as Secretary, and this sounded like something I could actually do. And it was a great cause. How hard could it be? And I could wear a fabulous outfit for the occasion (I have always ascribed to the idea that the one who dies with the most couture wins.) And it was a one off! I’d make it up as I went along (my go to move) and that would be it. Well, that wasn’t it. Next came Houston in 2003, and the “21 Raffle” for the 21st conference, organized and executed by MerriannBidgood. VP Jeanne Keefe suggested the “bid for individual items” format and it was so. At the drawing, Merriann and Rebecca Moss and Treasurer Ann Thomas assisted along with others and there was even a last minute, nerve-wracking live auction of a Chris Sundt neckpiece. Afterward, John Taormina proclaimed me “Empress”, and once one is made Empress, it is never undone. The following year, the name VRAffle was introduced in Portland and, with the help of co-Chair Debra Royer and the first grand prize, donated by Archivision, Inc., the VRAffle was established as a conference staple. But- the ticket prices always remained ridiculously affordable- $2 each, 6 for $10, 12 for $20.Not counting the first Silent Auction in St. Louis for which I found no data, I have documented that the grand total raised benefitting VRA’s Travel Awards, excluding ARLIS’s portion last year, is $22,208. The VRAffle turned out to be more play than work, and over the years the process was developed and refined, culminating in my writing the VRAffle Procedural manual. It details every aspect of the VRAffle down to the last jot and tittle. By the way, the Development Committee has done an outstanding job on the Vendor Slam raffle, and I’d like to encourage all to bid.Now the VRAffle needs a new leader to guide it. So, the person- and you know who you are- sitting out there looking for some way to give back to VRA, may be thinking to themselves, “hey, I can take this fundraiser to the next level!” Be Our guest, says the Empress. You will never regret it, and you can even choose your own signature wave. May I suggest any of these- the Light Bulb, the Fan, the Windshield Wiper, the Sporadic Flutter, the Rodeo Queen (this requires riding a horse draped with a spray of roses)…. But- this one is perpetually taken! [Figure 8, Touch Pearls]. Thank you!
DSA Initial Slide MNWEach year the Visual Resources Association honors an individual who has made an outstanding career contribution to the field of visual resources and image management. Nominees must have achieved a level of distinction in the field either through leadership, research, or service to the profession. Nominees who have shown outstanding innovation, participation, or project management may also be considered. In fact, our Distinguished Service Award winners are typically distinguished in multiple areas of expertise and have demonstrated this through continuing, outstanding professional participation and contribution. This year’s award winner is no exception. -- next slide.
MNWThe 2012 Distinguished Service Award is presented to Kathe Hicks Albrecht of American University. I call upon Ann Thomas and Jeanne Keefe to make the presentation. Would Kathe, Ann, and Jeanne please join me at the podium?
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD PRESENTATION: Kathe AlbrechtJeanne Keefe and Ann ThomasSLIDE 4Good Afternoon, Members of the Visual Resources Association, guests, and friends.INTRODUCTIONSLIDE 5We have both had the honor to have worked closely with Kathe on the VRA Executive Board, the VRA Foundation Board, and the Summer Educational Institute and can attest to her energy, enthusiasm, competence, organizational skills, leadership qualities, and (above all) to her support of and generosity to those engaged with her in forwarding the mission of the VRA. (Ann Thomas and Jeanne Keefe) SLIDE 6While working with Kathe on the VRA Executive Board, VRA Foundation Task Force and the VRA Foundation Board, it became increasingly apparent that as a leader she possesses the rare combination of an entrepreneurial mind with the organizational skills, people skills and determination to carry creative ideas through to their implementation (Margo Ballantyne) SLIDE 7Kathe is the consummate professional in her many areas of service for VRA and the VRAF. Her decision-making is constantly based on what is best for the organization. Kathe’s devotion and passionate commitment to the visual resources field is what informs her leadership. For the past several years I have had the honor of working closely with Kathe as a partner in all things VRAF. Her incredible energy is invaluable in this realm. In addition, I have always admired Kathe’s ability to handle any situation that comes her way with grace and aplomb. She deserves mucho kudos for bringing the SEI to maturity, making it the premier program that it is today. Kathe … truly deserves our recognition as the 2012 VRA DSA Award winner. (Elisa Lanzi) EARLY CAREERSLIDE 8At American University she was an early adopter of digital imaging and an advocate for the university’s involvement in the Museum Educational Site Licensing Project (1994-1997). Kathe served as one of three campus coordinators for this digital imaging project funded by the Getty Foundation. She has twice been the recipient of the American University Staff Achievement Award…and in 2002 was given the American University Dedicated Service Award. With colleagues at AU Kathe has received a number of grants for digital imaging projects. (Macie Hall)SLIDE 9From the outset of my participation in the VRA, Kathe stood out as a visible and accomplished leader, representing the interests of the VRA at the CONFU hearings and providing critical advocacy at the national level for the fair use of images. I believe her efforts as a CONFU representative and as Intellectual Property Rights Committee Chair played a critical role in helping all of us understand and navigate a world where the use of images was rapidly altered by digital technology.(Betha Whitlow)TASK FORCES & COMMITTEES I was Chair of the Nominating Committee during a challenging period. Kathe was an immense help in recruiting candidates for office during her tenure as a Committee member. I found her knowledge of the membership to be vast, and her insights on the qualities an effective Board member should display to be invaluable. Her thoughtful comments and candidate suggestions demonstrated her focus on the best interests of the Association. (Ann Burns)PRESIDENT OF VRA SLIDE 10 She also uniquely managed to make the challenges of Board work fun as well as satisfying by encouraging an environment of conversation, collegiality, and civility—qualities that I have tried to emulate in my own leadership roles. (Betha Whitlow)VRA FOUNDATION DIRECTORSLIDE 11As both a Founding Director and Director of the VRAF, Kathe has tirelessly sought to support important projects such as CCO (Cataloguing Cultural Objects) and SEI (the ARLIS/NA-VRA Summer Educational Institute), while implementing funding initiatives such as a professional development grant program. (Betha Whitlow)SLIDE 12In the preparation, for instance, of the application for IRS recognition of the Foundation as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, one of the most important required documents was a narrative description of VRAF’s activities. “Describe completely and in detail past, present, and planned activities,” was how the IRS put it. Consequently, we had to describe not just the plans for VRAF’s future activity, but also give an accounting of VRA, its history and purpose, and the relationship of the two organizations. Kathe, with Elisa Lanzi, volunteered for the task, and the lengthy document they produced was so beautifully written that it not only served as the source for much of VRAF’s web site materials, but its VRA elements were also used as the basis of a white paper on the VRA developed for the 2006 redesign of vraweb.org. (Loy Zimmerman) SUMMER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE CO-CHAIR SLIDE 13SLIDE 14 On the go from early morning to late evening, Kathe never tired. She was always available to students and instructors to answer questions, solve problems and give advice. Kathe is always willing to put in extra time and energy. Kathe approaches challenges in a thoughtful and creative manner, taking the time to weigh alternatives and consider other opinions. (AlixReiskind) MENTOR PROGRAMSLIDE 15SLIDE 16 In addition to the years of dedicated service to on- going development and administration of VRA, Kathe still found time to create opportunities for mentorship and member support. Kathe’s personal mentorship of VRA members is a commonly known fact and includes the statistic that she has volunteered eight out of the thirteen years that the Annual Conference Mentor Program has been in existence. I will never forget the joy and amazement expressed on the face of a young curator attending her first conference when she realized that Kathe, then President of the VRA, would be in her own words, “my very own mentor.” (Margo Ballantyne) CONCLUSIONS SLIDE 17Ann and I have had the honor to have worked closely with Kathe on the VRA Executive Board, the VRA Foundation Board, and the Summer Educational Institute and can attest to her energy, enthusiasm, competence, organizational skills, leadership qualities, and (above all) to her support of and generosity to those engaged with her in forwarding the mission of the VRA. (Jeanne Keefe & Ann Thomas) SLIDE 18TOGETHER: “Truly a woman for all seasons…” DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD PRESENTATIONKathe AlbrechtSLIDE 4Good Afternoon, Members of the Visual Resources Association, guests, and friends.INTRODUCTIONSLIDE 5We have both had the honor to have worked closely with Kathe on the VRA Executive Board, the VRA Foundation Board, and the Summer Educational Institute and can attest to her energy, enthusiasm, competence, organizational skills, leadership qualities, and (above all) to her support of and generosity to those engaged with her in forwarding the mission of the VRA. (Ann Thomas and Jeanne Keefe) SLIDE 6While working with Kathe on the VRA Executive Board, VRA Foundation Task Force and the VRA Foundation Board, it became increasingly apparent that as a leader she possesses the rare combination of an entrepreneurial mind with the organizational skills, people skills and determination to carry creative ideas through to their implementation (Margo Ballantyne) SLIDE 7Kathe is the consummate professional in her many areas of service for VRA and the VRAF. Her decision-making is constantly based on what is best for the organization. Kathe’s devotion and passionate commitment to the visual resources field is what informs her leadership. For the past several years I have had the honor of working closely with Kathe as a partner in all things VRAF. Her incredible energy is invaluable in this realm. In addition, I have always admired Kathe’s ability to handle any situation that comes her way with grace and aplomb. She deserves mucho kudos for bringing the SEI to maturity, making it the premier program that it is today. Kathe … truly deserves our recognition as the 2012 VRA DSA Award winner. (Elisa Lanzi) EARLY CAREERSLIDE 8At American University she was an early adopter of digital imaging and an advocate for the university’s involvement in the Museum Educational Site Licensing Project (1994-1997). Kathe served as one of three campus coordinators for this digital imaging project funded by the Getty Foundation. She has twice been the recipient of the American University Staff Achievement Award…and in 2002 was given the American University Dedicated Service Award. With colleagues at AU Kathe has received a number of grants for digital imaging projects. (Macie Hall)SLIDE 9From the outset of my participation in the VRA, Kathe stood out as a visible and accomplished leader, representing the interests of the VRA at the CONFU hearings and providing critical advocacy at the national level for the fair use of images. I believe her efforts as a CONFU representative and as Intellectual Property Rights Committee Chair played a critical role in helping all of us understand and navigate a world where the use of images was rapidly altered by digital technology.(Betha Whitlow)TASK FORCES & COMMITTEES I was Chair of the Nominating Committee during a challenging period. Kathe was an immense help in recruiting candidates for office during her tenure as a Committee member. I found her knowledge of the membership to be vast, and her insights on the qualities an effective Board member should display to be invaluable. Her thoughtful comments and candidate suggestions demonstrated her focus on the best interests of the Association. (Ann Burns)PRESIDENT OF VRA SLIDE 10 She also uniquely managed to make the challenges of Board work fun as well as satisfying by encouraging an environment of conversation, collegiality, and civility—qualities that I have tried to emulate in my own leadership roles. (Betha Whitlow)VRA FOUNDATION DIRECTORSLIDE 11As both a Founding Director and Director of the VRAF, Kathe has tirelessly sought to support important projects such as CCO (Cataloguing Cultural Objects) and SEI (the ARLIS/NA-VRA Summer Educational Institute), while implementing funding initiatives such as a professional development grant program. (Betha Whitlow)SLIDE 12In the preparation, for instance, of the application for IRS recognition of the Foundation as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, one of the most important required documents was a narrative description of VRAF’s activities. “Describe completely and in detail past, present, and planned activities,” was how the IRS put it. Consequently, we had to describe not just the plans for VRAF’s future activity, but also give an accounting of VRA, its history and purpose, and the relationship of the two organizations. Kathe, with Elisa Lanzi, volunteered for the task, and the lengthy document they produced was so beautifully written that it not only served as the source for much of VRAF’s web site materials, but its VRA elements were also used as the basis of a white paper on the VRA developed for the 2006 redesign of vraweb.org. (Loy Zimmerman) SUMMER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE CO-CHAIR SLIDE 13SLIDE 14 On the go from early morning to late evening, Kathe never tired. She was always available to students and instructors to answer questions, solve problems and give advice. Kathe is always willing to put in extra time and energy. Kathe approaches challenges in a thoughtful and creative manner, taking the time to weigh alternatives and consider other opinions. (AlixReiskind) MENTOR PROGRAMSLIDE 15SLIDE 16 In addition to the years of dedicated service to on- going development and administration of VRA, Kathe still found time to create opportunities for mentorship and member support. Kathe’s personal mentorship of VRA members is a commonly known fact and includes the statistic that she has volunteered eight out of the thirteen years that the Annual Conference Mentor Program has been in existence. I will never forget the joy and amazement expressed on the face of a young curator attending her first conference when she realized that Kathe, then President of the VRA, would be in her own words, “my very own mentor.” (Margo Ballantyne) CONCLUSIONS SLIDE 17Ann and I have had the honor to have worked closely with Kathe on the VRA Executive Board, the VRA Foundation Board, and the Summer Educational Institute and can attest to her energy, enthusiasm, competence, organizational skills, leadership qualities, and (above all) to her support of and generosity to those engaged with her in forwarding the mission of the VRA. (Jeanne Keefe & Ann Thomas) SLIDE 18TOGETHER: “Truly a woman for all seasons…” DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD PRESENTATIONKathe AlbrechtSLIDE 4Good Afternoon, Members of the Visual Resources Association, guests, and friends.INTRODUCTIONSLIDE 5We have both had the honor to have worked closely with Kathe on the VRA Executive Board, the VRA Foundation Board, and the Summer Educational Institute and can attest to her energy, enthusiasm, competence, organizational skills, leadership qualities, and (above all) to her support of and generosity to those engaged with her in forwarding the mission of the VRA. (Ann Thomas and Jeanne Keefe) SLIDE 6While working with Kathe on the VRA Executive Board, VRA Foundation Task Force and the VRA Foundation Board, it became increasingly apparent that as a leader she possesses the rare combination of an entrepreneurial mind with the organizational skills, people skills and determination to carry creative ideas through to their implementation (Margo Ballantyne) SLIDE 7Kathe is the consummate professional in her many areas of service for VRA and the VRAF. Her decision-making is constantly based on what is best for the organization. Kathe’s devotion and passionate commitment to the visual resources field is what informs her leadership. For the past several years I have had the honor of working closely with Kathe as a partner in all things VRAF. Her incredible energy is invaluable in this realm. In addition, I have always admired Kathe’s ability to handle any situation that comes her way with grace and aplomb. She deserves mucho kudos for bringing the SEI to maturity, making it the premier program that it is today. Kathe … truly deserves our recognition as the 2012 VRA DSA Award winner. (Elisa Lanzi) EARLY CAREERSLIDE 8At American University she was an early adopter of digital imaging and an advocate for the university’s involvement in the Museum Educational Site Licensing Project (1994-1997). Kathe served as one of three campus coordinators for this digital imaging project funded by the Getty Foundation. She has twice been the recipient of the American University Staff Achievement Award…and in 2002 was given the American University Dedicated Service Award. With colleagues at AU Kathe has received a number of grants for digital imaging projects. (Macie Hall)SLIDE 9From the outset of my participation in the VRA, Kathe stood out as a visible and accomplished leader, representing the interests of the VRA at the CONFU hearings and providing critical advocacy at the national level for the fair use of images. I believe her efforts as a CONFU representative and as Intellectual Property Rights Committee Chair played a critical role in helping all of us understand and navigate a world where the use of images was rapidly altered by digital technology.(Betha Whitlow)TASK FORCES & COMMITTEES I was Chair of the Nominating Committee during a challenging period. Kathe was an immense help in recruiting candidates for office during her tenure as a Committee member. I found her knowledge of the membership to be vast, and her insights on the qualities an effective Board member should display to be invaluable. Her thoughtful comments and candidate suggestions demonstrated her focus on the best interests of the Association. (Ann Burns)PRESIDENT OF VRA SLIDE 10 She also uniquely managed to make the challenges of Board work fun as well as satisfying by encouraging an environment of conversation, collegiality, and civility—qualities that I have tried to emulate in my own leadership roles. (Betha Whitlow)VRA FOUNDATION DIRECTORSLIDE 11As both a Founding Director and Director of the VRAF, Kathe has tirelessly sought to support important projects such as CCO (Cataloguing Cultural Objects) and SEI (the ARLIS/NA-VRA Summer Educational Institute), while implementing funding initiatives such as a professional development grant program. (Betha Whitlow)SLIDE 12In the preparation, for instance, of the application for IRS recognition of the Foundation as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, one of the most important required documents was a narrative description of VRAF’s activities. “Describe completely and in detail past, present, and planned activities,” was how the IRS put it. Consequently, we had to describe not just the plans for VRAF’s future activity, but also give an accounting of VRA, its history and purpose, and the relationship of the two organizations. Kathe, with Elisa Lanzi, volunteered for the task, and the lengthy document they produced was so beautifully written that it not only served as the source for much of VRAF’s web site materials, but its VRA elements were also used as the basis of a white paper on the VRA developed for the 2006 redesign of vraweb.org. (Loy Zimmerman) SUMMER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE CO-CHAIR SLIDE 13SLIDE 14 On the go from early morning to late evening, Kathe never tired. She was always available to students and instructors to answer questions, solve problems and give advice. Kathe is always willing to put in extra time and energy. Kathe approaches challenges in a thoughtful and creative manner, taking the time to weigh alternatives and consider other opinions. (AlixReiskind) MENTOR PROGRAMSLIDE 15SLIDE 16 In addition to the years of dedicated service to on- going development and administration of VRA, Kathe still found time to create opportunities for mentorship and member support. Kathe’s personal mentorship of VRA members is a commonly known fact and includes the statistic that she has volunteered eight out of the thirteen years that the Annual Conference Mentor Program has been in existence. I will never forget the joy and amazement expressed on the face of a young curator attending her first conference when she realized that Kathe, then President of the VRA, would be in her own words, “my very own mentor.” (Margo Ballantyne) CONCLUSIONS SLIDE 17Ann and I have had the honor to have worked closely with Kathe on the VRA Executive Board, the VRA Foundation Board, and the Summer Educational Institute and can attest to her energy, enthusiasm, competence, organizational skills, leadership qualities, and (above all) to her support of and generosity to those engaged with her in forwarding the mission of the VRA. (Jeanne Keefe & Ann Thomas) SLIDE 18TOGETHER: “Truly a woman for all seasons…”
Award presentation by Maureen Burns. 2012 VRA Distinguished Service Award RemarksKathe Hicks AlbrechtI am deeply honored to receive the 2012 VRA Distinguished Service Award. This organization has meant so much to me over the years and I cannot imagine a more meaningful recognition. I want to, first and foremost, thank Jeanne Keefe and Ann Thomas for spearheading the nomination. You two have been major influences on me personally as we’ve served together on the VRA Board, the VRA Foundation board, and the SEI Implementation Team, significant commitments that we each made to VRA. I am always very grateful to have you on any project. Thank you, also, to my colleagues who generously wrote letters of support. I am touched by your kind words and delighted that you found me worthy of support for this award. Many thanks go to the Travel Awards Committee for recommending me for this award. I also want to thank my husband Mark who is here today for his ongoing support of everything I do—I hope many of you get a chance to meet him. We travel together through life but we also found ourselves in nearby states this week so he drove down from Colorado this morning to be here today. I want to speak for a few minutes if I may, about this great organization that welcomed me as a new curator to the profession almost 25 years ago and today has bestowed on me such a prestigious award. VRA is an amazing collective of people who care deeply for the profession and at the same time support and encourage their colleagues. Many organizations are not like that—they are competitive, bureaucratic, and less conducive to supporting individuals within the organization. VRA is quite unique in this regard. This unique quality allows us each to contribute in ways important to us individually, to innovate and develop ideas in a “think tank” atmosphere of collegiality, and to ultimately impact VRA as an organization and the profession as a whole. This semester I’ve been studying contemporary philosophy and systems of knowledge and learned about a form that occurs in nature called the rhizome. I think of VRA as a rhizome. The rhizome grows in a very non-linear pattern, with each piece or section able to give rise to a new form, and with each section able to grow in any number of directions. There is no beginning and no end to a rhizome. Its growth may seem to have a haphazard pattern as the parts are connected together with no particular hierarchy. But any point can connect to any other point so the whole evolves beautifully and creatively along new paths, incorporating ideas and knowledge learned along the way. I encourage us all to think of VRA as a splendid rhizome. And remember what I learned early on: That you can make this organization work for you and your career, as you work for the organization. Choose your focus and impact our profession. Is it digital preservation? Copyright issues? Metadata? Education and pedagogy? Developing new VR oriented social networking tools? I was inspired by Todd Carter’s Legacy Lecture yesterday on Tagasauris. This exciting project is one to which VRA members can significantly contribute. Or is your focus on some aspect of the profession that hasn’t yet been found along the rhizomatic pathway? Find that focus and along the way I guarantee you will get to know many innovative, supportive, creative, and brilliant colleagues. As I always like to say VRA as an organization is bigger than the sum of its individual parts, but that is only because of the creative wealth of its individual parts. That’s you!Again, I thank you immensely for this incredible honor and I very much look forward to working with you on future projects and sharing the VRA experience in the coming years.
Conclusionof Awards Ceremony MNWThis concludes the 2012 Nancy DeLaurier and Distinguished Service Award program. Thank you of helping me to honor the achievements of these fine visual resources professionals. Please join me in congratulating them once again.

VRA 2012, Awards Presentation Transcript

Awards LuncheonThursday April 19, 2012
Nancy DeLaurier Award
NANCY DELAURIER AWARD 2012 Sheila M. Hannah
SHEILA M. HANNAH B.A. & M.A. Art History, M.L.S.University of New Mexico, 1977–2005 as Library Technical Assistant, Library Information Specialist, Director of the Visual ResourcesLibrary, and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Art & Art History
SERVICE & AWARDS VRA Data Standards Committee, 1994–2002 UNM Committees: Technology Advancement,Interdisciplinary Media, Strategic Planning, Policy, Slide Library Kress Foundation Fellowship recipient $48,000 grant from Educational Foundation of America
DISTINCTION Visual resources internship program Visual resources automation VISION Project VISIC (Visual Information Checklist)VIRCONA (Visual Resources Catalog of Native American Artists)
THE BUZZ… ―extremely high degree of professionalism‖ ―a true pioneer‖―straightforward, methodical, and knowledgeable‖ ―wonderfully generous with her knowledge‖ ―demonstrated exemplary service‖ ―inspiring yet practical‖
NANCY DELAURIER AWARD 2012 Empress Patti McRae Baley
THE BUZZ…..Each year Patti would excitedly email me after the conference to tell me the grand total from ticket sales, and we would both be thrilled about the number of travel awards that would be available for the following year’s conference. Each year at the conference Business Meeting the string of award recipients seemed to stretch fartheracross the room, and this was in large part due to Patti’s energy and efforts with VRAffle fundraising. Jackie SpaffordHer creation, the VRAffle, was the perfect “cocktail.” It was so much fun that we hardly realized we were giving money. Eliza Lanzi I first met Patti when I attended my first Visual Resources Associationconference in Kansas City. My co-worker was scheduled to help set upthe VRAffle and she invited me to come with her and “meet someonefun!” Well, I did – and within moments of meeting Patti I was laughing and engaged and felt WELCOMED. Greta Bahneman
The high point for me was the 25th anniversary event in Kansas City.Opening with a choral number updating the old song, “Everything’s Up to Date in Kansas City” from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical “Oklahoma,” Patti’s Raffle Rousers, some attired as computers, described the marvels of the digital revolution. Renate Wiedenhoeft, chief executive of Saskia Images, even stormed onstage from theaudience at one point in the guise of an intellectual property lawyer to present a cease and desist order for copyright violation. Karen Kessel Patti brought her love, passion and full blown enthusiasm for a goodtime and it overflowed and became catching for us all. The result: moreinterest in the VRaffle and hence more $ for the Nancy DeLaurier award to help others in the profession. Scott Gilchrist I know we will stand and cheer, with a unanimous “Figure 8, Touch Pearls!” Jenni Rodda
We have all benefited from the fun and camaraderie of the VRA Raffle
The Visual Resources Association’sDistinguished Service Award
VRA Distinguished Service Award, 2012 Kathe Hicks Albrecht
A WOMAN FOR ALL SEASONS
KATHE HICKS ALBRECHT―Kathe Albrecht has served as President-Elect, President, and Past-President; co-chair of the 2002- 2003 Strategic Plan; twice Chair of the VRA Mid-Atlantic Chapter;Membership Committee Chair; Intellectual Property Rights Committee Chair; Representative to the Digital Future Coalition; and as VRA Bulletin Column Editor.For the VRA Foundation she has served as a Director since its inception in 2008 - as Secretary and as Co-Chair of its Summer Educational Institute.‖ - Jeanne Keefe & Ann Thomas
― When I first sat down to write this letter, I had to ask myself ―What hasn‘t Kathe done for the Visual Resources Association?‖ With contributions of such breadth and depth, it is extremely difficult to adequately encapsulate and express what Kathe‘s fine work means to both the past and future of the VRA.‖ - Betha Whitlow―Supporting the nomination of Kathe Hicks Albrecht is a no-brainer. I like many other long time VRA members can attestto the length, breath and variety of her contributions to ourorganization‖. - Chris Hilker
―If ever a candidates qualifications for the DSA were all inclusive, itwould be those of Kathe Hicks Albrecht. Her service runs the gamutfrom leadership on both the VRA Executive Board and the VRAFoundation Board to education, research and mentoring that havegreatly benefited our organization‖. -Margo Ballantyne―She is a leader in our profession-- someone who has spent hercareer providing service to the members and prospective membersof our profession. She is a person that I know will always accomplishwhat she has said she will do. In addition, her generosity is anexample for all of us.‖ -Trudy Jacoby
―Since she entered the profession 20 years ago, she has chairedcommittees, written articles and served as VRA President, possibly the ultimate sacrifice...Her interests ranged from the basic nuts & bolts practices to intellectual propertyrights. VRA has thrived as a result of herorganizational and leadership skills at the local, regional and international levels‖. - Chris Hilker
―Kathe also had a visionary impact on the VRA in her role asco-chair with Margaret Webster of the first VRA StrategicPlan Task Force, on which I served as a member during myfirst collaboration with Kathe. The recommendations in thisStrategic Plan laid the groundwork for the VRA to trulyprofessionalize and thrive‖. -Betha Whitlow
―Many of the advancements that now define VRA grew out of her tenure on the two Executive … and the 1998 Strategic Plan Task Force…These include: online registration forconferences, Memberclicks, SEI, and theVRA Foundation. Kathes attributescombined with her intense work ethic havedistinguished VRA and have helped growthe organization strongly through the firstdecade of the twenty-first century‖. - Margo Ballantyne
―One of the most active members of theTask Force and VRAF‘s Board of Directors,Kathe regularly volunteered her time andenergy, and her wise counsel greatlybenefitted both entities‖.―Her comments and contributions on theissues we faced, the documents and writtenmaterials produced, on communicationswith VRA and its members, and theorganizational agreements with VRA andARLIS were always thoughtful, incisive, andvaluable‖. - Loy Zimmerman
‗Following her time on the VRA Board, Kathe turned her efforts toward establishing the VRA Foundation. Despite the fact that the VRAF was established during the worst economic downturn since the Depression, it has developed against all odds as a vital advocacy and fundraising force for the value of images in a teaching and learning environment‘. -Betha WhitlowKathe‘s visionary work on the VRAF Board will have alasting impact on the visual resources profession. -Tina Updike
―Kathe devoted endless amounts oftime and energy to the planning andimplementation of SEI. Kathe helpedre-shape SEI. 2010 was the first year weheld SEI in Albuquerque, NM and itwas a newly formed program – the firstinstance of SEI Pro…Kathe‘s positive approach and freshideas were crucial to developing theprogram‖. -Alix Reiskind
―Kathe helped inspire a new way of thinking about the curriculum and how the courses could be organized. This work was carried through to her work the following year for SEI, tailoring the courses and program to fit students‘ needs and knowledge levels‖. -Alix Reiskind―Kathe‘s contributions were crucial to a re-organization ofSEI‘s structure and operations that greatly improved itsadministration and management‖. -Loy Zimmerman
―Kathe is a leader in our profession –someone who has spent her careerproviding service to the members andprospective members of our profession.She is a person that I know will alwaysaccomplish what she has said she willdo. In addition, her generosity is anexample for all of us‖.―Her establishment of the Kathe HicksAlbrecht Travel Award, her continuingcontribution as a VRA Foundation GoldCircle Donor, and her generousdonations of both money and time setthe highest example of true support forthe VRA, her colleagues and newcomersto the field‖. -Trudy Jacoby
―In 2007 she created the Birds-of a-Feather affinity networking lunches forthe VRA conferences. Fourteen peoplegathered together in Toronto, 2009, for theRetirement 101 luncheon. Hosted byChris Sundt, these members, myselfincluded, pondered ways in which wecould still connect to VRA when ouraffiliation with our respective institutionswould end‖. ―This successful venue for membershipnetworking and support has nowexpanded to the SEI schedule‖. -Margo Ballantyne
―Following a week of challenging,satisfying work running a successful SEI2011 in Albuquerque, Kathe and I foundourselves with two hours before ourflights. Settling down at an airportrestaurant, we talked of work, ourfamilies, and our dreams outside of ourprofessional lives. It was one of the besttimes I‘ve ever enjoyed with a colleague,and as I reflect on it now, I‘m remindedthat Kathe isn‘t just a great leader—she‘salso a wonderful friend to many.‖And if that‘s not the sum of an individualdeserving of the Distinguished ServiceAward, I‘m not sure what is. -Betha Whitlow
―She is at the forefront as amodel leader and mentor forthe next generation of VRA‖. -Elisa Lanzi―Truly a woman for all seasons…‖ -Margo Ballantyne
Awards LuncheonThursday April 19, 2012