Change to Staff Leadership of STC (Society for Technical Communication) Announced

The STC Board of Directors announced that, effective effective 6 July 2012,  CEO/Executive Director Kathryn Burton, will be moving on to focus her efforts on guiding the STC Certification Commission she initiated, after nearly six years in the leadership role for STC. Steven Jong, chairman of the Commission, said of Burton’s transition, “In her dual roles with STC and the Certification Commission, Kathryn brought experience, skill, and the ability to get things moving and get things done. I’m happy that she plans to focus on the Certification Commission, and I’m confident that we will benefit from her help and advice.”

The announcement on the STC website notes Burton’s achievements during her tenure, including guiding the association through  the 2008–2010 recession:

1. Improving STC’s internal and external processes, including improved financial controls, new accounting and association management software, a new website with an embedded social media network, and a robust social media presence.
2. Overseeing a new editorial direction for the Technical Communication journal, hiring an internationally recognized editor, and establishing an improved online presence, ensuring the journal’s premier status in the field.
3. Contributing to the professionalization of technical communication by developing a certification program that follows American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards.
4. Initiating a major public policy effort to gain U.S. and EU governmental and employer recognition for technical writing and technical communication, including successfully influencing the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to separate Technical Writers from other writers in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
5. Increasing the number of educational member services, including a vibrant live Web seminar series and virtual conference, generating significant non-dues revenue in the past year, and developing one of the few profitable association online education programs.
6. Cutting over $1.8 million from the annual budget through competitive bidding, enhanced technology, and streamlined systems.

“Kathryn has served STC with talent and energy for the past six years, and even this short list of her accomplishments speaks for itself. Those who have worked closely with her know the dedication she has brought to STC’s mission of advancing the profession of technical communication.”

Interim management of STC will be handled by co-Deputy Directors Lloyd Tucker and Greg Larsen, and the Board of Directors is now in the process of forming a search committee to find a new CEO.