Software users, educators, developers, publishers, distributors, and others work together to promote these goals.
All officers are unpaid and elected by the membership. As with any organization, there are costs involved. Basic annual membership dues are $35, ($40 outside North America) and include a newsletter subscription and current benefits. Contributing ($50), Supporting ($100), and Lifetime ($1000) members receive special recognition for their important contributions to our ongoing efforts, as well as free banner advertising on the ESC web site. Membership is renewable each April.
In the Beginning: The Members
In the ESC newsletter No. 3, (published sometime in 1992) the editor, Andy Motes, included a list of members. There were 24 of them: John Gallant, Dave Frees, Steve Estvanik, Bert Fischer, Joey Robichaux, Orlando Dare, Eddie Bond, Lauren Gascoigne, Richard Hart, Garrett Krueger, Andrew Motes, Jinny Husty, Karen Crowther, Donna Blevins, Tim Sweeney, Tim Bandy, Mark Haney, Jerry Olson, Alan Elliott, Bell Dedes, Jim Green, Gary Alston, Bob Ostrander, Richard Goulet.By August 1993 ESC had 52 members. Among those who are still members 18 years later are Dick Bryant, Richard Hart, Anthony Saliba, Andy Motes, Tom Guthery, William Letendre, and Rosemary West. Tom and Richard are on the Board of Directors, and Richard is the Treasurer. Rosemary is a past President and current webmaster. Anthony and Andy are Lifetime Members.
In the October 1993 newsletter, Andy Motes wrote:
"It's time for the first ESC leader election. Since I didn't receive any nominations here's how we'll do it. I've taken the liberty of listing all the current members to make it easy for you to choose one person for each of the offices. When one person receives a majority of the vote I'll contact that person to see if he/she is willing to take the position. If that person isn't then I'll contact the person with the next highest majority."
The results were announced in the December newsletter: Tom Wagner, President; Rosemary West, Vice-President; Richard Hart, Treasurer; Bert Fischer, Newsletter Editor. At some point between then and August 1994, Tom dropped out and Rosemary became President. Andy stepped in as Vice President. In the meantime, Rosemary and other officers had been working with an attorney on the paperwork for incorporation. The ESC became incorporated in the State of New Jersey on June 1, 1994. The first official meeting was held at that year's Shareware Industry Conference.
In the summer of 1994, officially incorporated, ESC's officers were Rosemary West (president), Andy Motes (vice president), Richard Hart (treasurer) and Bert Fischer (secretary). By December of 1994, John Gallant had replaced Andy as vice president. In 1996, Clint Bradford became Secretary, and Tom Guthery was added to the Board of Directors.
ESC is fortunate to have had a number of members who have volunteered their support and service over a period of years. When this article was updated in 2012, founding board member Richard Hart was still serving as treasurer, and Rosemary West was webmaster. One of the early members, Tom Guthery, was a long-standing board member and the newsletter editor.
