GENTECH 2003 Conference Cancelled

The GENTECH Division of the National Genealogical Society regrets to announce the cancellation of GENTECH2003, the conference for genealogy and technology scheduled to be held January 16-18, 2003 in Phoenix, Arizona. The National Genealogical Society's GENTECH2003 conference liaisons, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors have affirmed and fully support this action.

While extremely regrettable, this action was deemed necessary based on administrative, financial, and logistical complications that were in evidence when NGS became responsible for the conference and that would have imperiled the success of this event. Of the unanticipated problems in the planning and preparation that have arisen, the most disturbing are an extreme lack of standard financial controls and contracts that over-commit the conference. With the conference already over budget and behind schedule, there is not sufficient time remaining to resolve these serious problems. Making the decision to cancel the conference was a difficult one based on a dedication to carry out our duties to the NGS and GENTECH constituencies, as well as the genealogical community at large.

NGS and GENTECH want to thank all of the volunteers for their efforts. We know they were numerous and substantial. We will all miss the opportunity to join our fellow genealogists in sunny Phoenix this winter. However, the primary focus for the NGS GENTECH Division is to put on the best conference we can within the budgetary constraints of the current financial environment in which we all live. We would expect the same from any other educational conference for genealogy.

We look forward to seeing all of you at the upcoming GENTECH events. Please watch the NGS web site at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org for more details about the new NGS GENTECH Division as we are committed to seeing that the discipline of family history meets the power of new technology.