PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE A Fantastic Time at SAFETECH W “After three years, this convention was definitely more like a family reunion, and that is pretty special.” e had a fantastic week at SAFETECH 2022 in Lex- ington, Kentucky. If you didn’t make it for the convention this year, you missed a great one. SAVTA has some of the best instructors anywhere, and the classes were very well attended, stu- dents were eager to learn new skills, and the networking is also priceless. I oſten feel that SAVTA is more like a fraternity than an association. Aſter three years, this convention was definitely more like a family reunion, and that is pretty special. SAFETECH 2022 A huge thank you to our sponsors, in- structors, staff, board, volunteers and everyone else who helped make the con- vention a success. There’s much more planning that goes into these events be- hind the scenes than most can imagine, and we couldn’t pull it off without you. The Kick-Off Party was amazing. The food was great, and we took a little break before the auction to watch a memorial tribute to Mark Miller. We also felt it was fitting to present this year’s Instructor of the Year Award to Scott Said, who is a longtime friend of Mark’s and has been an icon to the industry in his own right through his dedication to education. Four students attended SAFETECH 2022 on scholarships this year. Thank you to the ALOA Scholarship Foun- dation and ClearStar for making this possible. It’s not too early to start pre- paring for 2023. If you’re interested in attending ALOA 2022 in Las Vegas, NV, or SAFETECH 2023 in Reno, NV, look for scholarship information at www.aloa.org/asf. 4 SAFE & VAULT TECHNOLOGY | May/June 2022 The new Hall of Fame recipients this year were Dave Fullerton and Kenny Hiemstra. I can’t think of two more de- serving. A President’s Award was pre- sented to Lou Spallone as well. Con- gratulations to all. The Manipulation Contest was once again well attended. Our third-place win- ner was Akos Subecz, with Billy Perrigan in second and Martin Sharp clenching the top place. For photos and more information from the convention, see the SAFETECH wrap-up article on page 34. SAFETECH 2023 Next year, SAFETECH will be April 17- 22 at the Atlantis in Reno, Nevada. We have been able to secure a pretty good deal on hotel room fees, and we have a great week planned. The hotel is beau- tiful and well suited for a convention of our size. I hope you will join us, as you will gain knowledge and friendships that will last a lifetime. Happy Summer Summer is arriving, the kids are finishing up with school, trees and flowers are blooming and long-planned vacations are beginning to take place. Please be cautious when posting your vacation pics online — nothing like letting the world know you’re not at home. Be Safe, Mike Potter, CPS, CAI SAVTA President www.savta.org
