While membership growth and attendance at meetings sustain their upward surge for the fifth year running, our Boards focus in 2005/6 has been to build and consolidate the processes we need to effectively manage a young Section with several hundred active
Dear Fellow Moscow Section Members,
The transformation of Russia’s oil and gas industry continues to make world headlines, and to present the Moscow Section with unique challenges and opportunities. While membership growth and attendance at meetings sustain their upward surge for the fifth year running, our Board’s focus in 2005/6 has been to build and consolidate the processes we need to effectively manage a young Section with several hundred active members.
In this respect, 2005/6 milestones were:
- Our website www.spe-moscow.org, completely redesigned in 2005, now represents a new yardstick for other Sections. As before, fresh news and information for members and potential members are provided in Russian and English. But now an innovative “Bozone” (Board Only Zone) has transformed the way our leadership team works, with hugely improved efficiency for this group of busy people. We believe this is a best practice that deserves much wider attention within SPE.
- Very significantly, after overcoming 5 years of red tape, our Section became a registered legal entity in Russia with the right to its own finances. While we are grateful to the corporate sponsors who have financially supported us to this point, this is a breakthrough that will simplify our administration and provide new and very valuable financial flexibility. Thanks also to SPE headquarters for helping to make this happen.
- As can be seen from the listing of board members and board meetings , during the past year the number of board members has been expanded. The frequency and intensity of work by board members has improved tremendously, which adds to the effectiveness of section leadership. The use of the BoZone above mentioned helps balance and manage the work load amongst the section leadership.
- Establishment of a robust YEPP group to the Moscow Section this year which has already organized two events and will have special session as a part of the ROG program in October. We feel this milestone is particularly important in providing the basis for future Section membership growth and Section leadership in Moscow and throughout the Russian Federation.
Wider support for development of our profession in 2005/6 included:
- Greater co-ordination and support for Russia’s Regional SPE Council, chaired by Phil Poettmann . In this way we share organizational resources and help regional sections across Russia to benefit from Moscow Section’s growing experience.
- A 2005 workshop in Moscow with AAPG President Dr. Pete Rose, actively supporting that society’s efforts to establish itself in Russia.
On the global stage, significant milestones for Moscow Section in 2005/6 were:
- Iskander Diyashev’s election to the International Board, the first Russian to have this honor, and recognition of the growing presence of SPE in Russia. Iskander is a long-standing Board Member of Moscow Section.
- Our leading role in plans for Russia Oil & Gas 2006, the first world-class technical conference of its kind ever held in the former Soviet Union. This event has top-level support from across the Russian oil and gas community, actively driven from within our section as well as from SPE headquarters. Quality and quantity (over 500) of technical submissions for this event, including a significant number from organizations represented within Moscow Section and Russia, has seen the Technical sessions extended from 3 days to 4.
Last but not least, in 2005/6 we made a real effort to highlight the value that local volunteers bring to SPE, and to recognize the contribution of deserving individuals. This included:
- The simple gesture of systematically acknowledging assistants who plan, organize and personally support Section meetings (although not members themselves).
- A special-edition, laser-engraved gift, custom-designed by SPE Moscow. First to receive this was Steve Schwin, our departing Chairman, and himself the recipient of an SPE Service Award in 2005. Since early 2006 it has become a tradition for Distinguished Lecturers to receive this gift when they visit Moscow.
- Finally in May we presented an award for a remarkable 36 years SPE service to our most senior member, Larry McVay, on his retirement (photograph attached). Larry’s speech at our Section meeting on the importance of SPE membership to his long and distinguished career was an inspiration to all who heard it.
So as you can see, this year has been very successful for the section. Now the summer break is upon us, and the new year starts again in September for 2006-2007 with the election of new board members, and a whole list of new and exciting initiatives designed to enhance the impact SPE provides to its membership, and to our local community. The highlight will be the ROG 2006, information for which can be found on our website: www.spe-moscow.org. Hope you will continue to join us in the coming year!
The Moscow Section Leadership