Dick Lawrence Resigned from ASPO-USA

Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Fellow Peak-Oilers,

In the summer of 2005 I was one of three co-founders of ASPO-USA, with
Steve Andrews and Randy Udall. We began the U.S. non-profit organization
after Kjell Aleklett and other founders of ASPO (Europe) authorized the
formation of national-level ASPOs, at the Lisbon ASPO conference in May
2005.

ASPO-USA quickly became a prominent and effective national ASPO organization
under Steve and Randy’s leadership, with annual conferences routinely
drawing 500+ attendees from around the world, including the Boston
conference that I helped organize in October 2006. I’m proud of what we
accomplished in the years I worked for ASPO-USA as an organizer and as a
member of the Board.

Like any young organization, ASPO-USA has had growing pains and significant
changes in leadership and Board membership. Former Executive Director Scott
Pugh left the Board in July 2008. Steve Andrews also resigned in 2008 but
continued to play a vital role in support of the organization (Peak Oil
Review) until recently. Board members Morey Wolfson and Sally Odland left
the Board in early 2009. Rick Block resigned in August 2009, Debbie Cook
resigned from the Board in October 2009, and Board President Randy Udall
resigned in mid-December 2009.

With ASPO-USA’s Board down to 3 members, I took on the role as interim
President, hoping to lead the Board back toward full membership, and the
organization back toward its former effectiveness and visibility in the
global discussion on energy. The process was frustrating. After 2 years of
Board attrition without bringing in any new Board members – in spite of an
abundance of good candidates – it was clear the organization had lost
critical mass, and I was not successful in reversing its descent. After a
strategy meeting in late June 2010, I resigned from ASPO-USA. I no longer
have any association with the organization.

Many of you have emailed me in the past at my ASPO-USA address, dlawrence
(at) aspo-usa (dot) com. However I can’t depend on retaining this email
address in the future, and I recommend you use my Gmail account for all
future correspondence:

dlawrence2 (at) Gmail (dot) com

or simply REPLY to this message.

I look forward to continuing the dialog and working with many of you on
energy issues in the future. Peak Oil is a critical dilemma for humankind,
and still needs the focused attention of our best minds.

Yours sincerely,

Dick Lawrence

Peak Oil New England