Rafael, our previous Secretary General, lived by the adage, “…Quit while you are ahead!…”. In so doing he left a legacy of a functioning web-page, an operating system that worked well with his guidance and very large shoes to be filled by anyone following in his wake.
Changing of the Guard
I resigned my position as Executive Vice President and was seduced into the role of Secretary General. To try to do as much as Rafael has done for WAML would be impossible. Realising my limitations, I insisted on the job of Secretary General being divided and job specific. The compromise was to have a Deputy Secretary General who could complement my contribution. I am delighted to introduce you all to Advocate Oren Asman, my deputy.
My strengths are in streamlining operating efficiencies, recognising skills that can be utilised for the greater good and capitalising on opportunities. From the fabulous start provided by Rafael, the new executive team, comprising President, Professor Amnon Carmi; Treasurer, Professor Thomas Noguchi; Executive Vice President, Dr David Collins QC; Oren and myself, we have handled the many tasks involved in the transfer of administration.
Some might say that the Executive Committee has not changed greatly, with the same President and Treasurer, and the Executive Vice President merely changing hats. This could not be further from the truth. The addition of David Collins to the team has brought a new dimension and with that a different balance. Rafael was a “hands-on” operative, who introduced methods and systems that suited his style of operation. My style is quite different.
I could not imagine trying to do what Rafael has done so well and have had to institute delegation and job sharing. Rafael had a very difficult job in that he took over the reigns from Professor Raf Dierkens, the founding father and founding Secretary General of WAML. As such he changed the focus of WAML and progressed its administration to create a new functioning secretariat for an international organisation. The partnership of President Carmi, who started the process of revision, and Secretary General Rafael Aguiar-Guevara, was fundamental to the current success of WAML.
Concurrent with these changes, our Honorary Treasurer, Professor Thomas Noguchi, capitalised on the lessons he had learnt from the administration of the American College of Legal Medicine and established a professional treasury system, which is now fully functional and has allowed far greater transparency and international operation.
I considered myself very fortunate to have been allowed to travel on the shirttails of these three innovators and had absolutely no aspirations to assume Rafael’s role. I resigned my position as Executive Vice President as I felt someone new might better enhance the development of WAML. Others will attest to my very strenuous efforts to convince Rafael to change his mind and complete another term as Secretary General, without success.
My three colleagues on the Executive Committee independently and collectively worked on me to accept the nomination as his successor. My wife, much smarter than am I, suggested that I should not do so. With deep apologies to the love of my life – here I am as “the new Secretary General” – note I do not say “the new Rafael”.
The job has changed with Oren Asman becoming the web-master and already there has been a seamless transition with a new host of the web-page and the establishment of a new website.
I personally thank Rafael for his contributions in creating our WAML web presence and further acknowledge Oren Asman for the seemingly effortless way in which he has organised the transition.
Further Change
The changes do not stop there. Rafael has not departed the scene, even though he relinquished his role as a Governor of WAML and his executive function as Secretary General. He is now the official Co-ordinator of the various committees. This is a new position that the Executive Committee felt was mandatory if we are to transform words into deeds. Rafael has a vision that the “Rank and File” of WAML can contribute as much as do the Board of Governors. True to his word, he has accepted this new role as a member of the “Rank and File” to act as an example for others.
The Executive Committee has created a new process, with new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for fast tracking the accreditation and approval of new members for WAML. This will avoid double handling but still apply the previous rigor of the Credentialing Committee to vet new applicants. It will allow the issuance of initial membership certificates and allocation of membership numbers, which will be necessary to access newly created membership benefits and discounts. Professor Noguchi will be playing a far greater role in this process and, I thank him for ‘stepping up to the plate’ (to use one of his US baseball terms).
Tehri Hermanson stood down as Chair of the Audit Committee and a whole new team was elected in Beijing with Dale Cowan assuming Tehri’s role as Chair. Again, Tehri has not departed the scene but was elected to the Board of Governors to represent Finland. She replaces long-time serving Paula Kokkonen, who has stepped down after many years of dedicated service to WAML. Paula, we want you to follow Rafael’s example and keep contributing to our successes.
Change has also come with Jonathan Davies accepting the Chair of the Council of Presidents. In the past this has been a position that had great promise but it was never fully realised. Jonathan has brought his unbounding enthusiasm and energy to the job and already we are seeing innovative requests passing to the Executive Committee, which has endorsed his plans.
I do not want to steal other’s thunder and invite all of our members, governors, committee heads and activists to contribute to our exchange of information. Having said that, it would be remiss of me if I didn’t acknowledge Dick Wilbur, another of our non-governors, who has followed Rafael’s example as a major contributor from the “Rank and File”. Dick was endorsed by the General Assembly in Beijing as the Chair of our newly created Finance Committee. My purpose in acknowledging Dick is to encourage all of our members to make WAML your organisation. Why not take your turn ‘to step up to the plate’? If you have talents that can enhance WAML please contact us – there is always room for more people to contribute to our success.
Conclusion
What I can promise WAML is that I will do my best to partly fill the void left by my predecessor. I already thank my boss, no not President Carmi but the real boss, Maureen, for her help and devotion and apologise for allowing the previous Executive Committee to steer me astray. I repeat what I have said privately, namely that I cannot fulfil all the roles previously covered by Rafael and rely heavily upon the contributions of the President, his Executive and his Board of Governors but again give special thanks to Oren Asman, who has already proven to be a tower of strength.
To the many people I have not named but who deserve special recognition in this Secretary General’s report, I apologise. It is not that I undervalue your contribution and I take this opportunity to say a collective thank you, for without you we would not have a WAML.
I dedicate this first report from your new Secretary General to Mrs Glynda Hurley, my long-serving typist, who greeted my election to Secretary General with those immortal words “…Oh dear, I only have ten fingers!!…”.
Yours sincerely,
ROY G BERAN
Secretary General WAML
