The election results are in! I have spent the past couple of days contacting all of the candidates to inform them of the results, and I can now shout it to the world.

We were blessed with a slate of highly qualified candidates this year. I know I personally found it very difficult to select who to vote for with so many bringing essential skills to the table. To a person, the candidates demonstrated the commitment and dedication needed to insure our cooperative's long term success. It is unfortunate that only three slots were vacant.

Our new directors are:

• Wini Labreque - Owner of Star Weaver Farm, Wini brings a wealth of knowledge about fiber and yarns to the Board.
• Greg Schneider - Owner of Sylvan Skies Alpacas, Greg has a strong background as an organizer, working to build and improve volunteer organizations, and has a strong commitment to cooperative principles.
• Kathy Vitcak - Owner of Jackpot! Alpacas, Kathy has an honors degree in Marketing and Textiles and many years of working in the fashion industry.

Please welcome our new Directors.

Times of transition are difficult. I will truly miss working with our departing Directors...

Daryl Goodrich, your commitment to AFCNA's success was second only to the drive and energy that you brought to your role as Director. Your vision of AFCNA and its role in the North American alpaca industry has served as a guiding light during your tenure. Your attention to detail, and your tireless work will be difficult, if not impossible, to replace. Your tact, diplomacy, and focus on the ultimate goal of our Cooperative has been central to the progress we have made during your time on the Board. The relationships that you have cultivated on behalf of AFCNA within the domestic textile industry are the essential building blocks for our growth and progress. It is impossible for me to express my gratitude for your work, just as it is impossible to communicate to our members how significant your contributions have been.

Freda McGill, always a positive force. Grounded in reality, knowledgable about fiber (both suri and huacaya), and always of good humor. Your willingness to step up to the plate and just "get it done" pulled us through some extremely difficult times, and you always did it with a smile and a can do attitude. How can I forget you calling in to a Board meeting on your cell phone from some desolate stretch of western highway? Your time in the alpaca industry, your relationships and networking abilities, and your involvement with the creation of the AOBA Affiliate Congress stand in testament to your commitment to the creation of a successful Cooperative and a sustainable alpaca industry. Again, words simply can not express my gratitude, nor communicate the contributions you have made.

Christine Riley, I so appreciated your ability to listen, contemplate, and then speak quietly, but with great authority. So many times you demonstrated the ability to resolve difficult decisions with a well placed question or observation. Your ability to cut to the heart of an issue, and to pull a diverse group of strong willed people back on track will be sorely missed, as will your knowledge about fiber arts and yarns, and your understanding of cooperative principles and business best practices. I can't even count the number of different cities that you joined Board meetings from as your day job pulled you here and there. Your desire for AFCNA's success was obvious as you balanced the demands of personal and professional life against the needs of the Co-op.

And to the three of you as a group... It is clear to me given what I now know just how close AFCNA was to collapse when you took the helm and began steering us back on course. There is a fine line between courage and temerity, and you walked it closely. Quietly, and without any expectation of personal gain or recognition, you pulled AFCNA from the brink of insolvency and established the foundation on which the future of a successful Cooperative can be built. Few will appreciate just what you accomplished. I am honored to be able to call you colleagues...and friends.

As one doorway closes, another opens. While it would be easy to look for replacements for our departing Directors, that would be a mistake. There can be no replacement, nor should there be. Our new Directors will provide us with new energy, perspective, and solutions to emerging problems that our cooperative faces. These are exciting times, and I expect we will see great strides made over the coming months.

Finally, let me thank all of those that ran for Director positions. In the end a cooperative can be nothing more than the collective will and action of its member/owners. Each of you that had the gumption to run demonstrated your commitment to the creation of a sustainable alpaca industry, one that keeps the interests of its primary players - alpaca fiber producers - in their proper place. Thank you one and all.

John Merrell, President
Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America, Inc.