The DGS hosted a Genealogy Society Summit at the Dallas Public Library on Friday, September 16, 2016. 37 leaders from 19 North Texas Societies (listed below) participated in the days activities that included group discussion on common issues. This event was offered at no cost to participants.
The event also featured two presentations made by Curt Witcher:
- Session 1: Keys to Our Success in These “Best of Times – These are the best of times for those engaged in family history pursuits, yet member engagement and membership ranks are not growing as rapidly as they should. Important operational philosophies and strategic thinking are shared to encourage those involved in society operations to increase member engagement while enticing new members.
- Session 2: Becoming the Outstanding Leader Your Society Needs – Practical tips and strategies for being a leader in your society are offered which include knowing your organization, working well with a wide range of individuals, and providing opportunities for new ideas and new talent to be a part of your organization. Good leaders also plan for succession, a topic which will also be covered.
A survey was distributed to all participants following the event: the results are summarized here.
The participating societies are listed below. Representatives from the Texas State Genealogical Society (which also contributed funds for the lunch that was provided to attendees) were also in attendance.
- Angelina County Genealogical Society
- Arlington Genealogical Society
- Bell County Genealogical Society
- Cedar Hill Genealogical Society
- Collin County Genealogical Society
- Dallas Genealogical Society
- Denton County Genealogical Society
- East Texas Genealogical Society
- Erath County Genealogical Society
- Fort Worth Genealogical Society
- Grand Prairie Genealogical Society
- Hogar De Dallas
- Lamar County Genealogical Society
- Mesquite Historical & Genealogical Society
- Mid Cities Genealogical Society
- North Collin County Genealogical Society
- Red River Genealogical Society
- Van Zandt County Genealogical Society
- Wise County Genealogical Society
