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Fellow
TAA members and leaders
thank Pynn for his dedication to TAA:
"No
tribute to Ron would be true to his legacy lest it be in seriously
flawed rhyme. Here goes:
The
Cat Needs a Hat *
The sun did not shine.
The used books were in play.
So we brooded with Council
All that dark, dreary day.
I sat there with Lennie,
And Wakefield,
and Sullivan, too.
And we said, "How we wish
There was something to do!"
Too bleak to be cheery
With book buyers calling.
We sat in our meeting.
Our spirits were falling.
So all we could do was to
Sit!
Sit!
Sit!
Sit!
And we did not like it.
Not one little bit.
And then
Someone stood up!
And he pounded his fist!
We looked!
And we saw him unfurling his list!
We looked!
And we saw him!
Rise up where he sat.
And we thought to ourselves.
Man, that Cat needs a Hat!
(He's hair-challenged)
And he said to us,
"Why do you sit there like that?"
"I know it is bleak,
"And the used books are selling,
"But we can write letters
"With facts that are telling."
"I
know some good facts we could try,"
Said the Cat.
"I know some new facts,"
Said the Cat with no Hat.
"A lot of good facts.
"I will tell them to you.
"Your Dean
"Will not mind it at all if I do."
Then Lennie and Wakefield
Did not know what to say.
The TAA Council was gone
For the day.
But the Cat with no Hat was not done
No he wasn't
He said that he'd only begun.
"Can't quit now, no we musn't."
Like the Cat needs his hat
TAA needs Ron Pynn
Till the used books are vanquished
(We're used-book chagrin'd).
* With apologies to Dr. Seuss
— Steve
Gillen, TAA Council Member
"I
will never forget the day that I found the announcement about
TAA at an AEJMC meeting. Surprisingly, I suddenly found myself
not only on the Council, but also responsible for the TAA convention
in Las Vegas. As I planned the convention, Ron was always there
to offer assurance and guidance. So the details came together
smoothly. Then, when I became TAA Secretary for several consecutive
terms, once again Ron was a pillar of support. When Ron and Frank
came to my Cal Poly Pomona, California, campus to present a TAA
workshop, it was so successfully well done that I still bask in
their reflected glory! Ditto the other California workshops. Moreover,
through my many years in TAA, I have always known that I could
turn to Ron. His thoughtful consideration and good sense has always
energized TAA— just as his wonderful, humorous presentations
at the annual TAA conventions created an entertaining evening.
In short, Ron is the spirit and heart of TAA!"
— Mary
Kay Switzer, former TAA Secretary and current Council member
"In
1995, Ron Pynn became Executive Director of TAA. He was an excellent
choice to lead us through a not-so-smooth transitional period.
He was a charter member and one of three Senior Members who governed
TAA in its early days. He twice served as TAA's President (1992-93,
1996-97). He has carefully mentored us through a number of crises.
For example, early in his tenure as Executive Director, he had
to cut some expenses and defer others (including his own salary)
to keep the association functioning as a professional association.
He was instrumental in developing new sources of revenue through
workshops and the International Federation of Reproduction Rights
Organizations (IFFRO). The added revenue put us on a firm financial
foundation that continues to allow us to offer many member services
today. Thanks, Ron!"
— John
Wakefield, TAA President
"Ron
is one of three original 'founding fathers' of TAA without whom
there simply would not be a TAA. While in recent years we have
had much more financial lattitude to accomplish the goals of the
founders, it is their tenacity and volunteer and delayed payment
services that kept the boat afloat for the first 15 years. They
are owed a tremendous standing ovation for what they have accomplished,
and Ron's contribution has no equal in that regard."
— Michael
Lennie, TAA member, TAA Council Advisor, TAA Foundation President
"It
was my good fortune to join TAA as Managing Director (office manager)
while Ron Pynn was acting Executive Director. The first year,
I was located in a small office on the University of South Florida
St. Petersburg campus, while Ron was serving TAA as Executive
Director part-time from Grand Forks, North Dakota. Even long distance
he immediately impressed me with his knowledge, brilliant mind
and total devotion to TAA and his earnest desire to serve anyone
who has ever published or wanted to publish.
A
year later he had retired from teaching and moved to St. Petersburg,
Florida to serve TAA close up, and that was TAA's good fortune.
As I worked along beside him those years at USF I grew to know
him as the soul of TAA. He worked diligently trying to find new
ways to get the word out about TAA and all of its benefits to
authors.
As
TAA grows larger and expands to help more and more authors around
the country, its success is due to Ron Pynn and the few other
good men that had the desire to spread their knowledge and ideas
to others that shared their love of writing.
Thanks,
Ron, for all your hard work, and devotion."
— Janet
N. Tucker, Managing Director, TAA National Headquarters |
