The following was written by the Board for Certification of Genealogists:
Laura DeGrazia, CG, President of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, announced the retirement of three respected trustees, effective on October 12th, 2008.
- Claire Bettag, CG, CGL, of Washington, DC, retired after six years on the board. Claire served as BCG Assistant Secretary and will continue to serve as the Board's Registered Agent. She specializes in researching French and Acadian families of Louisiana. Claire serves on the faculty of Samford University’s Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research. She is an instructor at the National Institute on Genealogical Research, of which she is the former director. She is a former co-editor of the NGS Quarterly.
- Brian Hutchison, Esq., B.Comm, CMA, CG, FSA (Scot), of Nanaimo, British Columbia, retired after three years on the board. A Certified Management Accountant, he served as BCG Treasurer from 2005 to 2008. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries for Scotland, past treasurer for the Alberta Family Histories Society and past vice-president of the Alberta Genealogical Society.
- Helen Ullmann, CG, FASG, of Acton, Massachusetts, retired after three years on the board. She created the list of “Ten Tips for Success” for certification applicants that appears on the BCG website. Helen is a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists, and associate editor of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register. She is a tireless member of statewide genealogical societies in Massachusetts and Connecticut, writing regular columns for both journals.
According to President DeGrazia, "All three of our retiring trustees are committed to promoting excellence in genealogical practice. Their contributions to the Board have enabled BCG to continue to grow as a nationally recognized and respected certifying body."
Also effective October 12, 2008, Connie Lenzen, CG, retired as BCG President after serving in that capacity for three years. She will continue to serve as BCG trustee. Her term as president included the implementation of BCG’s credential consolidation and development of rubrics for use by BCG judges. Connie is a director for the National Genealogical Society, editor of the revised NGS Home Study Course, former trustee for the Association of Professional Genealogists, and winner of the 1995 NGS Quarterly Award of Excellence.
The fifteen current members of the BCG Board of Trustees are:
- Laura DeGrazia, CG, of New York, President
- Ann Carter Fleming, CG, CGL, of Missouri, Vice-president
- Barbara Mathews, CG, of Massachusetts, Secretary
- Beverly Rice, CG, of Oregon, Treasurer
- Kay Haviland Freilich, CG, CGL, of Pennsylvania, Executive Committee Member-at-Large
- Cindy Lee Banks, CG, of Nebraska
- Jim W. Faulkinbury, CG, of California
- Kay Ingalls, CG, of California
- Connie Lenzen, CG, of Oregon
- David McDonald, CG, of Wisconsin
- Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, of Tennessee
- Christine Rose, CG, CGL, FASG, of California
- Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, of Pennsylvania
- Dawne Slater-Putt, CG, of Indiana
- Shirley Langdon Wilcox, CG, of Virginia
Since its founding in 1964, the Board for Certification of Genealogists has promoted — in research, lectures, and publications — attainable, uniform standards of competence and ethics that have become generally accepted throughout the field. Its publication The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual sets forth the currently accepted standards for all areas of genealogical research.
