MSOG, Inc.
PO Box 215
Ashland, MA 01721-0215
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August 31, 2024 By: Deborah Cardoni
MSOG State Election October 2024
 
The Nominating Committee is delighted to present the 2025-2026 slate of nominees for the upcoming Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, Inc.'s October 2024 election. We will be accepting additional candidates through September 20, 2024.
 
The candidates are:
President - Terrance Dugan
Vice President - Diane Laferriere
Treasurer – Bonnie Croteau
Corresponding Secretary - Open
Recording Secretary - Open
Membership Director - Marc H. Leuenberger
Historian/Archivist - Wendy Rawson Sheppard
 
Candidate Bios:
 
Candidate for President: Terence Dugan
 
Two years ago, I decided to run for the office of President of the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists and soon found that I had much to learn about the responsibilities of this position.  Fortunately, while a number of my fellow board members were also new to their respective positions, there were many people willing to provide advice and guidance to help us transition into our new roles.  I am grateful to these fellow MSOG members for their assistance, particularly with their patience as I painfully stumbled through Robert’s Rules of Order at those early board meetings.
 
I have recently retired and now plan to devote more time to my responsibilities at MSOG, should I be fortunate enough to win this election.
During my tenure as President, I have personally seen how the hard work and dedication from fellow board members, chapter officers and other volunteers have allowed us to succeed. I am optimistic that MSOG will continue to fulfill its mission of bringing together people interested in genealogy while also providing education in genealogical research. 
 
The future for MSOG looks bright.  MSOG is already planning to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of MSOG next year.
 
Thanks to everyone for continuing to support MSOG.
 
Candidate for Vice President: Diane Laferriere
 
I have been a volunteer for the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, Inc, since I joined in 2010 when the Merrimack Valley Chapter was started.  I have held positions of Treasurer and Secretary. Currently I volunteer as the tech support for the Chapter meetings. At the Society level I have been the Treasurer since 2013 and tech support for the Annual Society meeting and Board meetings.
 
In my professional life, I work full-time as a Business Analyst.
 
I truly enjoy being on the Board of MSOG, Inc and look forward to serving as your Society Vice President for the next 2 years.
 
Candidate for Treasurer: Bonnie Croteau
 
Bonnie Croteau is a dedicated genealogist with over thirty years of experience researching family histories in the United States and Ireland, with a particular focus on New England research and lineage society applications.
 
Bonnie currently serves as the Treasurer for the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists (MSOG) Merrimack Valley (MV) Chapter, where she has managed chapter funds and provided financial reports and fiscal guidance to the MV Board for the past three years. She has volunteered at the MSOG Annual Meeting and on the Annual Meeting Planning Committee. Additionally, she has arranged speakers for the MV Chapter and the MSOG DNA Special Interest Group during periods when these planning roles were vacant. This past year, Bonnie presented to the MSOG DNA Special Interest Group on several genetic genealogy topics.
 
As an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Bonnie chairs the Volunteer Genealogist Committee for the Piestewa Peak Chapter in Scottsdale, Arizona. She has served as a Balcony Volunteer at the DAR Library in Washington, D.C., providing genealogy consultation. Additionally, Bonnie authored an instruction manual and developed an online course for DAR supplemental applications. She is a member of a variety of other genealogy and lineage societies.
Bonnie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Boston College and a Masters of Business Administration Degree from Suffolk University. She is retired from a rewarding nursing career, during which she specialized in hospice and palliative care, healthcare information systems, and medical quality improvement.
 
Candidate for Corresponding Secretary:
Open – Please consider running for this important position
 
Candidate for Recording Secretary:
Open – Please consider running for this important position
 
Candidate for Membership Director: Marc H. Leuenberger
 
My name is Marc H. Leuenberger, and I'm a member of the Worcester Chapter. I'm currently the Membership Director for MSOG and am pursuing the position again. I was born and raised in Switzerland and am bilingual in French and English. Genealogy is my passion, and I have experience working in countries such as the United States, Switzerland, France, and Italy. I have a particular fondness for researching in the New England states, which hold a special place in my heart due to my spouse's deep roots in the region.
 
I decided to run for the position of Membership Director as a way to give back and apply the skills I’ve gained from my career in hospitality management, particularly in full-service hotels. These experiences have equipped me with flexibility, dedication, strong administrative abilities, financial knowledge, team management skills, product expertise, and a keen attention to detail. I hope that you will consider my qualifications and allow me the opportunity to continue to serve the Society as your next Membership Director. Thank you for your time and consideration.
 
Candidate for Historian/Archivist: Wendy Rawson Sheppard
 
2019-2020. In my first term as Historian/Archivist, I worked with the MSOG Board to select a Cloud-based application (Google Drive) in which to store MSOG's archives, created a Document Retention Schedule, and began scanning and uploading 18 file boxes' worth of the Society's archives. In 2020, I added over 2,100 documents to our online Archive.
 
2021-2022. During my second term as Historian/Archivist, I continued scanning and uploading. I succeeded in whittling the file box number from 18 to 12. In 2021, I added over 1,000 documents to our online Archive, and in 2022, I uploaded over 1,100 documents.
 
2023-2024. During my third term as Historian/Archivist, I stopped being able to count the number of boxes that I’d scanned and uploaded. I have received many more boxes over the course of my tenure and have continued to weed out duplicate documentation and organize the documents more efficiently with each box I open. At this time, I have only 7 file boxes remaining to be reviewed and uploaded. During 2023, I added about 360 documents to the archive, and so far in 2024, I have added over 1,200 documents.
 
I continue to enjoy organizing, scanning, and uploading the MSOG Archives. I appreciate MSOG’s history with every new item that I review. I continue to update the MSOG Society Board quarterly with the list of documents that I have uploaded. If I am re-elected, I hope to complete the scanning and uploading of the MSOG archives over the next term. I also would still like to create a recurring article in the Past Times to share with members what we have in our Archives -- articles that would include significant pieces of our MSOG History--and I still want to create a presentation about our Archives to share with all Chapters, so that they can begin a discussion about how they want to protect and store their Chapter archives.
 
Please consider me for re-election.
 
 
February 25, 2024 By: Carol Katsulis
Social Media Coordinator Subcommittee
 
Hi Merrimack Valley Chapter Members.
 
I am sending some important news to you all to notify you that a Social Media Coordinator Subcommittee is being formed by our President Terry Dugan.
If you are interested in being on this committee and need further information about this, please notify him as soon as possible. He is looking for representation from all the chapters.  Enter the following in the subject line when you email him.. "Social Media Coordinator Subcommittee" HIs email is president@msoginc.org
 
Thanks.
 
Merrimack Valley Chapter 
Carol Katsulis, President
 
"Education, Collaboration and Preserve"
 
February 17, 2024 By: Carol Katsulis
A word from your President
Hello
A cold wintery day and I was thinking of all of you....
We are still looking for a Vice-President and Secretary for our Chapter. It's a volunteer position! Really a minimal time from your schedule to come on board and be a part of our MV Chapter Board. We are here if you are thinking of perhaps wanting to be involved, just contact me or the other ladies, Bonnie or Nancy to get more information.  Yes, We are the team. Think about getting involved!
February through June our meetings are all scheduled. Please continue to check the website for dates and meeting plans. I think you will find something for all of you to enjoy either in person at the Georgetown Library or on Zoom (we will continue hybrid meetings) until the end of the season in June.  
For members only please consider joining in on our DNA-SIG Meetings. We have one this month Feb 28th at 7Pm. The information for you to sign on the night of, is under the events, click first box drop down select DNA-SiG.  It's a relaxed and interesting hour segment for asking quesitons, or just learning more about DNA and how it can help you with your research. This upcoming month Bonnie Croteau has prepared something wonderufl for us to listen and learn.
 
I also want to take a moment and say Welcome to the newest members who have joined our Chapter.
 
i am also welcoming new ideas and suggestions of speakers for the next season starting in September for our chapter. Please don't hesitiate to let me know what you would like to learn or a speaker you have heard and want to share them as a referral. 
All MSOG Chapter meetings are open for you to enjoy each Weekend. Just pre-register for them.
 
Do you like our Facebook page, our Pasttimes, and MASSOG Newsletter, and or our Website? Let me know what you like and don't like. I will pass on the ideas to the MSOG Board. 
Thanks for reading.  Till next time.
 
Your President,
Carol Katsulis
 
 
 
October 14, 2023 By: Carol Katsulis
Happy Fall and Need of Board Members
Hi All,
I hope you are enjoying our cooler weather this past month. Happy Fall! Have the Leaves changed where you are yet? This week, is usually the peak season up north. 
I want to reach out and ask you this, have you thought of volunteering and what it entails? We are in need of a Vice-President and a Secretary for our Chapter. I am appealing to anyone to please consider these two important board positions to become a volunteer! Myself, Bonnie and Nancy are more than willing to have a conversation with you and share our experiences, share how much time we spend on these tasks each month to bring you our meetings. Share the fun we have and the new members we get to meet and socialize with.  A job description for both of these postions are on the website for you to review. I encourage you to take a look. Go to the home page, find Policies and Procedures, Chapter 5 
pg 67.
This chapter is still in its infancy of 13 years. It was begun by Karen Trearchis who is from Dracut, whom is still a member. She felt the need that the Merrimack Valley area could use a chapter, of MSOG, so she took action. She ran this chapter for 10 years, with the help of other members who volunteered as board members. I became involved five years ago, when I was voted to become the Chapter Secretary.
We seek new members who would like to get involved,  so that we can continue to keep the Merrimack Chapter alive and vital. 
 
Your President, Carol Katsulis 
Treasurer, Bonnie Croteau
Membership Officer, Nancy Dimento-Jerome