November 3, 2008

Dear MGRA Members:

Thank you for your membership in the Maryland Government Relations Association (MGRA) and your commitment to the professional growth of persons working in the field of government relations.  The strength of this organization depends on its members who provide leadership, vision, and personal service. With your support, MGRA has grown from a dozen members in 1984 to almost 200 members today.  With the strength of these numbers, MGRA is able to provide exceptional networking opportunities, host numerous events with elected officials, and engage in several special projects.

This has been a successful and active year for the Association.  In January, more than 160 MGRA members and elected officials attended a breakfast meeting with the President of the Senate Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. and the Speaker of the House Michael E. Busch.  In February, MGRA hosted a similar breakfast with the Senate Minority Leader David R. Brinkley and House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell.  Later that month, MGRA held a Mid-Session Happy Hour at Harry Browne’s.  In April, MGRA hosted a Sine Die party for members and guests.  These social events gave members an opportunity to network with professional colleagues, discuss the issues, and enjoy the company of friends.  In May, MGRA hosted lunch at the Maryland Inn with the legislative staff to the Senate President, Victoria Gruber, and the Speaker of the House, Kristin Jones.  This annual event provided a great opportunity to hear the inside stories of the legislative session.

In July, MGRA hosted the Maryland State Night Dinner at the National Conference of State Legislatures in New Orleans, Louisiana.  More than 200 people, including 80 legislators, attended this spectacular event held at the Arnaud’s Restaurant in the French Quarter of the City.  Through the generosity of our sponsors and the hard work of our sponsor coordinator, Bill Castelli, MGRA raised enough funds to fully cover the costs of the event and contributed 10 percent of all sponsorship funds to Habitat for Humanity for the continuing Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans.

On December 9, MGRA will hold its annual meeting and luncheon at the Annapolis Yacht Club.  At that time, MGRA will conduct its business meeting, plan for the coming year, honor some former friends, and hear from media personalities about the upcoming legislative session.  I encourage you to attend and bring colleagues who may be interested in joining MGRA.   A registration notice will be sent to you soon.

Biannually, MGRA publishes a membership directory, which provides pictures and contact information on all registered members.  The MGRA directory is distributed to members of the Maryland General Assembly and elected officials.  This directory is a useful resource for legislators and a great benefit for MGRA members.  Each year, MGRA receives numerous requests from legislators for additional copies of its directory.  MGRA will reprint its membership directory prior to the 2009 Legislative Session.   Thank you to Leonard Lucchi, Bill Castelli, and Jennifer Palmer for your work on the new directory!  If you have not already done so, please submit your contact information and photo to webmaster@mgra.org by November 15 to be included in the 2009 MGRA Membership Directory. 

In closing, I thank the members of the MGRA Board of Trustees who give generously of their time and efforts for the good of the Association.  A special thanks to 1st Vice President Vanessa Purnell, 2nd Vice President Nanette Schieke, and Treasurer Candace Donoho for their continued commitment to the MGRA mission.

Sincerely,

Tina President
President