from Robert A Carotenuto

A huge thank you to Bill Powers, who helped launch my ASIS International volunteer leadership journey back in 2013.

When I first joined ASIS International in 2008, I tried several times to join the ASIS Cultural Properties Community (then called "council") but wasn't accepted. The feedback then was that they needed to be cautious of people "padding their resume."

Fast forward to GSX 2013-I was serving as AVP of Security at the New York Botanical Garden (without any council membership on my resume) when I met Bill, then Chair of the Cultural Properties Council. Bill was passionate about growing membership through diversity of talent and skills. He welcomed me in, and that moment changed everything.

Three years later, I was honored to be named ASIS International Council Chair of the Year. The best part? The incredible friendships I made with professionals who are the best in the field of cultural property protection.

Thank you, Bill, for taking a chance on me-and to the leaders who followed thanks to your vision, including our dear friends who have passed:Leslie Norman Cole and Gary Miville.

Grateful to have "padded my resume" with the names of these outstanding ASIS Cultural Properties Community professionals:

Andy Davis (MSc., CSyP, FSyI, CPP), Doug Beaver, CPP, Ricardo Sanz Marcos, Todd Lacy, Glenn Dowd, CPP, Ibrahim Bulut, James Clark, Dr. Declan Garrett D.SyRM, GRCP, GRCA, CBCI, F.ISRM, M.Sec.II, Daryll Marshall (in memoriam), James McGuffey, CPP, PCI, PSP, Paula Ratliff-and the others who will remind me in the comments!