Home SWEET Home, VPP 80 th!

Home sweet home, well sort of, at least it was only 30 minutes from home! The Vermont Professional Photographers 80th convention was at one of the top 10 Inns in the country, The Equinox.

OH MY GOODNESS, it was just breath taking
to stay and not WORK here! To be able to have our 80th celebration at such a wonderful resort, was just perfect. From start to finish this convention was a TEN. I guess after 80 years, we get it!

Boy was it nice be able to help and enjoy the print competition. I have done a lot of judging this winter and it was nice to be on the other side this weekend. Doing our best to keep up with PPA we utilized the new set up for judging and it was our 3rd year doing digital albums. The coolest report back from Vermont is that our print cases were up 40%, yes 40 %! I hope we see all those cases at PPANE 2009 print show.

Special thank you to all the photographers that supplied me with images for the blog... Chris Beltrami,Lucas deSousa, Walt Erickson, Stina Plant, Wayne S. Tarr, Bernie Littlefield, Rickey Montes and Nancy Green.

Hospitality VPP style!!

How many conventions have a fire pit for the hospitality room. How AWESOME is this?? We had the best time hanging by the fire, drinking, talking and of course fire side photos!

My offical PPANE President Portrait

Many of you know at the PPANE trade show there is an official PPANE President portrait displayed. I have been stressing about who to ask, as I have too many close photo friends in NE to choose from.








I was at WPPI having dinner with Helen and it just came to me. She would be in Vermont judging, we both use the same camera, and my family would be right there to pose.




If Helen didn't have enough to do she graciously agreed to do our portrait. The challenge was certainly ahead of her, we are not exactly competition built models.




Brad, Caitlyn, Lola and I are VERY exicted to see our orignal Helen Yancy Image. Thank you Chris Beltrami for helping. I guess we have to wait till September to see Helen's piece of art work!!

The new board

Look! even the photographers get PAID at the VPP convention. Here is Bernie and Ricky being paid by Wayne to photograph the VPP board. Right??






Let's hope he didn't get paid to WAIT! Why is there ALWAYS one in the crowd???








Mr. Whipple realizing he is becoming a past president, or are those tears of relief?









WOW!! What a GREAT shot Bernie!! If you can make this group look good, you can make any group!!

VPP 80th Banquet

VPP kept up with tradition and went out of their way to let the PPANE President feel their support, love and pride as the PPANE President was from Vermont. Gillian crowned me "The Empress of PPANE". Not many years back I had crowned Arnie the King, Gillian the Queen and Lizzari the Jester!





I have given a lot of speeches this year and this was a tough one. I have done all I can to spread the word across NE about family, and here I was standing in front of my VPP family. This is where I learned about the importance of bylaws, accountability, loyalty and humor, dependability, even keelness, life long friends and to have fun!

The PPANE Presidents scholarship winner was
Sarah McGarghan
Allan Besbris
Wayne Tarr


It was nice to share this part of my life with Brad's daughter, Caitlyn. Everyone went out of their way to make her feel welcomed and part of our VPP family. She knew many from our Groton camping trips!







The absolute highlight of the VPP banquet was Nancy Green receiving the Vermont National Award. I have seen this award given many many times and Nancy takes the cake for being sincerely honored and surprised!


To know this women is to LOVE her!! Helen thank you so much for being part of VPP 80th convention. I know your travels are extremely busy, and the effort to be at our little state was appreciated by all. WE LOVE YOU!





Helen wasn't the only special women in the house, our very own Anne Jenks... Memere to me. She is the mother of Bob Jenks and one of the most amazing women I have ever met.








Showing off the medal that Matty gave me at his wedding this summer. Matt had 7 of us VPP'rs photograph his and Angela's wedding. That is a different story for a another day. Actually you can read about it on our personal blog at www.thegoodhales.blogspot.com, click on Oct and you will see!



Here I am with a past president of VPP, Sharron Harrington. Sharron and I went through the VPP chairs together. I don't get to see her often and it meant the world to have her at the VPP 80th banquet.

2009 VPP Awards

VPP 80th convention FUN!

VPP turns 80

With all the excitement at the banquet we didn't get our group photo done. So here we are on Tuesday. Many had left but at least we got the core group!
Here is the outgoing and incomming presidents. I remember so many times over the years Janet Miller (Osha back then!) tell us that she would volunteer all we needed her to, but she would NEVER move up in the chairs. I can honestly say I think she is excited to be the VPP president. YOU GO GIRL!!


Look at this...11 of the past presidents posing with the our anniversary cake!

NEIPP's Busy Bees

Busy bees keep NEIPP buzzing! Sal and the trustee's spend an entire year planning and preparing for the 6 days of events. PPANE is lucky to have so many dedicated people to help fill in the cracks and be the extra hands to help out. Thank you to all that make this special week happen!!

Special thanks to Mike Spiegel for providing the NEIPP candids for the PPANEPrez blog.

NEIPP 2009 has arrived!

After all the anticipation and planning NEIPP 2009 has arrived! The alumni help check people in and collect dues!




Did you know that the instructors get instructions? No rock goes unturned to make sure a smooth week is had by all.




Here is Diana, the head trustee welcoming everyone to NEIPP 2009!!








I tried to pass my speech over to her, but she didn't want much more to do with the podium then she had to! It was nice to get two more speeches crossed off my long list!