PDF Version - The American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute

a message from the
president
by mark butterworth
During this holiday
season especially,
many of us are
filled with differing
emotions. For those of us in
the Christian faith it is a time
of inspiration, reflection and
renewal. For everyone, regardless
of background, I
hope it is a time of peace,
appreciation of family and
also the beauty and wonder of life.
Because the season has become the single highest
commercial event of the year, we also nearly succumb
to becoming manic-depressives. We know
full well that for some, unless they have a “good”
season, they may close their books permanently at
year’s end. It is not a matter of greed, it is a matter
of survival, and those of us who operate small businesses
can appreciate that. It can be high-risk and
long hours with no guarantees.
For those of us in the repair business, the good
news is that we are nearly always busy. The other
side is that folks are very demanding in wanting a
clock working on Thanksgiving Day when the family
is home, or for the holiday parties, and sometimes,
they give little notice. Or, they wish to give their
heirloom watch as a present. There are twenty-four
hours in a day and craftsmanship cannot be rushed.
As a tradesman, I have spent many holidays working
long into the night getting the jobs out for my customers.
The days slip by and we realize Christmas is
here and we have not done our own shopping. Fortunately,
most of us have had understanding spouses
in our line of work.
Of course, another important part of the season is
New Year’s Day, and besides the football and much
overeating, we have the tradition of saying farewell
(or good riddance) to the old year with anticipation
for the new one. We look forward to trying new
things and generally moving on. This is healthy.
Finally, this is the time when we start the process of
seeking new Board members to be sworn in at the
annual meeting next year. It is an honor to serve, and
I think, fulfilling. Of course, it’s work, but it is also an
opportunity to make the world of horology a better
place. It is also an opportunity to learn and to make
good contacts. Please give a Board position some
thought, and if you are interested, please feel free
to contact our nominations chair, Dennis Warner at
dwarner6@austin.rr.com.
One final thought for this year’s end, which was aptly
stated by talk show host, Larry King:
“I never learned anything while I was talking.”
Alabama
John W. Tenant, Chelsea, AL
Connecticut
Alvin Krutolow, Danbury, CT*
Minnesota
Ellen Joan Hartman, Saint Paul, MN
David Milne, Preston, MN*
New Jersey
John Hickey, Bergenfield, NJ*
awci new members
Pennsylvania
Michael Graham, Langhorne, PA
Stephen Noble, Lititz, PA
Texas
Matthew Becker, Keller, TX
Billy W. Stout, Abilene, TX
Utah
Michael Rennert, St. George, UT
*AWCI welcomes back these individuals who have chosen to reinstate their
membership.
Horological Times December 2010 2