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 y coincidence, this, 50th, issue of the Translation Journal appears shortly before the ATA Conference celebrating the American Translators Association's 50th birthday. In these 50 years, ATA has grown from a handful of New York City translators to a 10,000-member international organization with a $2.8 million budget.
Your editor is a relative "newcomer," having joined ATA in 1978. As can be seen from the Chronicle of that year, the Association had by then grown to 1243 members who paid $42,000 in dues. In comparison, today our 10,000+ members are paying $1.6 million in dues.
The TJ, launched in July 1997, has become the #1 on-line publication for translators, with readers and contributors from all over the world. Unlike many printed and Web publications, each of its 50 issues was published without fail on schedule, during the second half of the month preceding the issue's dateline. It receives over 100,000 visits a year. This, 50th, issue features articles by authors from no less than 13 countries, from Brazil to China.
Happy Birthday, ATA, and Happy 50th, TJ!
ATA Elections: This year's ATA Conference, like all ATA Conferences, will also host the election of three ATA directors and, like all Conferences held in odd-numbered years, the election of three officers—the President-elect, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. Your editor, following the TJ's tradition, will stay neutral in the elections for Directors, although several of his long-time friends are on the slate as candidates. However, it is difficult for him to keep his neutrality in the election for officers, since he is running as a candidate for Treasurer. While this issue of the TJ carries his extended statement containing information that cannot be fitted in the "official" version, which is limited to 500 words, this does not intend to suggest that his opponent is not qualified for the position. As a Board member of four years and, since January this year, member of the Finance Committee, he is. He's also a friend, with whom we worked together on several projects on the Board, and who sees many of the issues facing ATA the same way as I do. For the sake of fairness, I offered him unlimited space in this same issue of the TJ for a campaign statement, but he regrettably declined my offer. The voting members of ATA should carefully study the material available to them about all candidates and cast their votes based on the candidates' qualifications.
This ATA Conference to be held in New York City, the birthplace of the Association, promises to be bigger, better, and more exciting than any of the preceding 49 Conferences. I look forward to seeing you all there!
Update:
It was a very special treat to see so many old friends and colleagues at the New York Conference, as well as a large number of new, young faces—the future of our profession. At the elections held in New York City on October 29, 2009, I was elected Treasurer of the American Translators Association.
My heartfelt thanks to all those who encouraged me before the elections, those who voted for me or otherwise supported my candidacy, and those who expressed or sent me their congratulations and good wishes after the elections. I will work hard to meet your expectations.
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