Continuity Dinner rings out 2015

Joe Ackermran receives book and gavel, the trappings of the Chair, from Pegah Jalili

The never-before-tried venue, Almonds Restaurant in Clayton, provided a warm and convivial atmosphere amidst diners who were there just to eat. We occupied two large tables front and center, one of which had to be extended to accommodate extra attendees. The restaurant provided several hot flatbreads to amuse our bouches during the social half-hour as well as mini-cakelets to close the meal.

In addition to a perfunctory General Meeting of the Section (because we’re required to have one, business or no business), we conducted our usual Board of Directors meeting (minutes to follow in January), and then the real Continuity business:

Bill Doub is pleased to be honored with the 2015 Distinguished Service Award; Pegah Jalili broke the news.

• The announcement of the Distinguished Service Award winner: Bill Doub. The award is officially conferred at Awards Night in March, but we (and he) now know who, why, and when.







Natalie LaFranzo led the chee(rah) with her 2015 Henry Godt Memorial Lecture.

• Delivery of the Henry Godt Memorial Lecture by outgoing Secretary Natalie LaFranzo. If you didn’t know before, you know now that Natalie’s alter ego is Head Cheerleading Coach for the Washington University squad. Her distillation of 2015, as the Godt Lecture is usually structured, took the form of a series of cheers, complete with pom-pons.




• Passing of the book and gavel, our equivalent of the baton. Outgoing Chair and incoming Immediate Past Chair Pegah Jalili relinquished the trappings of office to outgoing Chair-Elect and incoming Chair Joe Ackerman, who will lead the Section in 2016.

A selection of Vic Lewchenko’s candid shots and posed event markers is included. The full album can be seen at his Flickr feed.

Some, but not all, of the past, present, and future Chairs in attendance at Continuity; Pegah gives the soon-to-be-traditional ACS Power Salute as she leaves the Chairship.