Joel Harrison, W5ZN becomes new ARRL President

ARRL First Vice President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, of Judsonia,
Arkansas, will be the League's president for the next two years. He'll succeed Jim Haynie, W5JBP, who chose not to run for a fourth term in the uncompensated, volunteer post.

Gathering in Windsor, Connecticut, for its annual meeting, the Board voted 10 to 5 to choose Harrison over ARRL Central Division Director Dick Isely, W9GIG, the only other nominee. Harrison, 47, said he believes Amateur Radio is looking at a different society - and pool of potential licensees - in the 21st century than in the past.

''One of the things we need to do over the next few years is realize that Main Street USA is not the Main Street USA it was years ago,'' Harrison commented after the vote. ''We all remember those days when we became interested in radio and the magic that it provided to us. The magic is still there, but Main Street has changed.''

Harrison says this means that the League needs to focus on doing a better job of attracting the average person on the new Main Street of today ''into the magic of Amateur Radio.''

First licensed in 1972 as WN5IGF, Harrison says he's interested in virtually all aspects of Amateur Radio, from HF DXing and contesting to VHF/UHF/microwave and moonbounce. He's an ARRL Life Member. His wife, daughter and son all are Amateur Radio licensees. He'll become
the League's 14th president since its founding in 1914.

Harrison said the ARRL's initiative to create an improved
entry-level license also will be among his top priorities as he
assumes office.

''It is imperative for the Amateur Radio Service that we have an entry-level license that provides a wide variety of privileges for an individual to get into radio and learn a little bit about all of it,'' Harrison said, adding that the League believes this approach will keep new licensees interested in ham radio.

Harrison also says he will promote the League's Petition for Rule Making (RM-11306) to have the FCC regulate Amateur Radio allocations by bandwidth. ''Right now we do that by mode, and we're one of the few countries in the world that does that,'' he pointed out. ''We need to change that and move forward with this initiative of regulation by bandwidth instead of mode.''

Harrison said he will continue and build upon the League's emphasis on Amateur Radio's emergency communication role--especially in improving its response to catastrophic disasters like Hurricane Katrina--and on Haynie's ''The Big Project'' initiative to get ham radio into schools, known formally as the ARRL Education and Technology Program (ETP).

''Whether or not it generates a large number of radio amateurs, it provides an introduction to Amateur Radio to kids,'' Harrison said of the ETP. ''Having that awareness of Amateur Radio and what it provides is vital,'' because it imparts a broad-based knowledge of the service to tomorrow's citizens and policymakers.

The ARRL Board also elected Vice President Kay Craigie, N3KN, as First Vice President, succeeding Harrison, and Delta Division Director Rick Roderick, K5UR, to Vice President, succeeding Craigie. Both were unopposed.

ARRL Delta Division Vice Director Henry Leggette, WD4Q, will become Division Director. A new Delta Division Vice Director will be appointed.

In addition, the Board re-elected ARRL CEO and Executive Vice President David Sumner, K1ZZ, COO Harold Kramer, WJ1B, Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, Chief Financial Officer Barry Shelley, N1VXY, Treasurer Jim McCobb, K1LU, Chief Technology Officer Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, and International Affairs Vice President Rod Stafford, W6ROD.

All those elected will officially begin their new terms when the Board of Directors adjourns its current session.

The Board of Directors annual meeting is expected to conclude January 21. The Board will meet again in July

Source: The American Radio Relay League

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