The Society for Technical Communication is an individual membership organization dedicated to advancing the arts and sciences of technical communication. It is the largest organization of its type in the world. Its 25,000 members include technical writers and editors, content developers, documentation specialists, technical illustrators, instructional designers, academics, information architects, usability and human factors professionals, visual designers, Web designers and developers, and translators - anyone whose work makes technical information available to those who need it.

The STC Toronto Chapter was founded in 1959 (then the Society of Technical Writers) and is the largest chapter in Canada.

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STC 2005 Election - Candidates Forum

In March and April of 2005, the STC will be holding elections. In the runup to the election we will bring you the views of the candidates. We start with Rich Maggiani, one of two announced candidates (the other being Cynthia C.Currie) for the Region 1 Directorship. Directors serve for a term of three years.

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The Change of Transformation
by Rich Maggiani, Vermont Chapter
Candidate for Region One Director

Change can be at once both scary and exciting.

Change is part of our everyday life. Compare life now to only ten years ago, both personal and societal. Some aspects of the world are vastly different. I suspect parts of your life are too. Sometimes change can be inexorably slow, and at other times, excruciatingly swift.

Change Happens. One thing is a constant though: change happens. Peter Drucker, the recognized business guru, once said: “The most effective way to manage change successfully is to create it." And yet it’s difficult to embrace change when you perceive a loss. Still, a positive, well-conceived, and well-planned change almost always brings more positive results.

Such is the case with STC’s current transformation. The transformation is all about giving us — the STC member — more value as members: to better serve our needs as professionals and as technical communicators. To this end, STC endeavors to provide its members with the services we need to retain and enhance our skills; to keep up and lead the trends in our industry; to increase our worth as employees, as consultants, as contractors; to both our employers, our own businesses, and our clients.

The Challenge. It is just this challenge — this change opportunity — that has lead me to run for the office of Region One Director: your representative on STC’s Board of Directors; your voice on the Board, where the decisions about STC are debated, discussed, and decided. I have been fortunate to be nominated as a candidate for this position, and would be honored to serve as your Region One Director.

Your Representative. For me, the Region One Director is not just another Board position; I hope to be the Board member who represents you. I intend to both lead and follow: lead when leadership is needed to assimilate your ideas into a cohesive initiative, and follow when you have made your intentions clear. Towards that end, I urge you to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, suggestions, and any other comments about how STC can better serve you.

Experienced as a Technical Communicator. For approaching 25 years, I have practiced many aspects of technical communication. I have worked for small and large firms, education and government, and run my own company; wrote both technical and marketing materials, worked on radio and video productions, taught writing and business to graduate students, and successfully founded and operated a communications firm for over 14 years. Being a practitioner, manager, and leader contributed richly to a deep understanding and appreciation of our profession, what it takes to work in it, and what it takes to run it.

Experienced as a Board Member. I have served on several boards, both as a member and as Chair, for businesses, nonprofits, and organizations, so I understand how Board’s operate. As the Chair of the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility Board, I successfully oversaw the change in goverance as the organization and board moved from a core group of founders to a broader base of committed members.

Service to STC. My service includes both local and national. Ten years ago, I helped found the Vermont Chapter, then served in a variety of positions for five years. At the national level, I have presented numerous sessions at local, regional, and international conferences; served as Art judge in three International Competitions and Management Stem Manager for the annual conference in Baltimore, and currently serve as the Membership Manager for the CIC SIG and on the Transformation Communication Committee.

You, the Region One Membership. Much work remains to be accomplished in STC’s transformation. With your help and support, I can help ensure that the transformation benefits our profession, the Society, and ultimately, you.

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