I want to thank everyone for electing me President of IWCS. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to most of you. While I have met some of you in the past 25 years or so, its been a while since I have seen any of you.
I remember that I hosted the IWCS Annual Meeting in Kerrville, Texas about 25 years ago. I remember a meeting in Cow Creek in South Texas as well, about a year or two before that. I remember running around with Dennis Wilson and Alan Curtis in Uvalde, TX collecting wood. I also recall helping Gary Green and Willem Hurkmans collect woods in San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country – all fond memories.
During that time I was working as a forester with Texas A@M Forest Service out of San Antonio. I retired three years ago and have been busy trying to play guitar and tennis, making table tops from my Woodmizer of escarpment cherry, Arizona walnut, screwbean mesquite and spalted pecan. I spent most of the Spring making pens of rare and historic trees, of which I have over 1000. Not sure what I’ll do with them all.
My wife Beth and I own a house in San Antonio and are rebuilding another nearby to move into next year. We also have a ranchette north of San Antonio about 40 miles in Sisterdale. That is where my larger shop, barn-full of wood and sawmill reside. We also inherited from Beth’s Mom a house in Salida, Colorado – a preferred place to be during this Summer’s 100 plus degree days. So, much of my time is being consumed as a “maintenance man. Our two older boys are not the most eager of volunteers in that regard.