From the New VBDC Chair, Susan Mariner

Last night the Virginia Beach Democratic Committee elected a new Steering Committee as consistent with its by-laws and with the by-laws of the Democratic Party of Virginia.

It was standing room only as a majority of the 140+ members of the newly reorganized VBDC came out to hear the candidates’ ideas for the future and select their new leadership. It was great to see so much energy and enthusiasm for the future of the Party in the city! As Jody Wagner remarked, “I’ve traveled across the state to a lot of Democratic Committees, and tonight nobody has anything on the Virginia Beach Democrats!”

When the votes came in, I was deeply humbled to be selected to take the baton from Ollie Bates and serve as the new Chair of the VBDC. Here are the names of all the newly elected officers in no particular order because nobody’s contribution is more important than anybody else’s:

Vice-chair: Paul Baker

Precincts and Elections Director: Carol Shrader

Outreach Director: Geraldine Hunt

Secretary: Bill Fleming (Candidate for State Senate…. www.flemingforstatesenate.org )

Fundraising and Events Director: Marcy Fromberg

Candidate Recruitment Director: Eric Schmudde

Treasurer: Joel McDonald (Joel has been serving as the VBDC webmaster)

Chair: Susan Mariner

Most of you know me from my years volunteering for Democrats and/or my time on staff with the DNC or the Obama campaign, but I look forward to getting to know the rest of you very soon.

Your new Steering Committee is excited to have an opportunity to work with each and every one of you to help make the Democratic Party the dominant party in Virginia Beach! We have some great ideas we’d like to share with you, and look forward to hearing your ideas too. Personally, during my tenure with the DNC and DPVA, I saw some great things done by Democratic committees that I think we might want to implement here. There is no doubt that together we can do great things! As one of my favorite sayings goes, “Individually, we are a single drop. Together, we are an ocean.”

Finally, I and the rest of the new Steering Committee wish to thank the great Sylvia Ellis, who also ran for Chair, for her outstanding service to the Virginia Beach Democratic Committee over the past several years. As newly elected Vice Chair Paul Baker noted last night, “There are show horses and there are work horses. Sylvia is a work horse.” Thank you, Sylvia. We remain in awe of your dedication and energy level.

My very best,

Susan Mariner
(757) 692-0989