Back to the Future:
Honoring the Past and Our Elders
Chicago, Illinois
November 4-7, 1999
Notes from a member on the 1999 conference....
What an incredibly uplifting experience these past four days have been. From the jam-packed sessions of the mini-University on Thursday to the bazaar-like Showcase yesterday to today's difficult parting from newly made friends and respected colleagues, it has been the most satisfying business conference I have ever attended (and believe me, I have attended many).
Those who were unable to be here in Chicago may take heart in knowing they were very much missed, like cousins who could not attend our family
reunion. Bez, Phyllis, Denis, Ondine, Marty ... far too many to name. Our caring for the absent members of this forum was perhaps most evident on Saturday morning at the APH business meeting when the membership gave a standing ovation to Janell Vasquez, unable to attend, whose selfless dedication to developing the APH website has made it possible for so many of us to find each other and create this community. I am sure that in the days and weeks ahead you will be reading a LOT about the specifics of the conference on the listserv (which will certainly be getting some new members from the conference too). The fellowship and sharing of knowledge that these four days have provided is certain to continue here in our virtual meeting space.
Those who are returning home from the conference this weekend may feel as I do: It all passed much too quickly. We were busy from the moment we arrived, but there was always one more person we wanted to meet, one more group discussion we wanted to join, one more question we wanted to ask... our thirst for the joy of connecting with kindred spirits was unquenchable. We are members of a visionary movement with a big, big heart. We are most certainly not alone in our efforts. We have so many wonderful resources available to us, such a wealth of useful information and so many networking connections. We learned so much at the conference. And what we learned often had much to do with ourselves as human beings, facing our own mortality as we strive to bring order and longevity to the lives of others.
I want to publically thank Jeanne Felcan and Marianne Dlugo. What a team! You two accomplished something that the most professional conference organizing service could never have done. You made us feel truly welcome to your city. You shared with us your love. It will be a hard act to follow.
Now begins the real work, integrating this conference experience into our individual lives and businesses. I, for one, am very much looking forward to that.
Best regards,
Thomas Ainlay Jr. ("Taj")
Publisher
Legacy Memoirs
To see photographs from the 1999 conference, visit APH Conference Photos.
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