OPENING PLENARY SCRIPT - American Fraternal Alliance

We have a new text messaging service that we are unveiling at this meeting. You can tell that the staff
of the NFCA is much younger than I am because they came up with this idea. It was beyond me. I think
it’s great! They have seen it happen at other meetings and it works very well so we’re going to try it
here today. So, before switching your phone to silent mode, please take a moment to opt-in to our new
texting service – simply text “fratchat” to 69302 and I will do that right now on my own cell phone, you’ll
receive periodically, throughout the meeting a variety of information of what’s going on in certain
sessions, sessions that you might want to be involved in, when the dinner is starting, things like that.
Something new. Something a little different. A little bit modern, certainly new for me and we’ll test it out
and see how it works.
And now, while we are waiting for our very special guest to arrive, I would like to introduce the Chair of
the Board of NFCA, a person who I have an enormous amount of respect for, who provides a great
deal of direction and guidance and demands accountability and there is nothing more you can ask for in
a board chair. Please welcome NFCA Chair of the Board Terry Rasmussen. (Applause)
CHAIR OF THE BOARD MS. TERESA RASMUSSEN: Thank you, Joe and welcome everybody to the
great city of Chicago. It is my pleasure to serve as the NFCA Chair of the Board and I hope that we
have a really great program for you. So it is my privilege to open the meeting.
The 124 th Annual Meeting of the National Fraternal Congress of America will now come to order. This is
the only time I’ve used the gavel since I got it last year, right, Joe?
On behalf of the officers, directors, management and staff of the NFCA, I welcome each of you to
Chicago. I commend all of you for your commitment to the NFCA, fraternalism and the fraternal benefit
system. It is my sincere pleasure and privilege to open this meeting.
I am honored to introduce a group of individuals whose expertise and professionalism have guided the
NFCA over the past year – the officers and directors of your association.
When your name is called, please rise and remain standing. I kindly ask the assembled delegates and
guests to hold your applause until all names are called.
• Vice-Chair of the Board Mark D. Theisen, Executive Vice President, Fraternal,
Woodmen of the World/Omaha Woodmen Life Insurance Society.
• Secretary-Treasurer James R. Stoker, National Secretary-Treasurer and CEO, GBU
Financial Life.
• Immediate Past Chair of the Board Barbara A. Cheaney, Vice President,
Communications-Marketing, Catholic Life Insurance.
And the NFCA directors:
• Stuart B. Buchanan, High Secretary-Treasurer, Catholic Order of Foresters.
• Darcy G. Callas, Director and General Counsel, Modern Woodmen of America.
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