22
AFSA membership, reflected by the fact that nearly 80 percent of
all incoming FS members joined AFSA.
AFSA held three events in our Federal Benefits Speaker Se-
ries in 2014. In May we welcomed back Paula Jakub, chief execu-
tive officer and executive vice president of the American Foreign
Service Protective Association, for the very popular discussion
on “The Coordination of Medicare and FEHB.” We followed up
with two other seminars: “Long-Term Care and Survivor
Annuities” and “Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts.” These
members-only events were well attended and provided
the audiences with ample time for questions and answers.
All seminars were recorded and are available online at
www.afsa.org/video.As we do each year, AFSA co-hosted the Job Search
Program (JSP) reception with DACOR. These receptions
were held in the elegant Wood Lobby at the National For-
eign Affairs Training Center in March, August and Oc-
tober. Retirees view AFSA as a valuable partner in their
transition, and the majority of the JSP participants joined
AFSA as retiree members.
AFSA also hosted several happy hours throughout the
year, drawing more than 150 members and guests at each
for socializing and networking.
On May 22, AFSA hosted a gala dinner in the State
Department’s Benjamin Franklin State Dining Room to
celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Foreign Service.
Speakers included Secretary of State John Kerry, Rep-
resentative Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), former Senator
Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), former Secretary of State Colin
Powell, and NBC’s Andrea Mitchell as the emcee. Among
the 215 attendees were current and retired members of
the Foreign Service and management officials from all
Foreign Service agencies.
To see the video of the dinner, please visit our You-
Tube channel
(www.youtube.com/AFSAtube); the pho-
to gallery can be viewed on AFSA’s Flickr page www.
flickr.com/americanforeignservice); and the transcript
of Secretary Kerry’s speech can be found at
www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2014/05/226496.htm. The dinner
marked a proud moment in the history of AFSA and
the Foreign Service.
Post Representatives
Post representatives are active-duty Foreign Service
employees who volunteer their time to assist fellow
employees with management-related problems and
professional concerns. They represent both the col-
lective and individual interests of members at post in
dealing with post management and serve as a liaison
with AFSA headquarters, passing on the views of its
members in all the Foreign Affairs agencies. In 2014
AFSA certified 86 new post representatives, bringing the total to
154 post reps around the world (148 from State, four from US-
AID and two from FCS). In April, AFSA President Bob Silver-
man and State VP Matthew Asada held a webinar for current post
reps, reviewing their role in labor management relations, as well
as AFSA priority issues, recent concerns at post and future en-
hancements to the post rep program.
Membership Services Staff:
(from left) Office Manager and Administrative
Assistant Ana Lopez, Retiree Counselor and Legislative Assistant Matt
Sumrak, Member Services Director Janet Hedrick, Retiree Counselor Todd
Thurwachter, Membership Services Part-Time Employee Isabelle Hazel.
(
Not pictured:
Deputy Director of Member Services, Benefits and Events
Kristy Pomes, Membership Services Assistant Margaux Henderson.)
Former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell addresses attendees of AFSA’s
90th Anniversary Gala Dinner held in the Benjamin Franklin State Dining
Room in May 2014.