Tom Edmonds has gotten a pretty good idea of how NABE runs and the concerns the group faces from his years on the Executive Committee (which became the Board of Directors) and as the organization's representative to the ABA House of Delegates.

"The issues haven't changed much," Edmonds said after the recent election that made him vice-president designate. "We are essentially an educational and networking enterprise."

Edmonds, executive director of the Virginia State Bar, believes that the main questions NABE faces are:

• "how to do programming that appeals to the broad range of membership," and

• "how to get the benefits of our educational programming to people who are unable to attend our meetings."

Part of the answer may lie in expanding section programming, Edmonds believes. While the current sections do a good job at having meetings that appeal to their members, NABE may want to expand the number of sections, so that a broader group of members can have a group that focuses on their particular interests.

Along with expanding section programming, Edmonds believes that NABE should consider whether there should be only one annual meeting where the entire membership gathers, instead of the current two.

"The Programming Committee has a heck of a time coming up with an ongoing array of programs twice a year. Every six months you've got to be planning and putting on a program that's of high quality and of general interest and appeal to people who do everything from finances to communications to people who do legislative work. That's a challenging task."

Edmonds said that NABE's resources might be better used in planning for one annual meeting "of the highest quality," where "top notch" speakers could be invited.

Edmonds is looking forward to the next year as NABE vice president. His job, as he sees it, is to "do whatever the president asks me to do." He doesn't see the increased workload of vice president as interfering with his work at the VSB. "I've always stayed extra time at the House of Delegates meetings."