ED BUCKNER ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AS
AMERICAN ATHEISTS PRESIDENT
Dr. Ed Buckner, President of American Atheists, has announced
that he will be retiring from that position in September, 2010,
or within a few months thereafter (depending on how soon the board
can agree on a replacement), following two years in office.
Buckner said that he will remain with the organization as an active
member, volunteer, and strong supporter. He gave several reasons for
choosing to not continue as president: “I need more time to write
and reflect, as well as simply to relax more, and the organization
needs fresh leadership. I am proud of what we-a few staff members
and many dedicated volunteers-have accomplished in the time since I
became president, and I am optimistic about the future of secularism
in general and American Atheists in particular.”
Ed Buckner saw the organization through a turbulent time. Under his
presidency, American Atheists re-organized its corporate structure,
continued to reach out to and work with other Atheist, Freethought,
and Humanist groups, including joining the Secular Coalition for
America, and revitalized its fundraising efforts to insure that it
would survive and thrive as an activist movement for years to come.
“Whenever the change of leadership occurs,” said Dr. Buckner,
“I pledge my full cooperation in making the transition as smooth
and as beneficial to American Atheists as possible.”
He added, “I am grateful to the board and the members for an
interesting job and for the great honor of leading the premier
secular and Atheist organization in the world. I will, I promise,
work hard for the benefit of American Atheists in whatever
time remains before I retire as president and will support the
organization thereafter.”
Neal Cary, Chairman of the Board of Directors of American Atheists
praised Buckner’s accomplishments. “We are grateful to Ed for his
considerable efforts and very hard work over the past two years
in building a stronger organization and ushering in much needed
changes. We look forward to working with him closely in the future
as well.”
Mr. Cary said that the process to find a new president will begin
immediately. Details will be posted on the American Atheists web
site (www.atheists.org) and in American Atheist magazine.
(AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil
rights for Atheists, Freethinkers and other nonbelievers; works for
the total separation of church and state; and addresses issues of
First Amendment public policy.)
Buckner did a good job in some turbulent times, but for AA, times have always been turbulent.
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I wonder if we are burning out our leadership. It may be inaccurate, but I’m imagining Buckner working 70 hour weeks doing the taxes or printing the magazine – a tough way to spend one’s golden years. That’s the problem in many volunteer-based organizations. The members expect or allow the leadership to DO all the work instead of DELEGATING the work. The organization’s total output thus becomes equal to the leaders’ productivity.
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AA’s next president will need to have the charisma it takes to motivate people to work without pay, the political skill to keep them from fighting, and the wisdom not to get sucked into resource traps, public mistakes, or divisiveness.
ooh! ooh! make me president! come on ive been on here for like a WHOLE WEEK! =D
Sorry to hear Dr.Buckner is leaving,he did a fine job and i wish him well.May it offer some cheer but the new leader of Australia has come out as a atheist.
Dave gonna step up? =P
Pat Robertson has great fund raising skills.
The best thing you could do to advance American Atheists is to have Matt Dillahunty agree to become your next president. Hell, I would almost certainly come back as a member myself because his consent would signal an approval to me that the organization is finally no longer just some rigged little clubhouse designed to revolve around the same stodgy clique at the top.