The Foreign Service Journal, September 2009

A fter an intense election season in which two slates of candidates, as well as numerous independents, competed for spots on the Governing Board, AFSA staff gathered at head- quarters on June 12 to count ballots. Bolstered by a handful of college student hires, it was “all hands on deck” as em- ployees seated themselves in the main conference room. The protocol was as it has always been: sitting in groups of three, one person read names off each individual ballot, while two other peo- ple recorded the votes. After each ballot was recorded, the totals were cross- checked. AFSA ballot counting is and always has been a transparent procedure, open to all candidates and their representa- tives, and this year we were privileged to have many visitors observing the process. Workers took a quick break for pizza at noon. The election process is taken very seriously at AFSA, so after just enough time to down a slice and a soda, and exchange a few friendly words with fellow workers, the ballot counters dili- gently resumed their work. By close of business, unofficial results were available. Within a few days, the outcome was officially posted on the AFSAWeb site and sent out to all mem- bers via AFSAnet. T he annual AFSA awards ceremony took place on June 18 in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Reception Room at the State Department. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was slated to take part, but fractured her elbow on the eve of the event, forcing the cancellation of her schedule the following day and beyond. It took two people to replace Sec. Clinton: Senator Richard Lugar, R-Ind., who stepped in to con- fer the Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award in her stead, and Deputy Secretary Jacob Lew, who took her place in welcoming the guests and awardees. Director General Harry K. Thomas Jr. was also on hand as official co-host with AFSA leadership. Although all of AFSA’s awards are given to outstanding in- dividuals, it is the constructive dissent awards that are unique in the U.S. government. Under portraits of Franklin, George Washington and others who comprisedAmerica’s original con- structive dissenters, the awardees took their seats in front of a capacity crowd that included current and former ambassadors, as well as leaders from all branches of government, academia, nongovernmental organizations and private industry. AFSA Interim President Steve Kashkett welcomed the awardees, their families and other audience members, and S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 55 American Foreign Service Association • September 2009 AFSA NEWS Continued on page 62 Continued on page 66 Tex Harris Award winner Bar- ron Rosen addresses the au- dience at the annual AFSA awards ceremony at the State Department, June 18. CHRISTINE WARREN CHRISTINE WARREN Senator Richard Lugar, R-Ind., right, pres- ents the Lifetime Contributions to Ameri- can Diplomacy Award to Senator Samuel Nunn. MIKKELA THOMPSON 2009 ELECTION RESULTS AFSA Members Elect New Governing Board BY FRANCESCA KELLY SENATOR SAM NUNN ACCEPTS LIFETIME CONTRIBUTIONS AWARD AFSA Presents Awards for Dissent and Performance BY FRANCESCA KELLY AFSA staff sorting ballots.