At a special meeting held on 1 August 1995, the Board of Directors of the Western Field Ornithologists elected me to fill its presidency. I’ve been a member of this organization for well over half of my life, all the while in awe of the “who’s who” of western North American field ornithology who have worked hard to build WFO into the premier organization of its kind. Being asked to fill the role of its president was an honor, but not without its challenges.