TSCL Thrives Under Leadership of Chairman George A. Smith

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TSCL Thrives Under Leadership of Chairman George A. Smith

By Patty Gaul, Director of Legislative Affairs, TREA Senior Citizens League

George Smith took over the reins of TSCL as Chairman in February 2001. Along with Vice Chair Dottie Holmes and then Treasurer Dick Brogan—and the other Members of the Board of Trustees—Mr. Smith has revamped TSCL’s legislative and administrative programs. Mr. Smith—like all of the TSCL Board of Trustees—is a volunteer. He works as hard as he does because he believes in TSCL, and its mission of fighting for your earned benefits.

Under Mr. Smith’s leadership, TSCL hired David Funderburk and Associates. Former Member of Congress, David Funderburk and his wife, Betty, assisted the Board in developing an aggressive legislative program for TSCL. Together, we have expanded our legislative priorities to include such items as drug “re-importation” and opposition to a Social Security totalization agreement with Mexico. The work on the administrative side has included a reorganization of TSCL finances and staff, including a recent promotion of Shannon Benton to Director of Administration.

At age 73, Mr. Smith could sit back and enjoy his retirement years with his wife Marie, traveling and spending time with family. While Mr. Smith finds time for those activities as well, he is in daily communication with the TSCL staff, whether it be to discuss membership benefits with Ms. Garlette Dunkley, or to see how things are going for one of the TSCL staff—such as how Bud DuPont, our legislative analyst, is doing with the Federal Election reports.

Mr. Smith and the rest of the Board follow through with this at every Board meeting, at which each member of the TSCL staff has the opportunity to discuss with the Board how we feel TSCL is working as an advocacy organization. And just because someone is in the Administrative section, doesn’t mean he or she can’t offer input on the legislative side. For example, our information specialist, Karen Ferguson, is often the first line of communication on the phone with our members. Who better to know how legislation is affecting our supporters, than someone who talks to them every day?

Under his guidance, TSCL has matured as an organization, but Mr. Smith isn’t quitting. He is currently acting as the impetus for major improvements in the TSCL website, http://www.tscl.org, and its newsletter, The Advisor. If you have a comment for Mr. Smith, you can reach him at GeorgeSmith@tscl.org.

March 2004