Ahh - finally some cool fall mornings. Even though it was still steamy in Corpus Christi last month, GCAGS put on a great convention. There were a lot of interesting talks and posters. It was also good to hear what the other gulf coast societies are doing. I was proud to report all the activities and service projects our East Texas Society provides. One note for students is that the GCAGS Journal is a good place to get your Master’s thesis published in a reasonable amount of time. As a member of ETGS you are automatically a member of GCAGS; check out the website at GCAGS.org.

Last month we had about 64 people attend our luncheon. It was a pleasure to see a strong showing of students from SFA and UT Tyler. Our speaker, Blaine Hall, kicked off the TJC Public Science Lecture Series the evening of our luncheon at the TJC planetarium. This event was also well attended, and TJC appreciated our society funding Blaine’s trip to Tyler. Thanks to Nathan Spencer for putting together a survey on continuing education courses we could offer. There was a lot of interest and we will be getting back to you with the details.

September is here, but where is the cooler weather? I am sure it is around the corner. Speaking of heat, unlike our crazy national election, the ETGS board is running smoothly. Thanks to a dedicated group of seasoned volunteers ready to continue their duties and two new members, Jared Morris and Nathan Spencer,  who are bringing in some fresh ideas.  These new members will be taking a poll to gauge the interest in these ideas at our September meeting, so be sure to attend:  Cascades Country Club, September 28th at 11:30 AM. Don’t forget to RSVP online.

Our next social event on the calendar is the golf tournament. Nick Pollard always does a wonderful job with this event. Mark your calendar for October 10th. We will have more information coming soon on the website. Matt Bailey is planning and coordinating our Tech Expo this spring set for March 27th and 28th. Lastly, Rich Adams will again organize our Skeet Shoot set for May 6th. We really appreciate these dedicated members for doing such a great job on our annual events and generously giving of their time.

It has been said that the oil industry is not for the faint of heart.   That has definitely been true this past year.  Fortunately some of the major service companies say we have turned the corner, and activity in the oil patch is picking up!  So I feel we can start this new season with optimism about our industry and look forward to an exciting year. 
 
I am honored to serve as president of East Texas Geological Society.  I have received so much knowledge, camaraderie and support from this wonderful society for many years; it is a pleasure to be able to contribute.  I believe I am the first woman to serve in this position, at least in recent memory, and hopefully I will not be the last. Being new to the ETGS board, I am overwhelmed to discover the amount of time, effort and service these board members give to our society and have done for so many years.