This is the last edition of InSite to which I will contribute as your Chairman. Based on all the indicators, it comes as another good year for HAI Group draws to a close.

We don’t have the actuarial information yet, but the year-end numbers look strong. The 2009 Audit is underway and the up-front work during October went well. The Board is working closely with management to assure that the 2010 Budget and Work Plan reflects the shared vision and strategic plan we agreed upon. The coming year will bring significant growth and additional complexity, but we are well-prepared for the challenges and there is good reason to be optimistic.

It strikes me – as I indulge in a bit of nostalgia – that we have never had to deal with much bad news. We even spent an entire Annual Report trying to decide why. No matter what the reason or reasons, the fact remains that HAI Group has had an extremely solid run for more than 22 years. The one constant has been change and that has never been truer than it is now. The road ahead looks different than the road behind, not in terms of how we do business, but in terms of what our business is. Service, loyalty, common goals, and building and maintaining relationships must remain part of HAI Group’s character as the products, customers, and challenges take on different looks in the future.

If history is any indication, HAI Group will continue to thrive and achieve its mission of delivering service and long-term value to the membership. It has always been the people who have made it work. The people I have had the pleasure to work with the last two years, both on staff and on the board, are the best, overall, that I have seen in my 20 years of participation. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this.