By Lynn Tipton, Executive Director
We are about six weeks away from the annual conference! Thank you if you have already registered; we look forward to seeing you at the Royal Pacific at Universal in Orlando. One of the conference highlights will be our annual business meeting luncheon, and the awards program later in the day. A chance for the Association to conduct its business, hold elections, and to thank those who have served in leadership roles, as well as giving out our awards. During these sessions we will also be honoring someone who became a “face” for the Association for 19 and a half years: Lynn Lovallo. Lynn will be retiring on June 15, so this is her last FCCMA conference. Carol Russell will be promoted into her position, and then we will hire a new staff assistant.
How do I sum up Lynn’s time of service to this Association? How can anyone measure her contribution? She has been employed 7,100 days. That is roughly 56,800 hours. Every one of them has been devoted to making FCCMA a better, stronger Association. She came to FCCMA after stellar service with the City of West Palm Beach and in the private sector and we immediately put her to work! She split her time at the beginning between a PC and typewriter. We didn’t have a digital database at the time. She has seen the Association come such a long way in terms of technology! She’s also seen the Association grow, not just in members, but the training, meetings and events that benefit each member. I’ve relied upon her juggling skills for so many projects, tasks and programs; too many to count. I’m so grateful for her willingness to grow in responsibility as the Association grew and that she embraced the membership with her whole heart. She was often a member’s first point of contact and became a “public face” for FCCMA to many of you, our vendors and associates. Lynn and I became “the two Lynns” and “Lynn squared” to many of you with some members asking for the “real Lynn.” We have all laughed at the nicknames and confusion that arose with us having the same name, same spelling. It was fun traveling the state, and attending ICMA, with her. We got our travel down to a fine science. She has been so much more than a dedicated employee. She is a friend, and sister in faith, also. While I will miss her (and especially her laugh!), I’m so excited for her future. Lynn has lots of retirement plans with husband, Jim and their family including travel, home improvements and activities with her church and faith network. She has often commented that retired folks are busier than working people and I know she will prove that to be true.
It isn’t enough to say “thank you” to someone who has worked with you for nearly 20 years; I wish there were more words to express my appreciation, admiration and gratitude. I know the Association will miss her as well, and that each of you join me in wishing her the very best in this new chapter in her life!
