From The RVC By Bob Cox
January 2012
Happy New Year! It is time for New Year’s resolutions. As well as the perennial "lose weight" and "stop smoking" don't forget "become more active in Mensa." There are many ways to be involved. You can take on an office, write for the newsletter, host an event, or simply attend events. Your active involvement will benefit you and your whole group.
We have some new officers in our region. James Strater is taking over as Editor of Coastal Carolina Mensa’s M Press. LocSec Andy Hammill has been handling this job for some time. Charles Highwater is the new LocSec of Montgomery/Wiregrass Mensa as Rodger Morrison retires. Thanks to all these members and to all that are running for Local Group offices in the new year.
It is time to register for Northwest Florida Mensa’s ValenTime RG February 10 -12. Registration is $50.00 through January 10. The registration form is on the group’s web site or Contact John Mochan at 850-585-3194 or
jmochan@cox.net.
The Carolinah RG, PAMdemonium!!! A Party for the End of Time, will be May 18-20 in Greenville SC. The form is on the Piedmont Area Mensa web site. Registration is $55.00 through January. For more information contact the registrar, Mary Ann Cox, at 864-963-2335 or
maryacraig@juno.com.
North Alabama Mensa is hosting a one day Leadership Development Workshop in Huntsville on Saturday January 14. This event is free and is open to members of other groups if space is available. They will provide lunch and other goodies. Go to the North Alabama Mensa web site for more details. The registrar is Travis Harding 256-683-8038 or
ke3y@comcast.net. They say to arrive between 10:30 and 11:15, so this will allow many of you to drive there that morning. If you would be willing to help your Mensa group be the best it can be, I encourage you to attend this event.
While you are checking out these web sites have a look at the upgraded Region 5 site
www.region5.us.mensa.org. We are adding to it as we go. The American Mensa web site has also been upgraded. You will find lots of interesting and useful stuff there.
Enjoy Mensa.
Bob Cox was born and raised in Australia and still has a bit of an accent. He moved to New Zealand in his early twenties and joined Mensa there in 1975. He became active and served on the New Zealand National Committee for four years as Membership Officer and also as Mensa Selection Agent. He also chaired Conpac 83, the Mensa World Congress held in New Zealand.
In 1984, Bob migrated to America and became a member of San Francisco Regional Mensa, then the largest local group in the country. He was very active in the local group and was soon in leadership positions. He served for 2 ½ years as SIGHT Coordinator, was registrar for the 1st SFRM Urban RG and for Asilomar. In 1988 he was elected Assistant LocSec for SFRM. In 1998 Bob Cox was elected to the AMC (becoming the first person to serve on two National Committees) as RVC for Region 8. He held this position for two terms. After Bob moved to Arizona, he served for another two terms as RVC for Region 9.
During his eight years on the AMC, Bob attended all Regional Gatherings in his region unless they conflicted with an AMC meeting, conducting an RVC Rap Session at each. He also conducted six full weekend Leadership Development Workshops (first known as LOTS).
When Bob moved to Arizona, he became a member of Borderline Mensa, a group with 40 members. He took over the editorship of the Borderline M-Bassador (winning a small group Owl in his first year). He was Editor from 1995 to 1998 when he became LocSec. Bob served in that position until 2003 when he moved to South Carolina. Borderline Mensa received a GoTYA award each year Bob was LocSec. He also chaired four RGs and saw the group’s membership grow.
Bob served for five years as LocSec of Piedmont Area Mensa. During this time, the group received four GoTYA awards and one Prodigious Owl for being the fastest growing group in the country. He chaired an RG and has served on the RG Committee each year a Hotel Negotiator.
Bob has written well over 200 newsletter columns as Editor, LocSec or RVC. He served for several years as National SIGHT Coordinator. After judging scholarship essays for about 23 years, he became Region 5 Scholarship Coordinator for two years. He has served for many years on the Leadership Development Committee.
Bob Cox received a National Service Award in 2009 for contributing greatly to the growth and betterment of Mensa.
